Lachhu Maharaj

Pandit Lachhu Maharaj was an Indian Indian dancer and choreographer of Kathak dance. His real name is Pandit Baijnath Prasad. He was born on 1 September 1901 in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. He belonged to a family of classical dancers. His father was Kalka Prasad and his elder brother was Pandit Achhan Maharaj. Both were well-known Kathak dancers of their time. His uncle Pandit Bindadin Maharaj was also a Kathak dancer and the court dancer of Nawab of Awadh. Pandit Lachhu Maharaj took 10 years of training under them. He was a master in Pakhawaj, Tabla, and classical music vocals. He was married to Rama Devi.

He went to Mumbai after completing his training to achieve a wide range of Kathak audiences. He choreographed in many movies like Mahal, Chhoti Chhoti Baatein, Mughal-e-Azam, Pakeezah, and many others. He choreographed plays also like Goutam Buddha, Chandravali, and Bharatiya Kissan. In 1949, he choreographed the movie Mahal starring Ashok Kumar Ashok Kumar hails from Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. >> Read More... and Madhubala. Kamal Amrohi Syed Amir Haider Kamal Naqvi, better known as Kama >> Read More... directed this movie. In 1960, he choreographed the classical movie Mughal-e-Azam. The movie had a big star cast including Madhubala, Dileep Kumar Dileep Kumar is an Indian Video Editor. He did his >> Read More... , Prithviraj Kumaar, and many others. The film had the highest box office collection of its time.

In 1965, he choreographed the movie Chhoti Chhoti Baatein Starring Nadira and Motilal. The movie is directed, written, and produced by actor Motilal. In 1972, he choreographed another classical movie Pakeezah starring Raaj Kumar Raaj Kumar was a Bollywood actor. He worked as sub >> Read More... , Meena Kumari Meena Kumari is a popular TV and film actress. She >> Read More... , Nadira, and Ashok Kumar. Kamal Amrohi directed this movie. In 1957, he won the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the highest award for performing artists, by the Sangeet Natak Akademi which is India's National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama. Lachhu Maharaj is also the founder of Kathak Kendra, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. It was an initiative of the Uttar Pradesh Government to promote Kathak. In 1978, he passed away but he is still remembered as one of the most popular Classical Dancers. In 2007, a two-day festival was organized in Lucknow to celebrate the birth anniversary of Lachhu Maharaj.