Bollywood actor Isha Koppikar, who began her acting career in the South Indian film industry before transitioning to Bollywood with films like Don, Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute to Love, and Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya?, recently opened up about a deeply humiliating experience she faced early in her career. In a conversation with Digital Commentary, Isha recalled being shamed by a choreographer on the set of a South film for not knowing how to dance.
Isha Koppikar says she was humiliated for her dance in a South film. Isha Koppikar on choreographer humiliating her on set
Isha said, “Yes, in one of the South films, I had just begun my career. This is before I entered Bollywood. When I was on set, there was a lot of dance. You know how South dances are — they are not easy. But in my first film, mere choreographer ne mujhe sabke saamne bola ki yeh Bollywood se ladkiyan aati hai, pata nahi kyun le lete hain inko. Kuch aata hi nahi inhe (My choreographer said to me in front of everyone, ‘These girls come from Bollywood, I don’t know why they take them. They don’t know anything’).”
How Isha Koppikar learnt to dance
She went on to share how the incident motivated her to improve her dancing skills, “He humiliated me. I don’t know if he was under some pressure. And he said dance nahi aata toh yahan kyun aayi ho? (If you don’t know how to dance, then why have you come here?) I felt very bad and humiliated. I went back to my make-up room and I cried. But I took it up as a challenge. And I said, the next time I come to the South, I’ll come after learning how to dance — I won’t let anyone talk like that again.”
Determined to never face such criticism again, Isha revealed that she reached out to Saroj Khan’s chief assistant dancer and asked to be trained in the legendary choreographer’s style. She began learning Saroj’s choreography at home every day, eventually landing the hit song Khallas, which catapulted her to fame.
Often referred to as the “Khallas Girl,” Isha rose to stardom with the chartbuster Khallas from Company (2002). Her bold screen presence and dance moves made her an overnight sensation. She went on to deliver hit dance numbers like Ishq Samundar (Kaante), Aankhen Maarein (Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai), Aaj Ki Raat (Don), and more. She was last seen in Ayalaan (2024), which starred Sivakarthikeyan, Rakul Preet Singh, Sharad Kelkar, Karunakaran, Yogi Babu, David Broughton-Davies, Bhanupriya, and Bala Saravanan in key roles.