Some Bollywood songs are still alive thanks to their music. Some are also still alive due to their method of filming. Then there are songs such as Rang De (Thakshak) wherein people still remember it because everything finally worked out — the voice, the beat, choreography, the red sari, the lighting of the visuals and of course Tabu. However, there was another story behind that iconic song.

A story, not of stardom, but of effort.

Recently, dance artiste Rubina Khan, who was part of Saroj Khan's crew, recalled the grueling nature of the song and how emotional the actor was when she has completed it. During the rehearsals, Tabu was really working very hard, as the choreography didn't come easily for her, says Rubina. She said the actor hardly sat down when practising and it was he who pushed himself and pushed himself until he got the movements right. That is what makes this memory special. We often see the final song and assume the actor made it look effortless. But sometimes, the final ease comes only after days of struggle.

Why Rang De Was Not an Easy Song

Rang De was not a simple dance number. It had energy, expression and rhythm, and it needed the performer to look free on screen. That kind of performance is not easy when the choreography is demanding. Rubina recalled that Tabu’s body was slightly stiff and that she did not naturally have the flexibility required for those moves. But instead of taking it lightly, she practised a lot. The song was completed in around 4–5 days, and by the end, she had pulled it off strongly enough for the performance to become one of her most remembered screen moments. That detail changes how one looks at Tabu in Rang De. The song is not just a visual memory from the late 1990s. It is also an example of an actor working outside her comfort zone and winning the moment through discipline.

Gifts That Surprised Everyone 

After the shoot was completed, Tabu was reportedly so happy that she decided to thank the people who helped her get there. The actor had given gold bangle to Saroj Khan who choreographed the song, Rubina said. She also gifted them the gold chain to Saroj Khan's male assistant and gold bracelet to her female assistant. This was the first time that Rubina witnessed an artist expressing gratitude like this after a song shooting.

But the gesture didn't stop there. There were around 25–30 women dancers and almost the same number of male dancers on the song. Rubina remembered that Tabu gave ₹1000 to each one of them. This was no ordinary envelope at the time. It was a sincere gesture of gratitude from one of the biggest stars to those who made all the hard work behind-the-scenes happen. This is how this story has resonated. Bollywood is known to remember stars, choreographers, music directors. Background dancers are seldom recalled as affectionately as the lead dancers. Tabu was playful in ensuring that they were noticed.

The Credit of Saroj Khan in Making the Song Work.

The song also draws attention towards Saroj Khan's Bollywood choreography skills. She could have a knack for getting her actors to do more than they had in mind, and of getting movements into the heads of audience that lasted for decades. The choreography for Rang De had to go with the music of A. R. Rahman and the mesmerising vocals of Asha Bhosle. The music was raw, hypnotic and Saroj Khan's dance contributed to make it unforgettable on the screen. The song was written by A. R. Rahman and sung by Asha Bhosle with some sources attributing the lyrics to Sukhwinder Singh as well. That combination made the song stand apart. It did not feel like a regular dance track. It had heat, movement and mood. And at the centre of it was Tabu, doing something many people did not expect from her at the time. She was already respected for intense performances, but Rang De showed a different side—bold, expressive, and physically committed.

The Other Story Rubina Remembered

Rubina also revealed one other moment that made her reminisce about the actor fondly. In another shooting scene that had Kathak moves, one of the dancers sustained a sprain and fell down. Rubina said Tabu immediately stopped and sat beside the injured dancer before putting the dancer's leg on her lap and requesting the bandage and medicine. The dancers were reminded of this moment, as it resulted in an unusual proximity to stars and crew. Rubina recalled that that is not the way “the heroine” was acting. She was just sitting there like one of them, assisting someone that was injured. This is a behind-the-scenes tale that's not reflected by posters or box office receipts. But it gives a lot more than public appearances do, a lot more about a person.

How Is This Old Memory Going Viral Now?

There's a reason why the story is being discussed again: people enjoy hearing about acts of kindness from the movies, particularly an era that's more famous for its songs and gossip. Bollywood nostalgia is all around today. Old songs are found on YouTube and Instagram. Younger audiences view clips without necessarily realizing the work that went into creating them. Hence, when a dancer tells others what's behind one of the most popular songs, it gives it a second life. The story is also now appropriate to how Tabu is perceived today. Not only is she counted among the most versatile actresses, but she is also a very gentle girl. She doesn't make public noise of this sort very often. That only furthered the sense of this being memory. It demonstrates that an actor was happy not only with her accomplishment in the song but also with the individuals that would have helped her accomplish that.

Thakshak Failed, But Rang De Survived

Thakshak, directed by Govind Nihalani, featured Ajay Devgn, Rahul Bose, Nethra Raghuraman, Govind Namdev, and Amrish Puri. The film did not become a major box office success. According to reports citing Box Office India, it earned around ₹6.52 crore worldwide against a reported budget of ₹6.5 crore. But films and songs do not always share the same fate. The movie may not have worked commercially, but Rang De stayed. It became one of the most memorable parts of the film and one of Tabu’s standout song performances. That is the strange life of cinema. Sometimes a film fades, but one song refuses to disappear. A Reminder of the People Behind the Magic This story is not just about gifts. It is about what those gifts represented. A gold bangle, a chain, a bracelet, and ₹1,000 for each dancer — these were signs of recognition. Tabu knew she had worked hard, but she also knew she had not done it alone. That is why this memory matters even years later.

For The United Indian

Why This Matters

At The United Indian, we look beyond nostalgia to understand the stories behind famous moments. This memory from Rang De shows how hard work, gratitude and respect can live quietly behind a popular Bollywood song.

The Bigger Picture

Cinema is built by many hands, not just the star in front of the camera. Stories like this remind us why respect behind the scenes matters as much as applause on screen.

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