Tabu is widely celebrated for her powerful performances in films like 'Chandni Bar' and 'Astitva', but she has also excelled in comedy and other genres. Since the 1990s, she has delivered several memorable songs, with 'Rang De' from Thakshak standing out as a fan favorite. The track, composed by A.R. Rahman, written by Sukhwinder Singh, and sung by Asha Bhosle, is regarded as one of the late 1990s' standout Bollywood songs.
Behind the scenes of 'Rang De'
The song required immense hard work from Tabu, who was determined to master choreographer Saroj Khan's demanding moves. Dance artiste Rubina Khan, who worked on the song as part of Saroj Khan's team, recalled Tabu's dedication in an interview with Bollywood Thikana. “She worked very hard to master the moves. During rehearsals, she barely sat down. Since her body is slightly stiff, she doesn't have the flexibility required to master such moves easily. Hence, she practiced a lot and showcased her skills in the end. We completed the song in 4-5 days,” Rubina shared.
Tabu's generous gestures
According to Rubina, Tabu was overwhelmed with joy after seeing the final version of the song and expressed her gratitude in a memorable way. “She was so happy, she gifted gold bangles to Saroj Khan. She also gifted a gold chain to her male assistant and a gold bracelet to her female assistant. That was the first time I saw an artiste do something like that. She was so happy that she pulled off the dance number.”
Tabu also ensured the background dancers felt appreciated. Rubina revealed, “There were about 25-30 women and almost the same number of men. She gave each of us Rs 1,000. It was such a kind gesture from her.”
Another act of compassion
Rubina further spoke about Tabu's compassionate personality by recalling an incident from a different shoot involving Kathak choreography. “Once, we were recording a song that had some Kathak movement. At one point, we had to turn a particular way and stop at a specific pose. While we were doing it, one of the girls with us sprained her leg and fell. Tabu immediately stopped. At that moment, we felt she was no longer the heroine but just one among us. She sat down next to the injured dancer, kept her leg on her lap, and asked one of the crew members to bring a bandage and medicine.”
She added, “When the dancer tried to stop her, saying she would apply them herself, Tabu was like, ‘It's not a problem. Don't you see me as one of your own?’ She is extremely sweet that way. Although we worked together only rarely after that, she is a person I will never forget.”
About the film Thakshak
Directed by Govind Nihalani, Thakshak also starred Ajay Devgn, Rahul Bose, Nethra Raghuraman, Govind Namdeo, and Amrish Puri in pivotal roles. The film is often considered Nihalani's first attempt at mainstream commercial cinema. However, despite its music and performances receiving appreciation, the action drama failed commercially and reportedly earned only Rs 6.52 crore worldwide against a budget of Rs 6.5 crore, according to Box Office India.
