Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined several other Bollywood actors and singers to condole the demise of legendary Kathak dancer Pandit Birju Maharaj. He was 83.
Taking to Twitter, Modi said, “Deeply saddened by the death of Pandit Birju Maharaj ji, who gave Indian dance artform a special recognition across the world. His passing is an irreparable loss to the entire art world. My condolences to his family and fans in this hour of grief."
Anupam Kher shared a video to remember Birju Maharaj from his days at the National School of Drama.
The actor revealed that watching the Kathak maestro perform was always a 'magical experience'. He also talked about how he would try to understand his facial expressions as his “delicate details of acting were amazing”.
“He (Birju Maharaj) used to tell me , ‘teri aankho me bahut shararat hai. (there is a lot of naughtiness in your eyes),’” Anupam said.
Singer Adnan Sami called him a genius and tweeted, "Extremely saddened by the news about the passing away of Legendary Kathak Dancer– Pandit Birju Maharaj ji. We have lost an unparalleled institution in the field of the performing arts. He has influenced many generations through his genius. May he rest in peace. #BirjuMaharaj."
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta shared the press note shared by the Maharaj family on Twitter and wrote, “One of Kathak’s greatest ambassadors is gone. RIP Panditji.”
