Ace Kathak dancer Birju Maharaj would be choreographing film actress Madhuri Dixit in her forthcoming flick "Dedh Ishqiya", currently being shot at Sitapur, near Lucknow.

The film, directed by Abhishek Chaubey, is a sequel to the commercially successful "Ishqiya" starring Naseeruddin Shah, Arshad Varsi and Vidya Balan and is currently being shot at Mahmoodabad. The stars have been camping at a five-star hotel in the state capital for the past few days.

Joining them at the hotel, Birju Maharaj confirmed that he would be directing the dance steps of Madhuri Dixit after a gap of several years.


He had earlier choreographed Madhuri Dixit in "Devdaas" and "Dil to Pagal Hai". Expressing happiness at the assignment, he said it was "always a delight to direct good dancers like Madhuri as they catch up with dance steps fast and are involved in dance". Birju Maharaj's dance steps were recently seen in "Vishvaroop", where Kamal Hassan was seen dancing to his tunes.

The Padam Vibhushan award winner would also be performing in the city at the second convocation function of the Bhatkhande Music Sansthan (university) Wednesday.

He had choreographed a song sequence for the Sunny Deol starrer "Gadar" in Lucknow many years back.