Bhagwan Dada was synonymous with this number from his 1951 film Albela. In fact his minimalist dance movements, the gentle swaying of the hips and the lift of the hands became a behavioural influence in Hindi films. His form of dance had amazing grace.

Years later even Amitabh Bachchan was inspired by his dance movements. Even today it is to this step which people dance on the streets.

Bhagwan who passed away on 4th February, 2002, died a lonely death. The last couple of years he had been a recluse. He lived in miserable conditions in a chawl at Dadar. He is survived by four sons and three daughters.

Born as Bhagwan Abhaji Palav in Bombay in 1913, he was the son of a mill worker. After devoting himself to bodybuilding he started in the silent movie era with his long-term partner Chandrarao Kadam in the G P Pawar directed stunt movies.

He co-directed his first film Bahadur Kisan with Pawar in 1938 and turned producer in 1942 with with Jagruti Pictures and owned Jagriti Studios in Chembur in 1947.

The success of Albela established him briefly as a major post-independence producer. This 1951 black and white film which Bhagwan wrote, produced and directed had dialogues by Ehsan Rizvi and lyrics by Rajinder Krishen with music by C Ramchandra.

Its cast included Geeta Bali, Badri Prasad, Pratima Devi, Bimala, Nihal, Dulari, Sunder and Bhagwan. He played a dispatch clerk with dreams of being a star. His success as a singer and dancer is aided by the reigning star Asha (Geet Bali) with whom he falls in love. The love story is intercut with tragedy in his home& the death of his mother, estrangeme Pay your tributes to Bhagwan Dada here nt from his father. The film`s highlights are C Ramchandra`s composition Shola jo bhadke, dil mera dhadke set to flickering lights and Hawaiian dance choreography. It also had the numbers Bholi surat and Shyam dhale all sung by Ramchandra with Lata Mangeshkar.

Bhagwan starred as a dancer and simpleton in many stunt, adventure and comedy movies till the `60s. Since the `70s he was relegated to doing cameo roles in Hindi and Marathi films.

Bhagwan dada, as he was affectionately described by the film fraternity, also produced and directed nearly 48 films in a career spanning over six decades. However, negatives of all the films, except Albela and Bhagam Bhag, were destroyed in a major fire that gutted the Bombay Laboratories