Farah Khan: Lesser known facts

Choreographer-turned-director Farah Khan, who made the audience sway to her steps in the 1992 film ‘Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander’, has come a long way! The lady, who has completed about 25 glorious years in the showbiz, has entertained the audience with her entertaining directorial ventures like ‘Main Hoon Na’, ‘Om Shanti Om’, ‘Happy New Year’ and many more. She has also changed the way a dance number is choreographed – be it with her train sequence in ‘Chaiyya chaiyya’ (‘Dil Se’) or her tribute to Bollywood in ‘Woh ladki hai kahan’ (‘Dil Chahta Hai’). Here’s taking a look at a few lesser known facts about this choreographer-director:

Farah Khan was only five years old when her parents decided to part ways, as a result of which she and her brother Sajid Khan had to shuttle between their parents’ homes.

Actor-director Farhan Akhtar and his sister Zoya Akhtar are Farah’s first cousins. Farah’s mother, Menaka Irani, is the sister of screenwriter Honey Irani (Farhan’s mom) and former child actor Daisy Irani.

Farah Khan’s big break as a choreographer came in the most unexpected of circumstances. Saroj Khan, who was the original choreographer of Mansoor Khan's directorial venture- ‘Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar’, reportedly had headed out to Kodaikanal, leaving the shooting of ‘Pehla nasha’ in a lurch. The project then fell into then-assistant Farah’s lap. A 27-year-old Farah showed no signs of nervousness as she took the baton and gave the audience a memorable number in ‘Pehla nasha’.

Farah’s debut film as a director, ‘Main Hoon Na’ (2004), earned her a Filmfare Best Director nomination. She became the second female director to receive a nomination in that category after Mira Nair.

Farah Khan made her acting debut in Karan Johar’s directorial debut, ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ – she was seen in a cameo as the college student who makes fun of Anjali (Kajol). 14 years later, Farah did a full-fledged role in the comedy ‘Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi’ (2012) alongside Boman Irani.

Farah and her husband Shirish Kunder started a production company called ‘Three’s Company’ named in honour of their triplets – son Czar, and daughters, Diva and Anya.

Farah even worked in international films like ‘Monsoon Wedding’ and ‘Vanity Fair’. In fact, her work in the much acclaimed musical ‘Bombay Dreams’ earned her a Best Choreographer nomination at the Tony Awards in 2004 (along with collaborator Anthony van Laast).

Khan once confessed that she is absolutely petrified of needles and hence, often requests doctors to not give her injections.