Monday, Oct 31, 2005
Choreographer Farah Khan and Husband To Direct Their Own Films Now!
- Vimla Patil
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Vimla Patil was associated with Femina, India’s number one women’s magazine, published by the Times of India Group for 29 years. Femina is Vimla Patil's personal success story. Today, FEMINA is one of the strongest international brands with a vast readership in India and abroad. She initiated the Miss India contest in the mid-sixties for the journal and brought it to its present international stature. Vimla Patil promoted Indian textiles and fashion garments – especially handlooms – for decades by presenting over 4000 fashion shows in India and most countries of the world.
After finishing her long stint with Femina, she built a brand new career for herself as a freelance multi-mediaperson with writing, events, public relations, shows and many more activities in her portfolio!
Vimla Patil will be delighted to answer readers' questions. Please click on the comments page link at the bottom of the article to post your questions for her or to comment on her article.
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Farah Khan was a dance director in Bollywood films until Shah Rukh Khan and Karan Johar discovered her talent and gave her a strong and colourful media presence. Farah has had major successes in recent years – what with her fantastic choreography for ‘Bombay Dreams’ a West End presentation in London created by Andrew Lloyd Weber with A R Rahman’s music. The show has been a success in New York too. In India, Farah has come into limelight as the director of the Shah Rukh Khan produced blockbuster Main Hoon Na! When the film earned excellent money, SRK presented her with a beautiful car! Last year, she married film editor Shirish Kunder. They will now produce their own films!
One year after their marriage, choreographer Farha Khan and editor Shirish Kunder plan to become an independent production team!
Shirish Kunder, an electronic engineer, has no training as a film editor. He worked in a cell phone company for several years. But theatre was his passion. In time, he joined Anupam Kher as an assistant editor and later joined famous editor Renu Saluja. With Renu, Shirish learnt the tricks of the trade and became a renowned film editor. After editing important films like Armaan, Na Tum Jano Na Hum, Chura Liya Hai Tumne, Hera Pheri, Matrubhoomi and others, he came to SRK’s unit and edited the Farah Khan directed movie Main Hoon Na starring SRK and Sushmita Sen. He is presently working on several more films. Shirish is one of the few editors who edit a film on a laptop right on the location.
Farah Khan and Shirish Kumar
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Farha and Shirish met on the sets of Main Hoon Na
Farha and Shirish met and worked together on the sets of 'Main Hoon Na' and though Farah is older than Shirish, they gradually fell in love and decided to get married. Since mutual friend Shah Rukh Khan was witness to their romance, he helped to plan their wedding last year – and the functions became memorable because of the fun, noise, colour and the celebrities involved in it. At the wedding, Salman Khan and SRK, who had a soured relationship after their quarrel over the former’s misbehaviour on SRK’s film shoot – where Aishwarya Rai was working – was resolved and both became friends once again at Farha’s wedding bash. Shah Rukh Khan and wife Gauri hosted the sangeet party for Farha. “We were married twice,” says Farha, “One time we married according to the South Indian rituals because Shirish is a South Indian and the other time, we had a nikah because I am a Muslim. Karan Johar and Seema Khan designed my ensembles. Sushmita Sen gifted me a beautiful gold-coin jewellery set, which I wore at the wedding. Many stars and celebrities attended my wedding.”
Farah Khan and Shirish Kumar
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Farah and Shirish took a quick three-day honeymoon in Thailand because both were inundated with work. After Main Hoon Na was a major success, Farah received the gift of a brand new car from Shah Rukh Khan. She then decided to become a full-fledged director and not take on any choreography assignments except for very special friends. “I will continue to do choreography for the films made by my close friends Shah Rukh Khan, Karan Johar and the Yashraj films group,” she says, “I will also do foreign assignments in the West End or Broadway if I get good offers.”
Shirish and Farha will produce films together
“Our first film 'Main Hoon Na' has proved that we can, as a unit, create good, saleable films,” says Farha, the more talkative of the two, “I wrote the script of the film. We now want to produce and direct our own films though we will work for our friends as a choreographer-editor team. They have given me confidence and support. They gave us the opportunity to prove our worth and talent. We cannot now let them down. Life changes after marriage. We have moved house and now I have to look after my household responsibilities too. Shirish is a very understanding husband and co-operates in all my work.” The duo’s next film is already in progress.
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