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The dancing director
T. KRITHIKA REDDY
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Om Shanti Om has scorched box office records, but director Farah Khan feels she has a long way to go
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Photo: Rajeev Bhatt
In step Farah Khan is pleased with Om Shanti Om’s success
It’s Farah Khan’s time to do a tango. But she isn’t ready for it now. She’s been whizzing to various places like a dervish to promote “Om Shanti Om”, and has now been advised bed-rest. Says the unflappable director
, who is expecting triplets, “I’ve been asked to lay off from work. So, here I am, sitting on my bed and watching films and catching up on friends. Trade reports on ‘OSO’ are flowing in from India and abroad. The film is already getting repeat audience. I’m happy, but not swept off my feet.”
Just two films old as a director and Farah is already the toast of Bollywood. First, it was the madcap mayhem of “Main Hoon Na” that kept the cash registers jingling in 2004. Now, “OSO” has not only left naysayers wide-mouthed, it has also scorched box office records. “I knew I’ll become a director some day. But between ‘Main Hoon Na’ and ‘OSO’, I feel I’ve made some progress as a director. I’ve become more professional at the same time relaxed on the sets. Further, this time, since the whole film was shot in Mumbai, I had better control over things. But I know I have a long way to go. Hopefully my third film will be even better. I can’t simply rest on my laurels,” she says in a matter-of-fact tone.
Talk about her total recall of the Seventies and she smiles, “Actually, the idea came when I was working for ‘Bombay Dreams’ in 2002. I wanted to revisit the era because there are many facets about it that continue to fascinate us – sets, costumes, music and characters. It’s a fine source of inspiration. But when you zero in on something as specific as a period, it isn’t easy. People call my work a spoof, but I think it is a celebration of one of the evergreen chapters in cine history.”
As the choreographer who has worked in over 60 films including “Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge”, “Dil To Pagal Hai”, “Dil Chahta Hai”, “Monsoon Wedding”, “Kal Ho Naa Ho”, “Bluffmaster” and “Krrish”, Farah had proved that her style was not just about feeling – but also craft. “It was in 1993 that I made my debut as an independent choreographer. ‘DDLJ’ was a turning point. It was steps ahead of its time.” She moved up inch-by-inch on her own dancing feet and owes it all to “old-fashioned hard work and the goodwill of friends in the industry.” Today, she has travelled across the globe, thanks to her days as a choreographer. “All those experiences have helped me bring fresh insights into my films. But as a choreographer, I felt restricted. I knew I had to follow someone else’s vision. Dance steps were getting repetitive. So I decided it was time to move on into something that’s more challenging. That’s when ‘Main Hoon Na’ happened. And here I am again after three years with ‘OSO’. I don’t think any director would have listened if I had suggested that we bring together over 30 stars for one song,” smiles the choreographer, who has also worked with international pop sensation Shakira.
Life’s coming up orchids for Farah. Media blitz post-‘OSO’ release is working like a mood enhancer for the director who plans to take a one year sabbatical before launching her next film. “Sometimes, I feel I’ve forgotten all these years in showbiz. Only when I watch cable TV, memories rush back. Success is a good feeling. But it cannot be taken seriously. My success means more to people around me. But I’m happy about the fact that I’ve made it in mainstream cinema – a bastion of men,” she chuckles.
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Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
|
