Farah Khan Kunder (born 9 January 1965)[1] is an Indian film director, film producer, actress, dancer and choreographer who works predominantly in Hindi films. Khan has choreographed dance routines for more than a hundred songs in over 80 films, winning six Filmfare Awards for Best Choreography and the National Film Award for Best Choreography. In addition, she has worked on Tamil films and also in international projects, such as Marigold: An Adventure in India, Monsoon Wedding, Bombay Dreams and the Chinese films Perhaps Love and Kung Fu Yoga, earning Tony Award and Golden Horse Award nominations. She has since become a film director as well, with nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Director for her directorial debut Main Hoon Na (2004) and her second directorial venture Om Shanti Om (2007).
Farah Khan Kunder | |
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![]() Khan in 2016 | |
Born | 9 January 1965 (1965-01-09) (age 57) Bombay, Maharashtra, India |
Alma mater | St. Xavier's College, Bombay |
Occupation |
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Years active | 1992–present |
Spouse | |
Children | 3 |
Relatives | Sajid Khan (brother ) |
Farah Khan was born on 9 January 1965. Her father, Kamran Khan (film producer), is a stuntman-turned-filmmaker. Her mother, Menaka Irani, is the sister of former child actors Honey Irani and Daisy Irani.[2] Farah is thus a first cousin of film personalities Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar (children of Honey Irani). She has one brother, Sajid Khan, who is a comedian, actor and film director.
While Farah's father is a Muslim, her mother is a Irani Zoroastrian.[3] Their marriage broke up when Farah was still a toddler. One reason for this was religion; another was the shortage of money. Kamran Khan had initially been very successful and prosperous, so much so that, when his sister-in-law Honey Irani married a poverty-stricken poet named Javed Akhtar, the newly-weds turned to Kamran for help and he gave them an apartment to live in free of rent. However, Kamran then began losing money badly as his film ventures flopped; his marriage collapsed at the same time. Farah, therefore, saw very little of her father while growing up. Since neither parent had any money left, Farah and Sajid were shuttled between different homes.[4]
Farah Khan married Shirish Kunder, the editor of her film Main Hoon Na,[5] on 9 December 2004. They have since worked together on each other's films, such as Jaan-E-Mann, Om Shanti Om, and Tees Maar Khan. Khan gave birth to triplets — one son and two daughters — in 2008 through in vitro fertilisation.[6]
Khan was studying sociology in St. Xavier's College, Bombay when the music video of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" was released. She was so inspired, that although she hadn't danced before that, it soon became her vocation. She learned to dance basically on her own, and set up a dance group.[4] When the choreographer Saroj Khan walked out of the film Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, Khan took over. This was followed by many more songs. She met actor Shahrukh Khan on the sets of Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa and the two have since become good friends and started working together.
Khan's work in Monsoon Wedding, Bombay Dreams and Vanity Fair was nominated for a 2004 Tony Award as Best Choreographer, along with collaborator Anthony van Laast, for Bombay Dreams. She has won the Filmfare Best Choreography Award six times. Khan then went on to direct her first film Main Hoon Na starring Shahrukh Khan which was produced by Red Chillies Entertainment. Khan became the second female director to be nominated for Filmfare Best Director Award.[citation needed] As a director, her second movie Om Shanti Om Starring Shah Rukh Khan and debutant Deepika Padukone became the highest grossing Hindi film of all time at its time of release.[7] Tees Maar Khan was her next directorial release. In 2012, she made her film acting debut in a leading role in Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi, directed by Bela Bhansali Sehgal.
Khan initially announced her plans to direct Happy New Year in 2005,[8] multiple delays and cast changes occurred over a number of years.[9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] The project was again reported as being in the works as of 2012.[19] The film was finally released in 2014.[20]
Khan trained Colombian pop star Shakira for a Bollywood version of her song Hips Don't Lie for the MTV Video Music Awards on 31 August 2006.[21] Khan has also choreographed Kylie Minogue for the song "Chiggy Wiggy" in the 2009 movie Blue.
She hosted the celebrity chat show Tere Mere Beach Mein and was a judge on the reality television series Indian Idol – first and second season, Jo Jeeta Wohi Super Star, Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega and Dance India Dance Li'l Masters. She also judged dance reality show Just Dance alongside Hrithik Roshan and Vaibhavi Merchant on Star Plus.
Khan and her husband have started a production company called "Three's Company" named in honor of their triplets.[22] In 2012, she choreographed "Ishq Wala Love" and "Radha" for Student Of The Year. In 2013, she choreographed "Jumping Jhapak".
In 2015, Khan replaced Salman Khan and hosted the reality show Bigg Boss Halla Bol, the spin-off of Bigg Boss season 8.[23]
Year | Title | Actress | Director | Producer | Script Writer | Role |
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1998 | Kuch Kuch Hota Hai | Yes | Woman on the Neelam show/ College student who makes fun of Anjali | |||
2003 | Kal Ho Naa Ho | Yes | One of the customers that come to the restaurant after its renovation | |||
2004 | Main Hoon Na | Yes | Yes | Yes | Herself (special appearance in song "Yeh Fizaein" during the end credits) Nominated: Filmfare Award for Best Director | |
2007 | Om Shanti Om | Yes | Yes | Yes | The one whom Om Prakash asks if she's the director of the movie / Herself (special appearance during the end credits) Nominated: Filmfare Award for Best Director | |
2010 | Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai | Yes | Herself | |||
2010 | Fifty Shades of Grey | Yes | Herself | |||
2010 | Tees Maar Khan | Yes | Yes | |||
2010 | Khichdi: The Movie | Yes | Herself (cameo) | |||
2012 | Joker | Yes | Yes | Herself (special appearance) | ||
2012 | Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi | Yes | Shirin Fugawala | |||
2012 | Student of the Year | Yes | Cameo in "Disco Song" as a judge | |||
2014 | Happy New Year | Yes | Yes | Yes | Cameo in the end credits | |
2016 | Devi | Yes | Herself (guest appearance); multilingual film | |||
2019 | Student of the Year 2 | Yes | Cameo in "The Jawaani Song" as a judge | |||
2020 | Mrs. Serial Killer | Yes |
Year | Show | Notes | Reference |
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2004 | Indian Idol 1 | Co-judge with Anu Malik and Sonu Nigam | |
2005–2006 | Indian Idol 2 | ||
2006 | Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 1 | Co-judge with Shilpa Shetty and Sanjay Leela Bhansali | |
2008 | Jo Jeeta Wohi Super Star 1 | Co-judge with Vishal–Shekhar | |
2008 | Nach Baliye 4 | Co-judge with Karisma Kapoor and Arjun Rampal | |
2009 | Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega | Co-judge with Anu Malik | |
2009 | Entertainment Ke Liye Sub Kuch Karega | ||
2010 | Dance India Dance Li'l Masters 1 | Co-judge with Sandip Soparrkar | |
2010 | Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega 3 | Co-judge with Anu Malik | |
2011 | Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega 4 | ||
2011 | Just Dance | Co-judge with Hrithik Roshan and Vaibhavi Merchant | |
2012 | Dance Ke Superkids | Co-judge with Geeta Kapoor and Marzi Pestonji | |
2012 | India's Got Talent (Season 4) | Co-judge with Karan Johar and Kirron Kher | |
2013 | Nach Baliye: Shriman v/s Shrimati | Co-judge with Terence Lewis and Shilpa Shetty | |
2013 | Dance India Dance Supermoms | Co-judge with Terence Lewis and Marzi Pestonji | |
2013, 2014 | Comedy Nights with Kapil | Herself | |
2014 | Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega 5 | Co-judge with Anu Malik | |
2015 | Bigg Boss Halla Bol | Co-host with Salman Khan | |
2015 | Farah Ki Dawat | Host | |
2015 | Nach Baliye 7 | Co-judge with Preity Zinta and Chetan Bhagat (for 1 episode) | |
2016 | Comedy Nights Bachao | Herself | |
2016 - 17 | Indian Idol 7 | Co-judge with Anu Malik, Sonu Nigam | |
2019 | Bigg Boss 13 | As a judge in BB Adalat | |
2020 | Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi – Made in India | Interim Host | [25] |
2020 | Bigg Boss 14 | As a judge in BB Adalat | |
2021 | Zee Comedy Show | Judge | [26] |
2021 | Bigg Boss 15 | Mentor | |
2022 | The Khatra Show | Herself |
National Film Award for Best Choreography | |
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Filmfare Award for Best Choreography | |
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1989–2000 |
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2001–present |
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Stardust Award for Best Actress | |
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Searchlight: |
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Comedy/Romance: |
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Drama: |
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Thriller/Action: |
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General | |
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National libraries | |
Other |