Farah Khan has donned many hats in her Bollywood career so far over the years. She is also known for sharing quirky, offbeat images of herself with top Bollywood stars on social media. As she turns 55 on January 9, 2020, we take a look at her journey in B-town.
Updated On: 2019-01-09 11:12 AM IST
Born on January 9, 1965, Farah Khan's father, Kamran Khan, was a stuntman-turned-filmmaker. Her mother, Menaka Irani, is the sister of veteran actors Honey Irani and Daisy Irani. Farah is thus a first cousin of film personalities Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar (children of Honey Irani). Comedian, actor and film director Sajid Khan is her younger sibling. (All photos/Farah Khan Kunder's official Instagram account)
Farah Khan began her career as a choreographer with Aamir Khan's film Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander in 1992. She has choreographed many Bollywood stars.
In picture: Farah Khan doing 'naagin' dance during her early days.
Until now, Farah Khan Kunder's journey has been reminiscing in the world of showbiz. The versatile talent has choreographed dance routines for more than a hundred songs in over 80 Hindi films, winning six Filmfare Awards for Best Choreography and the National Film Award for Best Choreography.
In picture: Farah with Anil Kapoor. She addresses him as 'Papaji'.
In addition, she has worked on 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 a Filmfare Best Director Award nomination for her directorial debut Main Hoon Na.
In picture: Farah Khan Kunder and Shirish Kunder at their home.
A sociology student from St. Xavier's College, but when Michael Jackson's Thriller was telecast, Farah was inspired to take choreography as her career option. She learned to dance basically on her own, and also set up a dance group.
In picture: Farah Khan poses with Janhvi Kapoor and Ishaan Khattar, who she choreographed in Dhadak.
When the choreographer Saroj Khan walked out of the film Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (starring Aamir Khan and Ayesha Jhulka), Khan took over. This was followed by many more songs.
In picture: Farah Khan with her childhood friends who she studied with, in school.
She met actor Shah Rukh Khan on the set of Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa and the two have since become good friends and started working together. Farah Khan is best friends with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. She debuted as a director in a film starring him and their collaborations have always been successful in the box-office. They also had a fallout but patched up soon after. Khan directed SRK in her 2014 film Happy New Year.
In picture: Farah Khan with Shah Rukh Khan at one of the Bollywood bashes.
Farah Khan also shares a good rapport with filmmaker Karan Johar. Not only this, the duo's friendship is as thick as thieves and both have a blast whenever they meet.
In picture: Farah Khan with Karan Johar and Amitabh Bachchan's daughter Shweta Bachchan Nanda at a party.
As a director, Farah Khan's 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. 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.
In picture: Farah Khan poses with Boman Irani, one of Bollywood's finest actors.
Farah Khan said that her father, film producer Kamran Khan, died penniless after his movies flopped at the box-office, which is why she feels responsible as a filmmaker that everyone who involved in the filmmaking business should make money when a film is released.
In picture: Farah Khan with her best friend Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza.
'I would rather have exhibitors and theatre owners give me an award saying my movies are making money for everybody. I think for me, that is important as a filmmaker. My father was a producer and he died penniless because his movies flopped. So, I always feel it's my responsibility as a filmmaker (to ensure) everyone makes money when my movie is released -- be it the samosawaala or theatres owners,' said Farah.
In picture: Farah Khan (first from right) at filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker and Sunita's wedding.
Farah 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. Khan has also choreographed Kylie Minogue for the song Chiggy Wiggy in the 2009 movie Blue.
In picture: Farah Khan with Shahid Kapoor and his better half Mira.
On the Television front, Farah Khan has 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.
In picture: Farah Khan and Riteish Deshmukh from the sets of Drama Company.
On the personal front, Farah Khan married Shirish Kunder in 2004. Kunder, a video editor then edited Farah's directorial debut Main Hoon Na. Farah shared this picture on her 14th wedding anniversary and wrote alongside, "14 years ago!! Just b4 v signed the register.. @shirishkunder smiling so much coz he didn’t know what he was getting into"
The couple has triplets Czar, Anya, and Diva Kunder. They were born via IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) in 2008. Farah said in an interview, "It is important that we come forward and take pride in this because it gives so much courage and so much hope to people who want to do it, but are scared to do it. I proudly say that my children are from IVF and no, a pizza man did not deliver you."
