A tete-a-tete with the multi-hyphenate Farah Khan can never be very formal or a dull one, and an intimate gathering at ITC Royal Bengal on November 24, Rendezvous with Farah Khan organised by ALFA Network, felt like an old buddy meeting the gang after a long gap and sharing highs and lows, pulling legs and making everyone ROFL with her comments.
ALFA Network consists of entrepreneurs and industry leaders, each of whom is exceptionally driven and motivated. In ALFA there is a huge focus on collaborating and learning from each other. My role as the membership chair is particularly important to identify and induct members who can add to the exceptional member base and help grow the organisation in the right direction. We opened up the Farah Khan event to prospective members, which gives applicants a chance to interact with our members and get a preview of the network, as well as helps us interact with potential members in a semi-formal setting — Maninder Singh, membership chair, ALFA Network
The first segment, Q&A, which also involved participation from the audience, broke the ice with moderator Anshul Himatsingka, joined by Navkaran Singh Bagga, asking questions that stumped the star guest. One of the questions, “Did you ever date a film actor before getting married?”, sent the ace choreographer into a state of confusion before she said: “I also want to know the answer. Have I?” She added: “I am very old, married with three children and my dog.”
The fun ambience turned pale when the discussion veered to the period when she was small and had to go through severe economic difficulty as they went bankrupt. “For almost 30-40 years till my dad died, he had no work. So it was a riches-to-rags story for us. My mom’s jewellery and car had to be sold. I was always a driven person and even in school I was a topper. Adversity can go both ways; I am not someone who can be sad for too long,” said Khan who found passion in cinema.
Farah Khan is a multi-faceted powerhouse of talent. After meeting her we were instantly swept over by her cross-generational engaging personality, effortless amiability, and spontaneous and effervescent wit. At the time of the inception of her career, the number of women holding important positions was few and far between. Through her strength and determination, she paved a way where there was none. We are extremely honoured to have her with us today and extend our wishes for success in the future. — Akhil Bansal, membership chair, ALFA Network
She treated the audience to a voice note from Rakhi Sawant, and everyone went ROFL
She also talked about friendships with Bollywood stars. “I have so many good friends in Bollywood. You don’t always get time to catch up. Unless I am making a movie with Shah Rukh Khan, we don’t meet because everybody is extremely busy,” said the film director who expressed an interest in befriending Orry. The topic of friendship also led to Khan sharing with the audience the regular audio messages she gets from Rakhi Sawant. The session took a fun turn when Khan agreed to share a recently received voice note from Sawant on her interest in joining the dance reality show Jhalak Dikhla Jaa and the audience went berserk with the short but hilarious message. The fun and banter continued and moved towards her personal life. She also talked about her children and their interests, briefly. ALFA Network and its members also got a sneak peek into Khan’s next house party’s menu and why she has to rack her brains more to curate the menu for vegan guests like Riteish and Genelia Deshmukh.
ALFA Network managed to host Bollywood luminary Farah Khan for our members, creating an unforgettable chat show where insights merged with laughter. In the tapestry of her journey, they discovered wisdom, resilience, and the sheer joy of storytelling — Naman Ajitsaria, chairman ALFA Network
Getting back to her professional life, she also shared how she got the opportunity to replace Saroj Khan and choreograph Aamir Khan in Jo Jeeta Wahi Sikandar. “I used to be the fourth assistant to Mansoor Khan the director and choreography happened by chance. I got inducted when she took off. I gave him new ideas for the song Pehla nasha,” said Khan who also shared how she handled failures. The details on Chaiyya chaiyya and shooting on a coal engine and having a blast also made for an interesting segment.
The concluding part saw Farah talk about the work culture in South Indian films, the difference between box-office records in theatre and OTT, getting her humour from her mom and aunt, trolling online and more, before she promised to come back for a workshop.
Farah Khatoon
Pictures: Rashbehari Das