Farah's next will take time

Back from a routine check-up, Farah Khan sounds elated and composed at the same time. Elated because her film OSO has received an overwhelming response even outside the country.

“The movie is the highest grosser ever,” says an excited Farah. And the composure probably comes from clearing up the Manoj Kumar controversy.

Says Farah, “Manoj Kumar calmed down the moment we called him. He said, ‘You should have called me to do the role.’ But that wouldn’t have been possible since he wouldn’t have looked the way he did in the 70s.”

Barring Manoj Kumar, none of the veteran actors spoofed in the film seems to have taken any offense. But the same can’t be said of other directors. Sanjay Bhansali has said in a recent interview that taking potshots at legends doesn’t make great cinema.

In response to his comment, Farah says, “I don’t think taking potshots at films made by other directors is right either. Bhansali claims to have not seen my film, yet he seems to know a lot about it. Since he hasn’t seen it, he shouldn’t comment on it.”

But those who have seen it are already enquiring about her next project. However, Farah says, “Let me enjoy this for a week at least. I’m planning my next film only in 2009. I haven’t started scripting it yet, but the script will have to be written only by me. It’s a bit scary to read scripts written by others. I don’t know what the film is going to be about. But all I can say at this point is that it won’t be one of those boring, sad films.”

And would SRK be a part of it? “Hopefully! I’d take others in the film also, but SRK should be a part of it in some way or the other. Even if he doesn’t act, he can produce it,” she says.

Having worked with a dream producer like SRK, Farah is quite naturally uncomfortable with the idea of working under any other banner. In fact, she recently rejected an offer to be a part of Anil Ambani’s outfit and says, “I get lots of offers from different companies, not just Anil Ambani’s. But I’m comfortable working with Shah Rukh’s production house. It’s like working on a home production,” says Farah.

Yet she doesn’t take undue advantage of SRK’s generosity as a producer and is a careful spender. Recent reports, in fact, suggest that SRK was upset with Farah for not spending enough on OSO. But she says, “OSO didn’t really have a fixed budget. But I’m quite an economical director. OSO was made under 30 crores, which is very less. Saawariya is made on a 40-crore budget. Moreover, I don’t shoot a film for 250 days; I finish my films in 100 days. I call the extras only when they’re needed, so there’s no wastage. Both my films didn’t require me to shoot abroad, and that also saved a lot of money.”

And about her handling the workload of filming even when expecting triplets, Farah says, “Luckily, by the time I conceived, most of the shooting was over. Only Akshay and Abhishek’s cameo was left. So in between shots, I’d throw up, come back and do the shot. I’m glad the shots with fire were canned before I got pregnant. The fumes could have been harmful for me.”

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com