Farah Khan’s next project is a ‘small film’ that has no Shah Rukh Khan in it

Farah Khan’s next project is a ‘small film’ that has no Shah Rukh Khan in it

Filmmaker Farah Khan talks about her ‘small film’, speculations on casting and how she will be scared to approach actors when it is time.

Every time film-maker Farah Khan directs a film, it makes news. And, after her hit films such as Main Hoon Na (2004), Om Shanti Om (2007) and Happy New Year (2014), people have been speculating about her next project for a while now.

But Farah has taken it in a positive way. She says, “There is an upside to the rumours, too, as people seem to be waiting [for my next film]. I never get irritated or angry about the questions.”

“At least, people are interested. When I meet parents in my children’s school, they say there aren’t good films for kids to watch. I wonder about the lack of such films too. What do my kids watch? One should be able to take the whole family along to watch a film… like Happy New Year... Either I make a movie like that or try something new. There is always a dilemma. So, I am going to attempt something new — the subject of my next film is a story about two girls.”

The film-maker feels that too much of anything is bad as well. “There is already so much buzz about my next project, who will star in it? Who the hero is? But the fact is that we have not got the second half of the script in place yet. I don’t want to rush the process. Till I don’t get it [the entire script], I won’t think about casting,” says Farah. She adds that due to rumours, she “will be scared, when it is time to approach people [for the movie]”.

All of Farah’s films have been larger-than-life, with grand star cast, huge sets and exotic locations. But not many know that Farah now wants to direct a “small film”. She says, “Let me tell you, this [her next] is a small film with a big idea, but it will also become larger than life. Small in the sense that there is no Shah Rukh Khan in it. But let’s not call it ‘a small film’ otherwise no popular heroine will work in it (laughs). I feel the urge to make an indie film or something like the recent [Hollywood film] Lion. It was lovely. The problem is that I’m not capable of writing such scripts. I am being honest that I need someone to help me and give it to me on a platter.”