FARAH KHAN

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Farah Khan Kunder (born 9 January 1965) is an Indian film director and choreographer. She is best known for her choreographical work in numerous Bollywood films. Khan has choreographed dance routines for more than a hundred songs in over 80 Hindi films. Khan has since become a noted Hindi film director as well. In addition Khan has worked on international projects such as Marigold: An Adventure in India, Monsoon Wedding and the Chinese film Perhaps Love.

Personal life

Farah Khan's father Kamran Khan was a successful stunt film-maker. Her mother Menaka is of Zoroastrian origin and is the sister of screenwriter Honey Irani and ex-child actor Daisy Irani.

Farah Khan has one brother, comedian, actor and film director Sajid Khan. When their parents' marriage broke up, Farah and Sajid were shuttled between different homes.

Film personalities Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar are Farah Khan's cousins. They are Honey Irani's children with ex-husband, lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar.

Farah Khan believes in three religions, Hinduism, Islam and Zoroastrianism.

Farah Khan married Shirish Kunder, the editor of her film Main Hoon Na, on 9 December 2004. They have since worked together on each other's films, such as Jaaneman, Om Shanti Om, and Tees Maar Khan. Farah gave birth to triplets on 11 February 2008; one son, Czar, and two daughters, Diva and Anya.

Early career

Khan was studying sociology in St. Xavier's College, Mumbai when Michael Jackson's Thriller was telecast. 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. When the top choreographer of the time, Saroj Khan walked out of the film Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, Farah got her break, and this was her first film to choreograph. This was followed by many more songs which became national hits. She met actor Shahrukh Khan on the set of Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa and the two have since become good friends and started working together.

Rise to fame

Farah Khan achieved international recognition with her work in Monsoon Wedding, Bombay Dreams and Vanity Fair. She 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 five times. Farah Khan then went on to direct her first film Main Hoon Na which was produced by Shah Rukh Khan. The film was a huge success, and Khan became the second female director to be nominated for Filmfare Best Director Award. As a director, her second movie Om Shanti Om became the highest grossing Hindi film of all time at its time of release. Tees Maar Khan, with Akshay Kumar in the lead, is her next directorial venture.

Other projects
Khan trained Colombian pop star Shakira for a Bollywood version of her hit Hips Don't Lie for the MTV Video Music Awards on 31 August 2006, which was hosted in Radio City Music Hall. On the second season of American reality TV show America's Got Talent, contestant Kashif Memon copied Khan's moves from Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham in what he termed the "Bollywood Dance". Khan has also choreographed Kylie Minogue for the song "Chiggy Wiggy" in the movie Blue in 2009.

She hosted the celebrity chat show Tere Mere Beach Mein and was a judge on the reality television series Indian Idol - Season 1 & Season 2, Jo Jeeta Wohi Super Star, Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega and Dance India Dance Li'l Masters.

Khan and her husband have started a production company called "Three's Company" named in honor of their triplets.