Talktime | Farah Khan
Farah Khan was in the Capital recently. The choreographer turned director-producertalks to Shalini Saksena about theimportance of music in her filmsand the challenges the film industryis facing today
How important is music for youIJ
Extremely. I am very particular when it comes to music in the movies that I make. A lot of is spent on what kind of music should go since there is a particular type of movie that I make — comedy infused with romance.
Why does Bollywood not make a typical romance — boy meets girl and they fall in love kind of moviesIJ
The answer is very simple. People today will laugh if one were to make a Chandni today. That kind of definition of romance no longer exists in the minds of the younger generation. They would laugh out loud if a film like that were to be made. Almost 75 per cent of the cinema goers are in the age group of 18 to 25. We cater to them. Hence, you see the change in the kind of movies that are being made.
What are the challenges that the industry is facing todayIJ
The biggest challenge is that there are few takers for movies today. People have so much choice – there is Netflix, there are web-series, there are shows on YouTube that people watch, etc. You can even see movies online now. Movie-going is reducing, film budgets are increasing – there are so many costs that people don’t even think about like payment to artists (no the stars) but these payments make up for a chunk of the budget. Fewer movies are now recovering their cost. The industry needs to see how to tackle this.
You have choreographed and directed movies. Do they clash when you are making a filmIJ
When I choreograph, I am at my relaxed best. I sit back and tell myself to enjoy since it is a song. While directing, my plate is full – there is so much to take care of – it is like juggling many things at once; there are so many things – big and small -- that constantly require my attention all the time.
You have been part of Indian Idol for the third time. What has changedIJ
When I first judged the show, I found that most of the singers, though good, were not very professional. They didn’t see singing as a main stay, it was something that they did on the sidelines. Today, everyone who comes is a trained singer. I see parents pushing their children to be part of these reality shows and that is good. The caliber of participants have risen manifolds.
This means that we as judges find it difficult whom to send to Mumbai and whom to reject. Our jobs have become tough and we need to very careful while choosing or rejecting.
Will you bring in a new perspective to Indian Idol this seasonIJ
For the first two times, I was like Paula Abdul; I kind of represented the masses and the audience watching at home. But after doing so many choreographies and movies, I do have an ear for good music. I may not know the technical nuances that goes into a song like Sonu Nigam or Anu Malik might but I do know a good voice from a bad. I make films and understand the pulse of what kind voice people will like. This voice may not be technically correct but if it is a good voice, I want to give it a platform.