Farah abt her hubby, OSO & Saawariya

On the eve of her film's release, Farah Khan is her usual witty self as she talks about her editor husband, Om Shanti Om and Saawariya

bindaas bol: Farah Khan

Let's start with the first copy. What were the reactions of the people who saw it?
Are all questions this boring?

Yes. Now answer please.
How will the reaction be? It was a show for the cast and crew — obviously they'll all say they loved it.

Obviously? You mean they won't give you an honest reaction?
No, actually they will. After the show, we partied till 3 am at my house, and Shah Rukh is not taking back the car he presented me with, so I guess everyone is happy.

Are you happy with the way OSO has turned out?
Yes, I am. I think it's much better than what we wrote. It's definitely better on screen than it's on paper. I was really shocked because a lot of people came out crying in the interval. That's the point where the twist happens in the story. I wasn't expecting to make people cry.
It's a laugh riot and people were laughing at everything but inherently it's a drama, with lots of twists and turns. It was a cast and crew trial, which was not new for the people who'd worked on the film. Most of them had seen the film again and again in bits and portions. But many family members of the cast and crew hadn't seen it. I think their opinions were fresher. They were reacting to the climax twists and everything that we wanted the audiences to react to. So it went off well.

So how long is the film?
As long as it needs to be.

Over three hours?
No, much lesser. It's about two hours and 35 minutes.

Are you worried about Saawariya releasing on the same day?
Hmm… I don't think we were worried in any case. I've always maintained that I wish we had a clear week because it's just become a race now and because of that we had to do everything more aggressively than we would have, otherwise. Everyone gets hyper because there is somebody else along with you. Whether it is the choice of theatres or or advertising… you are competing with someone else and it really should not have happened.

Saawariya has Sony Pictures behind it and huge publicity budgets, did that worry you?
We have the love and affection of all our friends. The kind of publicity we've got, you can't buy it. And that's because of Shah Rukh and my personal relations with so many people that we did publicity of a different kind. We did not only buy paid slots. We were making events for our movie; we were doing tie-ups. And we were personally calling up people we know. There was a personal touch in the way we promoted our movie.

Do you think your relationship with Sanjay Leela Bhansali has been spoilt because of your movies releasing on the same day?
We've always had an off-on relationship. We were friends, then we fought, then in between again we became friends. That continues...

Your films are always over-the-top, larger-than- life and spoofish. Do you think you can ever make a different kind of a film?
I am like that. I look at everything with a sense of humour and my films reflect that. Why should I make a small film? When I go into a theatre I want to see something that I don't get in real life. I like those kinds of films. I am not telling other people don't make your cranky, weepy or pseudo films.

But you will always be accused of making a certain kind of film, like Karan Johar does.
Karan tried to change with KANK, and see what happened. I think you should be true to yourself. Everybody has their own opinions. The response we got for Main Hoon Naa and even Om Shanti Om was great. Let's say that out of 100 per cent, 30 per cent don't like our kind of films, but others do. But if I make a pseudo film, I may not like it and that is most important.

You make films for yourself, not the audiences? Like Anurag Kashyap.
Yes I make films for myself, first. I am a really massy audience. I like the kind of movies I make. And somewhere I have a very strong commercial sense. It may be stronger than other male directors, too. Maybe it's from my upbringing or maybe it's just the kind of person I am.

What was the most difficult part of making Om Shanti Om?
The scripting. I wish someone would give me a readymade script and I would just direct it. Writing, getting an original thought and doing something new is very difficult. It's very difficult to make or write a movie like Main Hoon Naa, and even Om Shanti Om. There has to be humour, ethos and emotion. Also, it's a dramatic genre, I want to put fun in it. People have to laugh. And I want to have repeat value like that cowboy scene and everything has to flow well. I defy anyone to write a big commercial movie like that. It's very easy to write a pseudo-intellectual film. OSO is definitely a far better script than Main Hoon Naa.

Will you ever make a film without Shah Rukh?
As long as Shah Rukh is still in films, yes. And why not? I really enjoy working with SRK. Why shouldn't I? He is the biggest superstar in the world, I think. More people know him than Tom Cruise. The whole industry — they may bitch about him about whatever — but they all want to work with him. And he wants to work with me. So should I make it a big thing and say, 'Oh now, why should I?' Why have hamburger when you have steak at home?

Why Deepika and not any other known heroine?
There was maybe only one actress who could've fit in this mould and that is Aishwarya Rai. She had to be very beautiful. But Aishwarya has done movies with Shah Rukh. I wanted somebody fresh.

Is it easy being married to the editor (Shirish Kunder) of your film?
No it's horrible. I can't do this again. This is my last film with Shirish. I will never work with him again. I will not be choreographing for Shirish, and he will not be editing for me.

Please elaborate...
There was a scene in the film that was done in two ways. One was subtle and the other, an over-the-top take. Shirish kept the subtle take in the edit, and I changed it. I said it's neither here nor there. I said go over-the-top, go with my conviction. We kept that and at a special show, people were clapping and falling down from their seats. Shah Rukh and I looked at each other and we knew we'd done the right thing. Also, I am not making a crass commercial movie. My movies are on a big scale, they are technically well-shot, and they have a thought process. We are not taking a Malayalam movie and remaking it.

You don't want to choreograph at all though, right?
No. If international projects come my way, only then.

Or for your brother Sajid's film perhaps?
No. I don't think so. Not for anybody. I am quite out of it, I think.

You were upset with Sajid Nadiadwala for dropping the OSO promo from Heyy Babyy. Comment.
I was upset yes, for sometime but then he said that it wasn't his fault, so it was alright.

Has he seen your film?
Not yet, he will be seeing it at my trial today.

And will you go for the Saawariya premiere?
Wow! As if anyone would call me for it!

But won't your 'friend' Bhansali invite you? Will you go if he does?
I hope he doesn't, because I won't be able to attend. I love it when people invite me but I hate going anywhere.

You were pretty tame on Koffee With Karan this year.
Last year on KWK, I was very brash. It makes damn good copy for Karan but it's not so good for me. When I go out, I am literally avoiding people. I don't want to get up in the morning thinking someone felt bad about what I
said. So this year I was on my guard but even that didn't help much, no? I still apparently managed to upset many people. It was my favourite episode because I told Karan, 'After this, no one will be upset with me (laughs).'

Now that OSO is releasing, which film are you looking forward to?
Aamir Khan's Taare Zameen Par. I think it will be nice.

http://www.mid-day.com/hitlist/2007/november/166649.htm