SRK's 30 crore gift to Farah...

By: Upala KBR, Mid-Day
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Director Farah Khan is down with a severe attack of gastroenteritis. But she can't afford to take it easy. She has to go to office to attend to last- minute details of Om Shanti Om, which goes on floors from January 7.

It's been a good year for Farah, one she rounded off by going on holiday to Australia with husband Shirish Kunder for their first wedding anniversary (December 9). Says Farah, "We came back on December 1 and celebrated our anniversary in Mumbai. We went for a date, watched The Prestige, had dinner and went for a party after that."

Shirish gifted her a diamond ring - bigger and better than the last one. As special as that gift is for her, there's another man in Farah's life and he's given her a 30 crore present!

Retrograde

Shah Rukh is known to gift people classy, expensive gifts. He'd given Farah a Santro on Main Hoon Naa's release date. So what has he given her as an anniversary present this year? "He's given me a 30 crore gift - my film Om Shanti Om and dates for it. What more can I ask for? Gauri and he gifted me a Tag Heuer mother-of-pearl diamond watch too."

As for the latest on OSO, Farah says she begins shooting from January 2007. "Pyarelalji had arranged the songs for us for the first half of the film which is based in the '70s. There are lots of violins, live orchestra and drums used in the film. The film is based on Bollywood.

Karan (Johar) is doing SRK's costumes, while Manish Malhotra is designing for Deepika Padukone and Sanjiv Mulchandani for the rest of the cast members. We will have outfits from the 70s like ghararas with crocheted flowers, long butterfly maxis in optic prints, outfits with pop-art prints and polka dots, etc. Shreyas Talpade, Kirron Kher and Binduji are some of the new cast members. And yes, we are giving Shah Rukh a new look."

Showtime

Shreyas Talpade? That's quite a surprise considering he's known to be an offbeat actor. "He plays a pivotal role in Om Shanti Om. I like to go in for an unusual casting. I have seen Iqbal and Apna Sapna Money Money and I felt that Shreyas has the potential to go commercial. He seems perfectly comfortable in both commercial and offbeat films."

Has her cold war with good friend, producer Sajid Nadiadwala cooled off now? "We never fought so where is the question of a war? I recently choreographed a song for his film, Hey Baby, which my brother Sajid Khan is directing."

Farah's keen to be featured on SRK's KBC3 as one of the contestants. "I would love to be featured as one of the celebrity contestants as I am a show freak."

But she's stopped watching Bigg Boss after they voted her favorites out. "Deepak Parasher, Bobby Darling, Rakhi Sawant and Kashmera Shah were the best. They added masala to the show," Farah laughs.

Shreyas steps into big league, signs OSO

Says Shreyas Talpade, "I am very excited to be working with Farah and Shah Rukh. I don't want to be typecast as an offbeat hero. OSO will give me lots of exposure. Farah and I work out in the same gym together, Powerhouse, and we would keep bumping into each other. One day, she left a note for me there asking me to call her.

We met up for a script narration, I loved my role and I said yes. It's one of the five main characters and the role is great. I have two looks in the film. Not too many people get to play such an interesting role. I met Shah Rukh too. He exudes this amazing energy. I asked him if he wanted me to call him Shahrukhji, Shah Rukh bhaiya or Shah Rukh dada. He told me to just call him Shah Rukh."

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