Farah Khan, a choreographer and filmmaker, recently discussed the more sinister aspects of Bollywood in the 1990s during a podcast with Ranveer Allahbadia. She talked about the underworld's impact on the film industry during that era and recounted a terrifying event associated with the premiere of Karan Johar's Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.
Farah discusses the connection between the Hindi film industry and the underworld
Farah commented on the progression of Hindi cinema, noting that the 1980s were a notably poor period for Bollywood. She mentioned that during her college years, many of her peers opted for Hollywood films over Hindi ones due to the quality of movies produced at that time. In her view, this decade marked one of the lowest periods for mainstream Hindi cinema.
Discussing the transformations that occurred in the 1990s, Farah mentioned that the industry also had to contend with the increasing impact of the underworld. She recounted a startling event from the beginning of her career when film producer Mukesh Duggal was shot. Farah recalled being on a film set around 1993 or 1994 when the news of the incident circulated, emphasizing the perilous atmosphere surrounding the industry at that time.
Farah discusses the Khans facing pressure from the underworld
In the podcast, Ranveer inquired if the top Bollywood actors, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Aamir Khan, faced underworld pressure during the 1990s. Farah affirmed that this pressure was indeed present.
When Ranveer inquired if the three Khans were under pressure from the underworld, Farah confirmed, 'Yes.' When asked further about Shah Rukh receiving a call, she responded, 'That I don't know. However, I do know that during the premiere of Duplicate or Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Karan received a threat from the underworld, and it was quite frightening. There was a lot of discussion about whether the premiere should be canceled or proceed as planned.'
Farah has achieved significant success on YouTube with her cooking vlog series starring her long-time cook, Dilip. She started the channel in April 2024, and it rapidly gained popularity due to their humorous exchanges, easy-to-follow recipes, and open interactions with celebrities. The channel now boasts nearly 3 million subscribers, and Farah has approximately 4.5 million followers on Instagram.
In the videos, Farah and Dilip frequently visit Bollywood celebrities' homes or welcome them into her kitchen, where they cook, converse, and share industry behind-the-scenes stories. The vlog has showcased several famous personalities, such as Kajol, Ajay Devgn, Malaika Arora, Chunky Panday, Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, Dhanashree Verma, comedian Munawar Faruqui, and actor Shruti Haasan, among others. The show's popularity has also made Dilip a fan favorite, with viewers enjoying the playful chemistry between him and Farah as they prepare dishes ranging from butter chicken to street-style snacks.