Farah Khan says she didn't work in DDLJ because she committed a film to Nana Patekar: Aditya Chopra was very impressed

Farah Khan by chance embarked on a career in choreography when Saroj Khan failed to show up for the Pehla Nasha shoot on the sets of Mansoor Khan's 1992 hit film ‘Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar’. Farah disclosed a similar backstory for Aditya Chopra's 1995 iconic romantic film ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ in an interview with Radio Nasha. She also gave an explanation for why she chose not to choreograph every song in the Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol film.


Farah remembered that by that time, she had already been close to Shah Rukh after they clicked on the sets of Kundan Shah's romantic film ‘Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa’ in 1994. Farah was called when veteran choreographer Saroj Khan was running late to the DDLJ sets in Switzerland. She shared, “I didn't have a phone at my home then. My neighbour got a call. There was Shah Rukh and Adi (Aditya Chopra) on the phone. Shah Rukh asked me, 'Farah, can you come to Switzerland tomorrow? Yash Raj Films will organise. There are 2-3 songs we need you to do.' And I swear I told them, ‘Sorry, my dates are with Nana Patekar (for Yeshwant, 1997). Day after, I'm shooting with Nana Patekar and I can't ditch that shooting because I've got a bigger film.”


Although Farah didn't think the Yeshwant song was a particularly good set, but Nana had asked her to choreograph it. “Then I didn't do the other songs (of DDLJ). Then when they came back, Adi called me to meet him. He said, ‘I really admire that you stuck to (your commitment). Not everyone does that. The minute you get a bigger film, you dump (the smaller one).' He had just one song left and asked me to do it. It was Ruk Ja O Dil Deewane. So I believe if you’ve given your word and if you don't stay true to it, no one can trust you,” she added.


Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol’s film ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le’ Jayenge is said to be one of the biggest blockbusters of all time.