This past year, despite its limitations, has been buzzing for choreographer and director Farah Khan. She’s had her hands full with ad films with cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni and actor Hrithik Roshan, a music video with actor Sonu Sood, and a comedy show for Zee TV. What Khan has now been in the news for is the recently-concluded masterclass for Airbnb, ‘Behind The Lens With Farah Khan’, where she speed-mentored a small group of participants on the art of auditioning, and the gritty yet glamorous world of Hindi cinema — her world for almost three decades, having made her debut as a choreographer with ‘Pehla Nasha’ in Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander (1992).
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Khan’s last film as a director, Happy New Year , came out seven years ago. While plans for her next feature film fell through, she is currently waiting for the backlog of unreleased films to clear before planning and announcing her next feature. In this brief chat, she outlines the shift to virtual auditions, and how it has changed for actors, casting directors, and film directors.
A still from ‘Happy New Year’
Have you considered directing remotely in the past year?
I am a very hands-on director, and need to be on set. I need to run to the actor, tell the cameraman where to place the camera. Sometimes, I personally go and start moving furniture. I am more of a do-it-and-show, rather than a tell-someone director.
How does one nail a virtual audition?
Auditions will continue being remote for a long time. They are easier for casting directors as a lot more people can join and you also get talent from across India, which otherwise you wouldn’t be privy to. My tips for a good audition:
- Know your scene really well.
- Dress the part, if you can. It shows that you have put in extra effort.
- Stand in good lighting. It might be difficult when people have smaller houses, but find a flattering light.
- Ensure you have some depth in the camera.
- Make sure you can act!
Where do these interactions go wrong?
You have good and bad days. If the director is not there, the people conducting the audition may not have the correct motivation or explanation of the scene and its requirements. You need a good casting director to tell you exactly what’s required.
Because we see so many people perform the same scene over and over, we do improvs. We are not looking at how well you remember the dialogues at that point, but what you are bringing to the scene. It is nice if you do something unexpected — it will make you stand out.
A still from ‘Om Shanti Om’
The most memorable audition you have witnessed...
I remember the time when Rakhi Sawant came to audition for Main Hoon Na . I had told my assistant that we needed to find the ‘hot girl’ of the college, and there comes Rakhi wearing a burqa. We were all thinking ‘What the hell is wrong with her?’ The assistants were telling her that we are looking for the ‘college hottie’, and she said, “You just start the camera, and don’t worry!” My poor assistant rolled the camera and as soon as he said action she whipped out the burqa and was wearing a bikini inside. We still have the tape somewhere. My assistant was so staggered, the whole camera was shaking. But, she got the part!
