- Thursday, June 05, 2025
Farah Khan recently revealed in her vlog that Katrina Kaif’s hit number Sheila Ki Jawani was shot without a set and completed in under four shifts—making it the cheapest production of her career, despite its blockbuster success.
By: Vibhuti Pathak
Filmmaker and choreographer Farah Khan, known for crafting some of Bollywood’s most iconic dance numbers, has revealed a surprising behind-the-scenes fact about one of her biggest hits. In her latest vlog, Farah opened up about the making of Sheila Ki Jawani, featuring Katrina Kaif, calling it the “cheapest song of my life.”
While visiting actress Manasi Parekh’s house to discuss Parekh’s upcoming film Shubhchintak, the conversation took a turn toward film budgets. Manasi mentioned that her Gujarati film was made on a modest budget of ₹5 crore. This revelation shocked Farah, prompting her to reflect on her own experiences managing tight resources during production.
“When someone tells me that they made their song on a huge budget, it doesn’t impress me,” Farah said candidly. “I believe that the lesser the budget you have, the better you think. The cheapest song of my life is Sheila Ki Jawani.”
Farah’s statement visibly surprised both Manasi and actor Swapnil. She elaborated further, sharing that the production of Sheila Ki Jawani had no dedicated set. “We didn’t have any set for it. All we had were these 10 dancers. We finished shooting the entire song in just three and a half shifts,” Farah recalled. “It is the cheapest song I have done and the biggest hit of my career. One of the top three or four, for sure.”
Despite the shoestring budget, Sheila Ki Jawani became a massive hit and remains one of Bollywood’s most recognizable item numbers. Composed by the music duo Vishal–Shekhar and sung by Sunidhi Chauhan and Vishal Dadlani, the song was featured in the 2010 film Tees Maar Khan, which Farah also directed. Katrina Kaif’s glamorous performance and the catchy rhythm helped cement the song’s popularity across audiences.
Farah also praised Manasi Parekh’s look in Shubhchintak, expressing surprise at how polished and rich the visuals appeared despite the limited budget. “It doesn’t look like a film made with ₹5 crore,” she said, genuinely impressed.
Aside from her directorial and choreography projects, Farah Khan was most recently seen hosting the cooking reality show Celebrity MasterChef. The show was judged by renowned chefs Vikas Khanna and Ranveer Brar, and featured celebrities like Abhijeet Sawant, Tejasswi Prakash, Archana Gautam, Nikki Tamboli, Gaurav Khanna, and Faisal Shaikh. Gaurav eventually won the title and took home a cash prize of ₹20 lakh.
With decades of experience behind the camera and a knack for making magic on screen—often with limited resources—Farah Khan continues to be a powerhouse in Bollywood, offering both inspiration and fascinating insights into the workings of the industry.
