Look who's bitten by the acting bug

After proving her mettle as a choreographer and director, Farah Khan is now getting ready to take the plunge into acting with Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Shirin Farhad. Farah will share screen space with actor Boman Irani who plays her husband in this love story of a Parsi couple.

Shooting for the film is expected to start in October. Farah is also judging the reality show Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega with Anu Maliek, which airs Monday to Thursday at 9 pm starting today on Sony Entertainment Television.

Here, she tells Rajul Hegde about her acting debut, and what's next on her overcrowded plate.

What can we expect from Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega season 4?

This season will be more full of dhamaal than the previous season. Along with the stunts that the participants do, judges too will be trying the same. We have also done outdoor shoots. There is one episode where only water stunts are performed. As judges, we don't take ourselves seriously, though we are probably the best judges around.

You are making your acting debut in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's next film which will be directed by his sister Bela. How did this happen?

Sanjay called me and said he is coming home to meet me. I thought he is coming to see my children or may be to choreograph songs for this film. It was an absolute shocker for me when he told me to act in the film! The first three days I was in denial but they were very serious about it.

So how excited are you about it?

It is a different experience in the sense that I will have to actually go there and be someone else. This is something I have never done as I have always been myself, whether I am doing a reality show or being a judge, I have been Farah Khan.

What was your husband Shirish Kunder's reaction?

When I told him he said if it's a good script and it's not going to be embarrassing to me, go ahead. I am not playing the hero's mother in the film; I am playing Shirin Fugawala, who is a little younger than my actual age. I am trying to get Sanjay to make her my age. I think at this age it is good to be doing something really different and trying something else.

Are you preparing yourself in any way?

I will be doing a workshop and will also spend more time with my Parsi relatives to get the right accent, which I have lost. Boman has also promised to do lots of reading with me. I think if you know your dialogues beforehand, half your work is done. But I don't want to be so rehearsed that there is no spontaneity.

So what's the difference between directing and acting?

When you are behind the camera, all the stress is yours, especially when you are a producer and everything is going from your pocket and you are worried. When you are in front of the camera, you just go there and do your job well. You don't have to worry about it. So being an actress is altogether a different ball game and is not as stressful when compared to making a film.

How do you balance work and home? 

I am very good at time management. The best thing is I have stopped socialising. I make it a point to be home latest by 8.30 pm. I watch my children dance and tell them stories. My son likes to watch helicopter videos so every night I watch all the helicopter videos. Plus every month we make sure that we take our children on a holiday and spend quality time with them.

Will Shah Rukh Khan be in your next film?

I am just finishing my final draft and then I have to finish my dialogue draft. Only after that will I figure out who I will approach.

How do you deal with all the controversies (she is embroiled in an extended dispute with choreographer Ganesh Hegde)?

With due respect today everyone knows his (Ganesh) name because he has abused me in print. I don't know for what reason. Why would I want to say anything about him? He is nobody to me. He and his PR gave that article and then they were upset because his picture wasn't used. Then they went to another paper and said that I have given the article. He is nobody to me. Why would I take his name? But he should thank me today because all of you know his name.

Munni and Sheila were big hits. So what's next in the pipeline?

I have done a song in Delhi Belly called Jaa Chudail. I had great fun doing it. I am also doing Joker, Houseful 2 and a few songs for Karan Johar's film.