Acclaimed Bollywood director and choreographer, Farah Khan was celebrated at the Mayfair Media Club in Central London on 22 October 2008. The mother of triplets had flown into London for a special 'in conversation' style event organised by Parminder Vir OBE and hosted by Surina Narula MBE. Khan who shot to fame with 'Main Hoon Na', a film produced by and starring her friend Shah Rukh Khan, was in ebullient form at the Media Club event.

My story is a "rags to riches" version of a typical Bollywood movie she told the audience. Inspired by Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' dance video, she took up dancing and formed a troupe. A lucky break came when she was asked to choreograph a dance sequence for a new film 'Jo Jeeta Wohi Ikandar' by Mansoor Khan. In typical Farah style, she virtually became the film's Assistant Director and never looked back.

Her choreography credits are awe-inspiring. Apart from Bollywood films like 'Dil to Pagal Hai', 'Krrish' and 'Dil Chahta Ha', she has chosen to work on a lot of hit films with Shah Rukh Khan, including 'Asoka', 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge', 'Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna', 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham' and the highest grossing film of 2007 'Om Shanti Om'.

With self-deprecating humour, she claims that the 'Om Shanti Om' plot mirrors that of Andrew Lloyd Webber's hit stage musical 'Bombay Dreams' for which she did the choreography. Her international choreography credits include Mira Nair's 'Monsoon Wedding', 'Vanity Fair' and Shakira's hit dance video 'Hips Don't Lie' for the MTV music awards.

Asked who her dance idols were, Farah cited Gene Kelly but was less keen to be quoted on who the really good and bad dancers were in the Bollywood film industry. Farah's huge exuberance infuses energy into new films and she is regarded as one of the foremost directors for casting new talent such Deepika Padukone in 'Om Shanti Om'. "If I haven't worked with some actor, it's probably because I don't want to work with them" she joked, although, she was keen to stress that acting professionalism was important in the Bollywood film industry.

UK-India Film Treaty

"Although we are unembarrassed about the cheesiness of Bollywood movies" she told the gathered crowd "let's not forget that there are a lot of people who spend their money for pure entertainment. They want the glamour, the music and dance sequences". The Bollywood industry has spawned interest across the globe. Apart from a delegation from Nigeria, who had come to enlist Farah Khan to run a Bollywood film-making 'masterclass' in Lagos, British Culture Minister Barbara Follett announced a new UK-India film treaty just hours before Farah Khan came on stage.

Bollywood worth £1 billion to British economy

The treaty with India will be the 7th of the UK's bi-lateral co-production treaties; additionally the UK is signatory to the European Convention. Over 400 co-production films have been made over the last 7 years, including over 140 minority UK co-productions, with an average UK expenditure of 35% which is worth over £1 billion to the British economy.

There is already huge interest in Indian films in the UK - and it is growing. Record numbers of Bollywood films have been released in the UK over the last few years. There were 2.6 million visits to Hindi films in the UK in 2005, and Indian films accounted for over 16% of all releases, taking £12.4m at the box office. Hindi films have been the most successful of non-English language films for some years now.

Farah Khan, the first ever female director to be nominated for the 'Filmfare' Best Director Award has her eyes firmly set on producing and directing more Bollywood films in the near future, although she would consider Hollywood if Steven Spielberg called she said! She is keen not to be 'pigeon-holed' as a woman director, or director of niche women-orientated films. She acknowledged that she had never felt discriminated against because of her gender and felt that women directors on the whole were more organised and took better care of their filming unit. A view echoed by fellow film director Gurinder Chadha and author and actress Meera Syal, who were both in the audience to laud Farah Khan's talents.

Khan ended by saying that she was looking forward to hosting the first of several Bollywood film-making 'masterclasses', the first in conjunction with Anupam Kher's Bollywood film school 'Actor Prepares' in London.

Farah Khan's Achievements

• First ever female director to be nominated for Filmfare Best Director Award
• Won the Filmfare Best Choreography Award five times in 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2004
• 2001 and 2002, International Indian Film Academy, Award for Technical Excellence
• 2004, 2002 and 2001, Star Screen Awards, Best Debut Choreography
• National Film Award for Best Choreography in 2004 for Bollywood blockbuster Koi Mil Gaya
• 2005, Zee Cine Awards, Best Debuting Director
• 2005, Star Screen Awards, Best Debut Director
• Nominated for Broadway's 2004 Tony Award as Best Choreographer for Bombay Dreams
• Trained Colombian pop star Shakira for a Bollywood version of her hit Hips Don't Lie for the MTV Video Music Awards in 2006

About the Mayfair Media Club

Located in the sumptuous and elegant surroundings of The Mayfair Hotel, situated near Berkeley Square in Central London, the media club's purpose is to showcase talent, host premieres and previews, organise emerging markets media & entertainment summits, educate investors & creative entrepreneurs and provide film & media finance. The Mayfair Hotel as a reputation for the promotion of arts & culture and houses a state-of-the-art 201 seated cinema established by The Danziger Brothers, in 1958. The five-star hotel was opened in 1927 by King George V and has recently undergone a £70 million refurbishment.

The Mayfair Media Club was founded by Parminder Vir OBE who has a wealth of award winning production experience of drama, documentary, current affairs & entertainment for the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 & major international channels.

Click here for more photos from the Farah Khan 'in conversation' event.