Farah Khan wanted Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar for ‘Om Shanti Om’ song

Director Farah Khan, whose 2007 film “Om Shanti Om” will be premiered at the 37th Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF), has revealed she was keen to rope in Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu for its title song.

The Shah Rukh Khan starrer “Om Shanti Om” is special for Farah as she was pregnant while shooting for it.

“Also, we had the whole industry to do a song in the film. Salman, Saif and others waited to see Dharmendraji dance. We captured that impromptu moment when they all were dancing,” Farah told PTI.

“We wanted many stars from the industry, like Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, but things did not work out. Shah Rukh had then told me he will get Dilip Kumar Sahab and Saira Banuji. It’s been eight years and he (Shah Rukh) is yet to get them,” she said on a lighter note.

The film’s title song had featured over 30 celebrities from Bollywood like Shah Rukh, Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Tabu, Rekha, Juhi Chawla, Malaika Arora Khan, Urmila Matondkar, Arbaaz Khan and others.

However, Farah thinks it is now impossible to get that galaxy of stars for a song.

“Today it is not possible to get all of them for a song.

Also the song should go with the subject, plot of the film, otherwise it looks like a gimmick,” she said.

Based on reincarnation, “Om Shanti Om” marked the debut of actress Deepika Padukone in Bollywood. Produced by Shah Rukh’s wife Gauri Khan, the film also starred Arjun Rampal, Shreyas Talpade and Kirron Kher.

Farah is happy that she will be honoured with the Faten Hamama Award for excellence in cinema at the CIFF.

“I am grateful to them for this honour. To get international recognition is a great thing. For me it’s not a big deal, but at the same time it feels good that people love my work,” said the filmmaker.

The ongoing 10-day CIFF will conclude on November 20.

Inputs by PTI