Long before Farah Khan became one of Bollywood’s most celebrated choreographers and filmmakers, her family’s story was one of extraordinary loss, not once, but twice. Farah grew up in poverty after her father, director Kamran Khan, lost everything while gambling in his 1971 film Aisa Bhi Hota Hai.
But there is a lesser-known chapter of her family history that goes back even further to her grandfather, who once owned what is today a large swath of Mumbai’s western suburbs.
Farah Khan talks about her family
Farah Khan recently revealed during a candid conversation with composer Ismail Darbar that her grandfather, Aman Gul Pathan, was the original owner of the entire Khar Danda locality in Khar West, Mumbai. “You don’t know that the entire Khar Danda property belongs to my grandfather Aman Gul Pathan,” she told Zaid Darbar, Darbar’s son, noting that very few people know this part of its history.
Farah Khan talks about how the land of Khar Danda is lost
According to Khan, her grandfather donated the entire property to a mosque. After his death, the land was gradually encroached upon, leaving the family with no legal title or claim to ownership. In a lighter moment during the conversation, Khan joked: “He’s dead and everything is gone. Is there any government policy to ask for him back?”, sparking laughter while highlighting how much the family has lost over the generations.
Ismail Darbar’s Relationship to Pathan Chawl by Amal Gul
This revelation came naturally during Farah’s visit to composer Ismail Darbar, with whom she has a warm relationship despite his rare meetings. Reflecting on his humble beginnings, Darbar made a direct connection to the Farah family legacy.“I understand his gestures very well. I have lived in Amal Gul’s Pathan chawl,” Darbar said.The composer credited Farah’s grandparents, whom he once met in person, with shaping her personality, and described her as one of the kindest people he knew.
Farah Khan was visibly surprised to learn that Darbar grew up in a shawl bearing her grandfather’s name.
How Farah Khan’s father lost everything overnight
Even before losing the Khar Danda land to donations and encroachments, the family had already suffered another devastating financial collapse during Farah’s lifetime. Her father, Kamran Khan, bet everything on producing Aisa Bhi Hota Hai (1971), a color film that he hoped would be his breakthrough.
The film flopped, and within one weekend of its release, the family fell into severe debt, losing their home and all of their savings.“We have become poor. I am not a Nebo child. My father died poor. When he died, he had Rs 30 in his pocket,” Farah Khan revealed.Speaking earlier with broadcaster Ranveer Allahbadia, Farah Khan described growing up in fear, where evening anxiety would bring fear of what her father’s struggle with alcohol might mean the night ahead.
What began as a story of ambition soon became, in her words, a “rags to rags” story.Despite being born into Bollywood, as the daughter of Menika Irani, sister of actresses Daisy Irani and Honey Irani, Farah Khan has always been clear that she did not benefit from family connections. Her parents’ financial collapse meant that she entered the industry entirely on her own terms. She started as a background dancer, then worked her way up as an assistant, then built a distinguished career as a choreographer before launching her directing career.
Her journey is a textbook example of rebuilding from nothing.Today she is known for directing blockbuster films and for her sharp, irreverent presence on screen and online. She continues to connect with audiences through her popular YouTube vlogs along with her chef Dileep.