Pal, pal, dil ke paas

Farah Khan

Buddy bunch Shah Rukh Khan, Gauri Khan, Karan Johar and my childhood friends who live in the same building Rajesh Sathe and his sister Rachna.

Buddy bond I meet SRK regularly because I work with him. But otherwise, we meet four to five times a month. We play board games like Trivial Pursuit or just sit and chat. SRK has been wanting me to work out with him which I’ve never done till now. We all enjoy films. When we are on outdoor locations, we sit in one room and watch DVDs. We talk mostly about work.

Nowadays we also talk about spiritualism, marriage and children but earlier, we mostly talked about what’s happening in the industry, childhood experiences, family experiences. SRK is a good talker but he’s also a good listener. He remembers small things. We have these jokes — like Karan always uses phrases like “we of the fraternity” meaning the film industry and I say it’s hardly a fraternity since everyone is trying to kill everyone else. With Gauri, it’s mostly girl talk. I don’t get to do that with the boys when I am shooting.

Buddy buys Shahrukh has given me a car. I buy him smaller gifts like a game or a DVD. Karan Johar too has given me very expensive things. I can’t reciprocate in the same way. I feel they have everything that money can buy and they have such good taste, so I don’t buy them stuff. I show my friendship in other ways like doing their songs without question.

Buddy backing If I ever have any problem, I know I can just call or land up at Shah Rukh’s house and my problem will be solved in 5 minutes. I just have to confide in Shah Rukh. He gives me a different perspective on things and I instantly feel good.

We don’t speak much on the phone. I’ve been on innumerable holidays with SRK, Gauri and the kids. I stay in their houses in London and Delhi. In fact they have a room for me there. I am also very close to Gauri’s family in Delhi.