Unfair to compare Sridevi and Jahnvi: Farah Khan

MUMBAI: Farah Khan, who worked with Sridevi and has now choreographed for Janhvi in "Dhadak", feels it would be unfair to compare the newcomer with her mother.

Farah believes every actor has a different approach towards the craft and their individuality should be respected.

"Janhvi is absolutely lovely and she is a very good dancer. She picks up really fast and to compare her to her mother is the most unfair thing I think because Sri by her age was already a veteran and this is Janhvi's first film. I love Sri. When I started my career, she really pushed me and I used to do all her shows. But everybody is (a different) individual," Farah told PTI.

Sridevi, who started film career at the age of four, died of accidental drowning in Dubai last month.

She was 54.

Farah has recreated the popular track "Zingat" from blockbuster Marathi film "Sairat" for the Hindi remake version of Karan Johar produced "Dhadak", that marks the acting debut of Jahnvi and Shahid Kapoor's half brother Ishaan Khatter.

"What happened was when they asked me to do it (recreate the song) for the Hindi version, I was given two briefs. The director (Shashank Khaitan) wanted it like it was done in the earlier movie, very casual, very organic and Karan wanted it to be a big song."

Farah, who is known for her commercial sensibilities, believes a well-told story is more important than a boring "pseudo intellectual cinema".

"This year I have really enjoyed watching 'Lipstick Under My Burkha' which I thought was not only saying something but it was also very entertaining. Then, of course, you have Rajkummar's 'Newton' and I think 'Hindi medium' was again saying a new story."

Most of her directorial ventures have featured Shah Rukh Khan but the director said it took three years for the superstar to say yes "Main Hoo Naa".

"It was also a struggle because I was not making your typical so called women should direct only a certain type of movie. I wanted to make a big budget action movie which had drama in it. So I was not falling in that cliche of what people suppose women directors should be making. That itself was a struggle" she said.

The director-choreographer is one of the jury members for REEL movie awards honouring artistes who have entertained audiences with their creativity through excellent storytelling.

Film critic-TV host Rajeev Masand will moderate the jury panel that also has names such as Sudhir Mishra, Sujoy Ghosh and Nikkhil Advani.

The awards will be announced on March 20.