Farah Khan admits Katrina Kaif's ‘Sheila Ki Jawani' is the 'cheapest song' she ever worked on

Economic Times

30-05-2025

Behind the Scenes: No Set, Just 10 Dancers
Quick Production with Limited Resources
Comparing Budgets and Impact
Released in 2010 as part of the film Tees Maar Khan, 'Sheila Ki Jawani' quickly became one of Bollywood's most celebrated dance numbers. With Katrina Kaif in the lead and Farah Khan handling choreography, the song became a chartbuster. Its infectious rhythm, composed by the duo Vishal-Shekhar, and Sunidhi Chauhan's powerful vocals helped it secure numerous awards, including Best Female Playback Singer and Best Choreography. More than a decade later, the song continues to be a crowd favorite at weddings, college events, and dance shows.Despite its glitzy appearance and iconic status, Farah Khan recently revealed that 'Sheila Ki Jawani' was produced on a surprisingly minimal budget. Speaking in a vlog filmed at actress Manasi Parekh's residence, Farah discussed their upcoming film Shubhchintak and expressed amazement at its low production cost. When Manasi shared that their entire film was made for Rs 5 crore, Farah responded by saying that in today's times, many individual songs cost more than that.Farah went on to recall her own experience, noting that elaborate budgets don't necessarily guarantee quality. She said that when people flaunt the cost of producing a song, it doesn't impress her. According to her, 'the lesser budget you have, the better you think.' She revealed that Sheila Ki Jawani remains the cheapest song she has ever worked on.The revelation shocked both Manasi Parekh and actor Swapnil Joshi, who were also part of the discussion. Farah shared that the song had no set at all, and was completed with just ten dancers. The entire shoot was wrapped up in three and a half days. She described it as not just the cheapest but also one of the biggest hits of her career, ranking it among her top three or four most successful projects.Interestingly, while the song turned into a cultural phenomenon, Tees Maar Khan itself failed to meet box office expectations. Featuring Katrina Kaif and Akshay Kumar in lead roles, the film also included cameos by stars like Salman Khan and Anil Kapoor. Despite a hefty production budget of Rs 45 crore, it grossed Rs 101.89 crore globally. However, due to negative reviews and high costs, it was labeled a commercial failure.Farah's perspective offers a contrast to current industry trends, where budgets continue to soar. For instance, actor Ram Charan's film Game Changer made headlines for spending nearly Rs 75 crore on just four songs, choreographed by Ganesh Acharya and involving over 1000 dancers. Despite the massive investment, neither the songs nor the film managed to capture audience interest.Even 15 years after its release, Sheila Ki Jawani remains etched in public memory. Katrina Kaif's performance, paired with memorable music and choreography, helped the song transcend the limitations of the film it belonged to.