When Farah Khan Credited Mom Menaka Irani For Her Sense of Humour: ‘If You Were Not in My Life…’

Farah Khan and Sajid Khan’s mother, Menaka Irani, passed away on July 26 at the age of 79. Menaka singlehandedly raised her children after the death of their father, Kamran Khan. In a 2005 interview with NDTV, the director-choreographer Farah Khan credited her mother for her success, highlighting Menaka’s unwavering strength and dedication in shaping their lives.

In a heartfelt segment titled ‘With a Little Help from My Friends,’ Farah Khan candidly expressed her deep love and gratitude for her mother, Menaka Irani. She said, “I know I don’t say it often that I love you. If you were not in my life, if you were not the kind of person that you are, then Sajid and I would be different people. I know the hardships you have gone through to make sure that we were educated properly; that was important for us.”

Farah also thanked her mother for the values she instilled in her children, praising Menaka’s honesty and integrity, which brought tears to her mother’s eyes. “The values that you’ve instilled in us. I know you’re the most honest person I’ve ever met. And the sense of humour that you have, the joy with which you live your life, it moulded me. If I become half the woman that you are, I’ll be very proud,” she added.

This interview took place after Farah’s successful transition from choreography to directing with the 2004 blockbuster “Main Hoon Na,” starring Shah Rukh Khan, Sushmita Sen, Suniel Shetty, Amrita Rao, and Zayed Khan. The film was a massive hit, marking a significant milestone in her career.

Menaka Irani celebrated her 79th birthday on July 12. On this special occasion, Farah Khan penned a heartfelt message, saying, “This last month has been a revelation on how much I love my mom, Menka. She’s been the strongest, bravest person I’ve ever seen, with her sense of humour intact even after multiple surgeries. Happy birthday, mom! Today’s a good day to come back home. Can’t wait for you to get strong enough to start fighting with me again. I love you.”

Her brother, Sajid Khan, also shared his love and best wishes with a simple yet touching post, writing, “Happy Birthday, mummy…”