Top Bollywood director and choreographer Farah Khan, who filmed her blockbuster ‘Happy New Year’ with Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone in Dubai, is the latest Indian celebrity to be bestowed the UAE golden visa honour.
The mother of triplets, who is a constant visitor to the UAE, received the honour at the Expo 2020 Dubai grounds from Dubai Film and TV Commission’s Director of Operations Saeed Al Janahi.
“However much we deny it, it always feels good to be appreciated. I am so honoured to receive the Golden Visa in @expo2020dubai for my contribution to Indian cinema, for my achievements in films and especially for the connect #HappyNewYear has with Dubai,” said Khan in an Instagram post.
She also thanked the DFTC for always supporting her dreams of filming in Dubai. Her star-studded 2013 blockbuster ‘Happy New Year’ was a monster hit at the box office and showcased the city of Dubai in all its glitz and glamour.
Khan also a posted a series of images chronicling her vacation in Dubai. From taking her kids to Kidzania in Dubai Mall to enjoying a cup of coffee in a hotel terrace overlooking the Burj Khalifa, Khan has been keeping busy with her children.
Khan in an exclusive interview with Gulf News in 2013 had revealed her connection to this city.
“Today is our last day of shooting in Dubai. It’s been wonderful here but so hectic. I need at least three days of sleep to get over it,” said Khan during that interview. She also spoke about how she wove Dubai into her hit dance film.
“This city is like a character in our film. I am not making an art film here, I am making an out-and-out commercial film here. A word about the people here: they don’t trouble you at all. There are thousands who came to watch the filming but they never got in our way. I wish I could make the rest of my film here. Also, we experienced surreal moments when we set out to capture the fountains at The Dubai Mall. We could hear the music of ‘Doom Tana’ from our hit ‘Om Shanti Om’. All of us got teary-eyed, it was an emotional moment for us because here we were — Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika and I — shooting for a brand new film. It brought back memories of Om Shanti Om and how far we have come,” said Khan.
Khan is not the only Indian star with a UAE golden visa. Actors including Sanjay Dutt, Mohanlal, Mammootty, Dulquer Salmaan, and Prithviraj have all received this honour.
