Farah Khan breaks silence on Tees Maar Khan’s failure: ‘Many people were happy I failed…’

The 2010 Bollywood film Tees Maar Khan, starring Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif, has gradually gained a loyal following over the years and is now widely regarded as a cult favourite. However, the film’s reception at the time of its release was very different. Critics largely dismissed it, and reviews were overwhelmingly negative. Even though audiences ensured that the film earned respectable numbers at the box office, the harsh criticism surrounding it left a deep emotional impact on its director, Farah Khan.

The film had been produced with an estimated budget of about ₹45 crore and eventually collected roughly ₹85 crore in theatres. While these numbers placed it in the category of a modest commercial success, the wave of criticism overshadowed its financial performance. For Farah Khan, the reaction marked one of the most emotionally difficult periods of her professional life.

Looking back, the filmmaker described that phase as one of the most challenging moments she had experienced in her career. According to her, a widely criticised film can affect a creator’s confidence for a long time. Even when a person eventually regains their composure and returns to work, the memory of the setback continues to linger somewhere in the mind. She explained that while she did not necessarily doubt her abilities, the surrounding environment often pushes individuals toward questioning themselves.


Farah reflected on how success and failure both bring their own psychological pressures. When a filmmaker delivers a hit, people around them sometimes treat them as if they possess flawless judgment and absolute knowledge. That kind of praise can be just as misleading as criticism because it creates unrealistic expectations. In her case, the aftermath of the film’s release made her feel as if her professional standing had weakened for a significant period.

The emotional toll was intense. She revealed that in the days immediately following the film’s release, she struggled to even get out of bed. For nearly a week she remained overwhelmed with sadness and frequently broke down in tears. At that time social media was limited mainly to platforms such as Twitter, yet even that exposure to public opinion was difficult to handle. Well-intentioned friends often updated her about what people were saying, which sometimes intensified her distress rather than easing it. Hearing constant commentary triggered frustration, sadness, and moments of panic as she confronted a sense of helplessness she had never felt before.

She also sensed that some individuals within the film industry seemed satisfied witnessing her experience failure for the first time. Despite that professional disappointment, her personal life remained stable and joyful. Around that period she had welcomed triplets with her husband, filmmaker and editor Shirish Kunder, which provided emotional balance during a turbulent phase.

Reflecting on the experience years later, Farah acknowledged that success earlier in her career had perhaps made her overly confident. After directing the hugely successful Om Shanti Om, she had begun to feel certain that she fully understood filmmaking and decision-making on set. Over time, however, the setback taught her valuable lessons about humility and perspective.

Today she approaches her work with greater wisdom and a stronger belief in the principle of karma. She also noted that the competitive culture of the film industry sometimes encourages people to feel satisfaction not only when they succeed but also when others struggle. She believes she has moved beyond that mindset and prides herself on not feeling jealousy toward fellow artists.

In recent years, Farah Khan has expanded her presence beyond filmmaking. She has built a strong digital following through her cooking content on YouTube, where her channel has attracted more than 2.7 million subscribers, demonstrating her ability to reinvent herself and connect with audiences in new ways.