Inside Farah Khan and Riteish Deshmukh’s decades-long bond and their new turn as ‘Lock Upp’ Jailers

Constellations of stars may descend upon the land. Still, there is no doubt that only a few match the multi-faceted charismatic charm of actor Riteish Deshmukh and directorial powerhouse Farah Khan. And if you ever find yourself engaging in conversation with them, you’ll come to notice how effortlessly the duo exude a combined energy, syncing with each other with signature quips and friendly banter peppered with their witty one-liners that always land.

While Farah Khan’s reflection as the perfect ‘captain-of-the-ship’ persona exudes naturally, as reflected in her signature hits like Om Shanti Om, Main Hoon Na, etc., Riteish’s quips may remind you of why he’s an instant favourite among comedy lovers. But neither of them carry the anxiety of sticking to their prominent personalities and roles. As we sit down to chat with the duo who are the ‘jailers’ in the newly released captive reality show, Lock Upp on Netflix, we immediately understood why they served to be the perfect game-makers to navigate the show’s debut season!

As the duo arrived at the venue for a chat it was hard not to notice how sharp they looked – with tailored formal suits and interesting lock and chain accessories. Witty, suave and a tad bit mischievous is the best way to describe the chemistry between the two. Across the chat, both Farah and Riteish waste no time diving into what makes their chemistry — in the twin-hosting gig — click; how their age-old relationship evolved; how their experiences as directors further add to their on-screen personas of jailers; and lots more.

The great bond between them on-screen that we see brewing began decades before they stepped onto the stage and introduced the world to the realm of Lock Upp, right about the time when Riteish was a debutante with his co-actor and now wife, Genelia Deshmukh (née D’Souza), in Tujhe Meri Kasam. Farah first recalls Riteish being her brother director Sajid Khan’s friend first. “When Riteish was shooting his first film, I had gotten a call from someone saying, ‘madam, we wanted to shoot a song sequence of the chief minister’s son,” Farah begins as she recounts the initial connections between them, prompting a swift reply from Riteish: “oh really?” She then continues with a chuckle, “Yes! It had really put me off! I was like: ‘kaunse state ka chief minister, bhai?’ (which state’s chief minister, brother?)’ Eventually I could not accept as I did not have any dates to shoot Tujhe Meri Kasam. But right after that, Riteish was in every Sajid movie! And because Sajid and I used to live together, Riteish used to come home very often and I grew genuinely fond of him.”

Farah then reveals how this fondness translated into adding Riteish’s cameo in that much-celebrated multi-celebrity cameo in the Deewangi Deewangi song sequence from the Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone-starrer Om Shanti Om. “I sent him back from the shoot of that song and told him that I’ll add you in a bigger section! Then I called him back later and added him to the part which featured Rekha and Shah Rukh Khan together!” she tells us.

For Riteish, his relationship with Farah and Sajid transcended friendship. “Both of them became family to me and still are. So, our bond is not just friendship. In difficult times we have always been there for each other. Maybe we don’t party with each other that much but we’re just a phone call away and our connection is always there. When we don’t meet for a long time, we miss each other and it’s (Farah’s home) always been like a second home to me,” he highlights further, reflecting on how Farah’s sets always gave him a resolve and refuge on his off days. “Why do you enjoy people? It is because you enjoy their company; and I like Sajid and Farah because the chemistry that they both share is also just awesome as brother and sister. It is also because of their sense of humour, how they react to things, their take on films — it was absolutely enriching. I remember there were so many times that I had off-days and I used to go and sit on Farah’s sets and just watch her direct and see how things happened — just because she was so welcoming. Certain relationships, you really don’t think about; they just grow and they become part of life.”

This mix also has a rather admittedly mischievous blend to it as Farah highlights that when they get together for lunches or any meet-ups, they continue to laugh for hours, laughing and indulging in the occasional tête-a-tête! “Yeah. Gossiping is very important,” she quips, further adding, with Riteish reacting with a smirk in the background, “I also love Riteish because he’s not just goody-goody; there’s a nice naughty side to him.”

And how do their experiences as directors lend to their roles as strict overseers in Lock Upp? Well, Riteish is quick to sing Farah’s praise as he highlights, “when you are making a song or sequence, you are handling hundreds, sometimes a thousand people on set; and you are the only person who has to hold that command,” further adding, “she (Farah) has dealt with the biggest of stars and when it comes to her work, she doesn’t compromise. It can be Shah Rukh Khan, it can be Akshay Kumar... Farah doesn’t take a step back.” The Happy New Year director immediately reciprocates with her observations of Riteish’s directorials. “His style of working is very different. He’s very gentle. I don’t think he gets angry on set or shouts at people,” Farah notes. “That’s why no one has a bad word to say about him. Having said that, in Lock Upp, that command will come on its own. You can’t fake it.”

Beyond Lock Upp, however, both the stars are equally excited to see the trajectories of each other’s careers for the next few years to come. For Farah, Riteish is clearly a standout director in the realm of Marathi cinema and hopes for a transition to Bollywood with an equally exciting directorial. Riteish, on the other hand, does miss having the iconic Farah Khan entertainers. Adopting the voices of the audiences, he tells her, “Farah, one thing for sure, you know the kind of films that you make — which are pure entertainment with emotion and a wholesome family vibe – we are missing them! It has been a long time since we had one, truly!” to which she responds, “that will happen when it happens. I used to get very anxious and stressed regarding these things and I have realised there is no point.”

And what are they working on next? “I’m working on a few things and I really want to explore another Marathi film and a Hindi film. Let’s see which moves forward. Apart from that, I want to produce more films — that is one thing I am looking forward to. Further, I’m also looking forward to whatever acting assignments that excite me,” highlights Riteish, adding that his dedication to Marathi films will inevitably intensify: “I want to do at least one Marathi film every year as an actor, under my production.” Farah’s trajectory, while hinting at a possible production next year, remains to be fiercely focused on furthering her online stint with projects around unspecified properties with YouTube India. As the duo now gear up to take the challenge of handling the ‘inmates’ aka the participants within the confines of the Lock Upp set, it is this duo’s fun camaraderie that we really need to be looking out for in addition to the chaos and the ‘loose cannons’ of the show that will make it an addictive watch.

Lock Upp is now streaming on Netflix.

Mail id: pranav.shriram@newindianexpress.com