Farah Khan on triplets at 43: 'I hadn't anticipated having three'
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Filmmaker and choreographer Farah Khan has opened up about the unexpected reality of becoming a mother to triplets at the age of 43, revealing the physical, emotional, and domestic shifts that followed one of Bollywood's most talked-about pregnancies. She made the revelations during an appearance on Shekhar Suman's YouTube chat show Shekhar Tonite.
The Triplets She Never Quite Expected
Farah, who underwent IVF at 42 and delivered at 43, said she had mentally prepared herself for at least one child — not three. 'I hadn't anticipated having three. I had thought there would be at least one. I was 42 when I was undergoing IVF and 43 when I gave birth, so I had already crossed the usual age for it,' she said candidly on the show.
The triplets — Czar, Anya, and Diva — were born in 2008, making Farah one of the most prominent public figures in India to speak openly about late-age IVF. Her willingness to discuss the process has since made her a reference point for conversations around assisted reproduction in India.
Baby Weight, Celebrity Culture, and the Double Standard
Farah also addressed the persistent pressure on women in the film industry to shed pregnancy weight rapidly, a subject she spoke about with characteristic bluntness. 'I hate it when I see actresses and celebrities lose their baby weight and get back to their old bodies within just two months. It took me 4–5 years to lose my baby weight,' she said.
The comment cuts against the heavily curated post-partum narratives that dominate Bollywood media, where celebrity 'body comeback' stories are routinely celebrated. Farah's candour, notably, drew no qualifier — she was not apologetic about the timeline.
Shirish Kunder: Father, Fixer, Counsellor
Speaking about her husband, filmmaker Shirish Kunder, Farah described a domestic partnership built less on romance than on deep functional reliance. 'Our home simply cannot function without Shirish; he's a wonderful father,' she said, adding with humour: 'If you leave with the children, who will fix my Wi-Fi?'
She credited Kunder entirely for their children's academic outcomes, noting that all three secured early-decision university admissions. 'Everyone asks, "Oh my God, all of them got in through early decision; who was your counsellor?" I say, no, their father was their counsellor,' Farah said.
She also noted that her son Czar and Shirish are now the same height, creating the occasional late-night confusion: 'When I'm asleep at night or someone walks into the bedroom, I can't tell whether it's Czar or Shirish. It's only when the person comes over and hugs me that I realise it's my son.'
Children as a Catalyst
Farah reflected that the arrival of her triplets prompted the family to upgrade to a larger home. 'After having children, we bought a bigger house, so my children were truly a blessing,' she said. The remark, laced with warmth, underscored a recurring theme in her conversation — that the disruption of expectation ultimately yielded something larger than planned.
Shekhar Tonite streams on YouTube. The episode featuring Farah Khan is currently available on the channel.