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Subhash K Jha (DNA; November 6, 2014)

Kiku ‘Palak’ Sharda’s ‘Faroj Khan’ act has been part of his comic repertoire for some years now. It acquired a new notoriety when he did the act with Farah Khan on Comedy Nights With Kapil during the promotion of Happy New Year.

That Saroj Khan and Farah Khan have indulged in a cold war of sorts for years now, is known. But the fact that Kiku aped the temperamental Saroj twice (once in 2013 and the second time during the HNY promotions) in Farah’s presence should have been enough to keep Saroj fuming.

But the impersonation didn’t stop there. Kiku has even made a cameo in HNY, dancing exactly like Saroj Khan does, to the tune of Dil Yeh Bechain Ve from Taal, which was originally choreographed by Saroj. And while she’s deeply upset about being made fun of, Kiku feigns innocence and goes into denial mode. “If you’re asking me this on record, then no, that’s not Saroj Khan. I only play a dance teacher and no one in particular. If she resembles anyone we know, it’s just coincidence.”

Will he say that about his HNY cameo, too, where that resemblance is more pronounced? He says, “Farah offered me the role when she came on CNWK, a year back. She told me it was small role. I had seen a group of A-lister stars making fleeting appearances in Farah’s Om Shanti Om, so I agreed. We have never said the dance teacher was anyone from real life. In fact, we haven’t even said that she is Faroj Khan, the character I’ve been playing on stage for many years. Why didn’t anyone object to it earlier?”