Farah Khan reveals she made more money on YouTube in a year than from all her hit films

New Delhi: Bollywood director and choreographer Farah Khan has made a surprising revelation that her YouTube channel has generated more income in just one year than she has earned throughout her illustrious career in filmmaking. 

Known for helming box-office hits like Main Hoon Na (Rs 89 crore), Om Shanti Om (Rs 152 crore), Happy New Year (Rs 383 crore), and Tees Maar Khan (Rs 101.8 crore), which collectively grossed over Rs 700 crore, Khan opened up about her digital success during a recent podcast appearance.

In the latest episode of actor Soha Ali Khan's podcast All About Her, titled "The YouTube Economy," Farah Khan discussed her transition to content creation alongside YouTuber Gautami from Slayy Point. 

Launched in April 2024, her channel "Farah Khan Kunder" has amassed around 2.5 million subscribers, primarily through humorous cooking vlogs featuring her cook, Dilip. 

Khan described the platform's financial rewards as "massive," stating, “I don't know what to say. "Massive" is a relative term. But I think I said it somewhere that in my entire career, maybe in a year, I’ve not made so much money, even though I’ve directed so many films and all.”

The filmmaker attributed her YouTube venture to practical needs, including funding her three children's university education amid delays in her next film project. “So I had finished writing my script for my movie, and I knew it’s a long wait now, waiting for it to go on floors... abhi mere teen bachche university jaayenge, movie may not happen for a year or two. So okay, now I have time,” she explained. 

Khan's content, which often goes viral due to her food reels, exploded in popularity after involving Dilip, earning the channel its silver play button by the second vlog.

Beyond personal gains, Khan has used her earnings to support those around her. She revealed clearing Dilip's substantial debts from high-interest loans and now assisting him in building a house, even involving brands to cover costs. “He had a lot of debt... One year has just gone by in paying off that debt and telling him, ‘You can’t take loans on interest anymore because whatever I am giving you is going down a well’. So I have cleared all his debts. Now he is building his house,” she shared. Dilip has since become a star in his own right, appearing in advertisements, including one with superstar Shah Rukh Khan.

Khan highlighted the creative freedom YouTube offers compared to traditional media. “There’s no ownership over the money. But it’s my channel, so I can do what I want. There’s no one telling me... I used to hate this demarcation, that this one is an A-lister, and this one is tacky,” she said, emphasising her authentic approach—no makeup artists, stylists, or scripted outfits. 

She maintains strict consistency, posting weekly except for a brief hiatus following her mother's passing, drawing discipline from her filmmaking background.