MUMBAI: Farah Khan is taking on Karan Johar headlong. The choreographer turned director, who will be making her acting debut in Bela Sehgal’s Shirin Farhad, is determined to win all the popular acting awards for Best Debutante in 2012 over and above Karan Johar’s discovery Alia Bhatt, who makes her debut as a leading lady in Student Of The Year.

Khan isn’t taking any chances. “I am not taking my acting debut lightly at all. I’ve told Karan that his debutante heroine and I will be vying for the acting awards. And look at the irony, I will be be choreographing Alia’s first song in Student Of The Year when Karan starts shooting the film on 16 August. Whether it’s choreography, direction, motherhood or television I’ve never treated any medium lightly. Acting to me is a serious business,” she tells Businessofcinema.com.

And yes, Farah does hope to win all the debutante awards. “Why not? If I am the oldest debutant and Karan’s heroine (Alia) is the youngest, then the competition would be really interesting, don’t you think?”

And if you think Farah is just kidding, get a load of this. She will lose 10 kgs in the next three months before she starts shooting for Shirin Farhad from October. Farah will also be taking voice and acting lessons. For five months, she will be shooting non-stop for the film, with no distractions.

Says the working mother, “I’m getting into shape and I beginning training now. I am not trying to look Sweet 16… just presentable. I am taking my acting very seriously. Only my children will be allowed on the sets. Otherwise I won’t be doing anything else for as long as I am acting. My producer Sanjay Leela Bhansali is only giving me Sundays off during the shooting period.”