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Farah Khan roots for Michael amid negative reviews, wants Oscar for Jaafar Jackson: 'Critics are morons’

 Farah Khan called for Jaafar Jackson to win an Oscar for his portrayal of Michael Jackson, defended biopic amid negative reviews. 

Apr 26, 2026, 08:46:44 IST
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The biopic on pop sensation Michael Jackson released in theatres worldwide on April 23 and opened to largely negative reviews. However, Indian filmmaker Farah Khan has come out in support of the film, urging audiences to ignore critics and watch it in cinemas. She also expressed hope that Jaafar Jackson wins an Oscar next year for his performance.

Farah Khan urges people to watch Michael in theatres.
Farah Khan urges people to watch Michael in theatres.

Farah Khan reveals she loved Michael

On Saturday, Farah took to Instagram and shared a photo of herself with Michael Jackson. Along with the picture, she penned a note urging people to watch Michael in theatres. She wrote, “Point to be noted… Critics are morons in every country! Go watch MICHEAL!! And someone pls give @jaafarjackson the Oscar next year!” She later reshared the post on her Instagram Story and added, “This film is for us fans and not for the critics. Loved Michael.”

Warda Khan also agreed with Farah and commented, “Absolutely, JJ totally deserves an Oscar… Micheal. His story continues….”

Fans were equally thrilled to see Farah’s throwback photo with Michael Jackson. One user wrote, “Two icons in one frame — the King of Pop with the Queen of Directors.” Another commented, “If MJ was alive, imagine him having you and Dilip over for some cooking episode.” Several others echoed Farah’s sentiment, with one fan writing, “Can’t agree more,” while another added, “Exactly the energy I’m talking about! He truly deserves it.”

About Michael

Directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Logan, Michael stars Jaafar Jackson portraying his late uncle. The film also features Nia Long, Laura Harrier, Miles Teller and Colman Domingo in key roles. It traces Michael Jackson’s journey from Gary, Indiana, to becoming a global superstar, covering his early years with the Jackson 5, his breakthrough with Off the Wall, and his meteoric rise with Thriller.

Despite the lukewarm critical reception, the film has performed well commercially. It opened to around $30 million overseas, including paid previews, with approximately $700,000 coming from India. In several markets, it has recorded one of the strongest openings for a musical biopic.

In India, the film took a solid start, earning 5.50 crore net (including paid previews). Michael Jackson’s enduring popularity drew large crowds to theatres, helping the film outperform local releases such as Ginny Weds Sunny 2 ( 30 lakh), Bhooth Bangla ( 5.15 crore) and Dhurandhar 2 ( 1.60 crore).

  • Riya Sharma
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Riya Sharma

    Riya Sharma is a content producer at Hindustan Times who lives and breathes entertainment. If there’s gossip making noise in Bollywood or a reality show moment breaking the internet, chances are she’s already writing about it. She loves digging out the juiciest stories, spotting viral pegs and turning it into easy-to-read content. A journalism graduate from IP University, Riya began her career as a social media executive, where she learned the art of grabbing attention in a scroll-heavy world. But her love for showbiz soon pulled her into entertainment journalism, because for her, it’s always been entertainment, entertainment and more entertainment. An artist at heart, Riya has a deep passion for acting, music and dance, which shapes how she watches and writes about films and reality shows. She loves sharing her views and reviews, especially when something excites, surprises or completely disappoints her. A hardcore reality show fan, Riya enjoys tracking every twist, task and meltdown, and breaking them down for readers who can’t get enough of high-voltage drama. Movies are equally close to her heart, whether it’s a big theatrical release or a binge-worthy OTT series, she’s always watching, and analysing what’s worth the time. She loves talking to celebrities, asking questions that go beyond the usual. When she’s not working, she’s either glued to a new web series, hunting for underrated thrillers on OTT platforms, or rewatching iconic Bollywood moments.Read More

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