It seems woman directors never had it so good... or bad.

In the past one year gifted women like Revathy ("Phir Milenge"), Aruna Raje ("Tum"), Pooja Bhatt ("Paap") and Pamela Rooks ("Dance Like A Man") have had a chance to have their say without compromise.

But now they are struggling to put together their next project or grappling with the changing grammar of commercial cinema.

Only Farah Khan has sailed through. Most people think it's because Shah Rukh Khan is there to back up Farah's dreams all the way.

She agrees. "That's very true. But it's also to do with the fact that I'm not interested in making girlie pictures. Unlike other woman directors I don't want to tackle gender issues or talk about women's right in my films.

"Of course I believe in gender equality. But on screen I want to be one of the guys. I just want to entertain. And it's perfectly all right if Sushmita Sen looks wet and sensuous in 'Main Hoon Na'."

Feisty Farah is now on to her next project. Titled "Happy New Year" it will have, surprise, surprise: Shah Rukh Khan again.

But there's a slight hitch.

Over to Farah: "Shah Rukh will start my film only after he's through with Karan Johar's film. I also want (Amitabh) Bachchan in my film... very badly. I haven't finalized the cast, but will do so by July. By then, Red Chillies - Shah Rukh's production house - will be free from the release and post-release hassles of 'Paheli'.

"Besides Shah Rukh I need one more hero and two girls... In the meanwhile, my husband Shirish Kunder is ready to roll with his first film 'Jaan-e-Man' on July 12 with Salman, Akshay and Preity."

One doesn't know what kind of film Farah will make next.

"But it will be fun and frothy, like 'Main Hoon Na', though very different from it in content and treatment," promises Farah.

Incidentally, she's the first choreographer in our country to make the transition to direction so successfully.

Saroj Khan never ventured into direction. B. Tharun Kumar directed "Nayee Padosan" two years ago, with no success. And Bobby Ahmed's "Lakeer" flopped so miserably the cynics re-christened it "Fakeer".