Farhan Akhtar

At 50 years old, Farhan Akhtar has this physical status:

Farhan Akhtar (born 9 January 1974) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, actor, playback singer, producer, and television host.

Born in Mumbai to screenwriters Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani, he grew up under the influence of the Hindi film industry.

He began his career in Bollywood by working as an assistant director in Lamhe (1991) and Himalay Putra (1997). Akhtar, after establishing a production company named Excel Entertainment along with Ritesh Sidhwani, made his directorial debut with Dil Chahta Hai (2001) and received critical acclaim for portraying modern youth.

The film also won a National award.

Following it, he made the cult war film Lakshya (2004) and had his Hollywood debut through the soundtrack of Bride and Prejudice (2004), for which he wrote the lyrics.

He went on to make the commercially successful Don (2006).

He directed a short film titled Positive (2007), to spread awareness on HIV-AIDS. Although he initially started his acting career with The Fakir of Venice, his official debut was with Rock On!! (2008), for which he won a second National Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi as producer, and indulged in further experimentation before he wrote the dialogues, produced and acted for the critical and commercial success Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011), which won him four Filmfare Awards, including Best Supporting Actor.

In the same year, he directed a sequel to Don titled Don 2 (2011), which remains his highest-grossing film till date.

He achieved further success by portraying Milkha Singh in the 2013 film Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, earning him the Filmfare Award for Best Actor.

In 2016, Akhtar received praise for starring in the crime thriller Wazir and the comedy drama Dil Dhadakne Do.

Early and personal life

Farhan Akhtar was born in Mumbai, the second child of screenwriters Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani. He has one elder sister, the writer–director Zoya Akhtar. He was very young when his parents divorced; his father married actress Shabana Azmi in 1984. His mother retained the family home in Bandra bandstand and raised her children there. Akhtar studied at Maneckji Cooper school in Mumbai and then pursued a law degree at HR College, also in Mumbai. Akhtar's father, a Muslim by birth, is a socialist and an atheist by belief; Akhtar's mother, born into an Irani Zoroastrian family, is indifferent to religion, and was content to let her children grow up with no religion. Akhtar has stated that he is an atheist.

Akhtar's family hails from Khairabad in the Avadh region of present-day Uttar Pradesh, and he comes from a long lineage of Urdu poets. He is the grandson of Urdu poet Jan Nisar Akhtar and great-grandson of urdu poet Muztar Khairabadi. On his mother's side, Akhtar is the nephew of the child actress Daisy Irani and the first cousin of choreographer Farah Khan and Sajid Khan.

Akhtar married Adhuna Bhabani in 2000, after being in a relationship with her for 3 years. They first met during the filming of his directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai, which also marked Bhabani's debut as a Bollywood hairstylist. The couple have two daughters named Shakya and Akira. On 21 January 2016, they announced their separation after 16 years of marriage. Their divorce was finalized on 24 April 2017, with Bhabani having custody of their children. Akhtar started dating VJ Shibani Dandekar in 2018. On 19 February 2022, they got married in a non-religious ceremony at his Khandala farmhouse.

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Career

When Akhtar was 17 years old and later moved to a specialized production house named "Script Shop" to spend nearly three years there, he served as an apprentice in film production and direction for the Yash Chopra's Lamhe (1991) family. He worked for Pankaj Parashar (1997) as a director in Himalaya (1997) before turning to direction and writing.

With the critically acclaimed film Dil Chahta Hai (2001), a production company that he founded alongside Ritesh Sidhwani in 1999, Akhtar made his writing and directorial debut. It was shot for a period of three months in Sydney, Goa, and Mumbai. He called it a "turning point" in his career due to its acclaim. In Mumbai, the film explored the lives of westernised urban youth. Akhtar had written the script based on his travels to Goa and New York, as well as a retelling of a tale outline by a friend of his. Akhtar has been lauded internationally for establishing a "new wave" in Indian cinema, with Akhtar receiving accolades for initiating a "new wave" in the industry. "In his first venture, Javed Akhtar's son has enough glimpses of his pedigree to suggest that the promise will be fulfilled sooner rather than later." Various award shows bestowed accolades on the film and also nominated it for several categories. The film took home the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi for 2002. It was also on display at the International Film Festival of India, the Palm Springs International Film Festival, and the Austin Film Festival. He and his brother Zoya Akhtar helped with the English lyrics of a song in Lagaan, which was scored by A. R. Rahman in the same year.

Lakshya (2004), a film about an aimless youngster finally setting a target for himself starring Hrithik Roshan and Preity Zinta, was Akhtar's next project. It was shot in Ladakh, Dehra Dun, and Mumbai, and it was the start of Akhtar and Hrithik's collaborations. Before writing the script and directing the project, he had to research the army. "Finding oneself" was the film's subject, as Akhtar had stated. He also believed that if the same characters and situation were replicated elsewhere, the main plot would remain the same as the movie was not about war. The film, which had a hard time at the box office and became a commercial failure following its launch. Parul Gupta of The Times of India gave it a negative review and said, "It's impossible to reconcile to such triviality when it comes from Farhan Akhtar, the ultimate symbol of cool in Hindi cinema." On the contrary, BBC writer Manish Gajjar writes in his glowing review: "Young Farhan Akhtar is one of Bollywood's finest directors to date" - his comment. He has paid serious attention to the script and the technological aspects, resulting in the production of a polished product."

After being invited by his father, Akhtar and his sister, Zoya Akhtar, wrote the English lyrics of Gurinder Chadha's Hollywood film Bride and Prejudice (2004). Anu Malik's film's soundtrack consisted of a mix of Hindi songs, Westside tale, Fiddler on the Roof, and Grease.

Akhtar produced and wrote the screenplay of Don, a tribute to 1978 film Don starring Amitabh Bachchan, starring Shah Rukh Khan in the title role. It was his first project to be considered a remake. Don's character became well-known and well-known. Despite this, he said he did not intend to be a "torchbearer of the remake brigade" and did not feel comfortable with being blamed for the increasing use of remakes in the film industry. The film was released on October 20th, 2006, and it was designated as a "hit" at the box office, grossing about 1.05 billion (equivalent to 2.2 billion or US$36 million in 2020). It became well-known for its script lines. However, critics mainly condemned Akhtar's direction and screenplay. Akhtar had "climbed the ladder as far as craftsmanship is concerned," Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama said, but the storyteller doesn't have it right this time."

The film Honeymoon Travels Pvt was produced in 2007 by Akhtar. Ltd., founded by debutant Reema Kagti and starring Abhay Deol, Minissha Lamba, Shabana Azmi, and Boman Irani. Vishal-Shekhar's score was composed for the film, marking their first collaboration with him. Akhtar was supposed to make his acting debut with the project, but he had to be replaced by Abhay Deol because he was affiliated with Don. Exim Bank funded and sponsored the film. It was the first time Excel Entertainment collaborated with a different producer, since all of their previous projects had involved Akhtar as a director. The film revolved around six couples who went to Goa on a honeymoon. The film opened on February 23 and received mixed critiques from critics, ending up with a "average" box office result.

Akhtar directed Positive, a film made by Shernaz Italia and Frenzy Kodaiji starring Boman Irani and Shabana Azmi last year. It was a short film running for 12 minutes. The film, which was shot in Mumbai and aimed at raising concerns about the subject, dealt with a family's reaction towards a person suffering from HIV/AIDS. It also introduced Arjun Mathur in the film industry. Akhtar said that "Just as a social stigma, many people feel that an HIV patient should be isolated." They also have certain misconceptions about dealing with the disease. And since India has a large number of joint families, it's becoming extremely important for them to understand the value of their help to the individual with the disease. This is exactly what Positive talks about. Ram Sampath had composed the film's background score but there was no soundtrack. It was part of Mira Nair's "AIDS Awake"), a series of four short films directed by Mira Nair, Santosh Sivan, Vishal Bhardwaj and himself, as part of Mira Nair's Mira Nair's Mirabai Films, voluntary groups Avahan, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Game, Abhinay Deo's first film project in 2011 was Akhtar's first project. Abhishek Bachchan, Kangana Ranaut, Boman Irani, and Jimmy Shergill were among the lead cast members. He penned the script and created the venture. Since its debut, the film received largely critical feedback, with critics opposing virtually every part of it. It was a bad start at the box office and later ended in distributor losses, due to a significant lack of word-of-mouth. According to trade analysts, it was described as a "washout."

Akhtar wrote and directed Don 2, a sequel to his 2006 Don. It marked his return to action after a long absence of nearly five years. In an interview, he explains the decision to make a sequel: "I am afraid of sequels having to be made." With Don 2 I could make an action thriller the way I wanted to. A good story, classic action, and a simple plot with one goal in mind and others working towards it efficiently and effectively." The film was a big success in India and went on to become the year's highest-grossing Bollywood production abroad, earning a worldwide gross of 2.1 billion (equivalent to 3.4 billion or US$42 million in 2020). It received mixed to positive feedback from observers, with Khalid Mohammed saying, "Throughout the film, Farhan Akhtar may have made three much more enjoyable films out of the money wasted on this drama, in which automobiles are smashed as if they were tea cups."

Akhtar produced and wrote the script of the neo-noir drama Talaash: The Answer Lies Within. His film work was followed by comedy films including Fukrey (2013) and Bangistan (2015), Baar Baar Dekho (2016), Raees, and Fukrey Returns (both 2017).

Akhtar made his solo acting and singing debut in a musical film called Rock On! in 2008. ! For which he wrote the script and also produced. Abhishek Kapoor produced the film. Prachi Desai, Arjun Rampal, and Purab Kohli co-starred alongside him. He had been playing guitar since the start of his film career, and he had used it for the film. Aditya, lead singer of the rock band "Magik," was cast in his role. He performed five songs on the soundtrack album. Critics lauded the film's debut and received rave reviews when it was announced. According to Gaurav Malani of The Economic Times, the film seemed to be "clearly designed by Farhan Akhar as his own film debut, and he doesn't hesitated to admit it. He's able to get into his character with ease since he gives his voice to all his songs. "One could certainly disregard the lisp in his dialogue delivery." "Director Farhan Aktar surprises all with his superb, flawless appearance, transforming from a hippy lead-singer to a subordinated, dismal workaholic banker," BBC's Manish Gajjar wrote about him. Akhtar's debut received several awards for his debut. In addition, the film received the National Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi. However, it did not have an effect on the box office and turned out to be a "average" grosser.

Akhtar performed in and wrote his sister Zoya's debut Luck By Chance, which featured Hrithik Roshan and Konkona Sen Sharma in lead roles after refusing an invitation to perform a song for A. R. Rahman's album Blue. After being deemed as a "ideal pick" for the film, he was cast in the film. The film revolved around a struggling actor who appeared in Mumbai to become a film actor. It was announced on the 30th of January 2009. Despite failing to do well at the box office and being branded a "flop," critics generally gave the film high marks. Mr. Akhtar, whose understated presence holds together this far-ranging, cameo-filled film, is the subject of New York Times' Neil Genzlinger. Even as wreaking romantic havoc, he manages to remain sympathetic." "Farhan Akhtar gives a nice enough likeable performance that is just what the film needs," Rajeev Masand said.

Akhtar appeared in a film called The Fakir of Venice, which was initially expected to be released before Rock On!! And this was supposed to be his debut in acting. It premiered at Los Angeles' 2009 Indian Film Festival due to several delays. It was written and directed by Anand Surapur and accepted by Akhtar after he said its script was "very good," while still insisting that it "touches on defects and confusion in all human beings." It premiered at the Indian Film Festival in Los Angeles and the Venice Film Festival at the ArcLight Hollywood before being announced. Kirk Honeycutt of The Hollywood Reporter praised the film and said that "Akhtar, a writer, producer, and writer whose debut here as an actor, is versatile and handsome enough – and with eyes that could translate into a variety of ethnicities – to have a long career ahead of him." On February 8, 2019, the film was released theatrically in India.

Akhtar appeared in and produced his next film, Karthik Calling Karthik (2010), a psychological thriller directed by Vijay Lalwani. For the first time, he starred alongside Deepika Padukone as Karthik, an introvert character. He learnedt about the Rubik's Cube before preparing for the role. Critics have mixed praise for Akhtar's performance, with Sukanya Verma saying that "he conveys the fear, simplicity, and frailty of Karthik even though the script isn't doing it for him." It's likely that it's his inherent filmmaker instinct." The film had a good start at the box office, considering that it was aimed at the teenage population of the multiplexes. However, it was unable to maintain its operations and soared to become a "below average" grosser.

Akhtar produced and appeared in his sister's coming-of-age film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, alongside Hrithik Roshan, Abhay Deol, Katrina Kaif, and Kalki Koechlin. He had already been credited as the scriptwriter for the film. He was the first actor to be cast in the film and described his role as a "fun character" and a "guy who takes nothing seriously" for the longest time. Javed Akhtar, his real life father, wrote poetry for the film, which he performs as a voice-over. His appearance was lauded by critics, with Shaikh Ayaz of Rediff.com admonishing his words as "gentle, they won't make you ROFL; they're more like tender dig in the ribs." Kaveree Bamzai of India Today described his behavior as "sensitive, soulful," as well as the fact that he was "ideafully capable of reading out his father's poetry." The film, which is equivalent to 2.8 billion or US$34 million in 2020), was a commercial success at the box office. It was also one of the top grossing Bollywood films in the country, grossing around US$7.25 million. It received two National Awards, the Best Choreography and the Best Audiography.

Following Don 2, his next, a biopic on Indian singer Milkha Singh, popularly known as 'the Flying Sikh,' was titled 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.' He performed the part with such humour that it set the bar for other actors aspiring to play titular protagonists in biopics. All 'Best Actor' awards were given that year, as did the film for 'Best Film'. It has also been named for the National Award for 'Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.' He also had to dress and present a 17-year-old army recruit as well as a lengthy army cantonment on the spot. Akhtar appeared on Shaadi Ke Side Effects, alongside Vidya Balan, a film directed by Saket Chaudhary and produced by Pritish Nandy in 2014. It was a sequel to Pyaar Ke Side Effects (2006). Akhtar appeared in supporting role in his sister Zoya Akhtar's Dil Dhadakne Do, an ensemble comedy drama starring Anil Kapoor, Shefali Shah, Ranveer Singh, and Anushka Sharma next year.

In Bejoy Nambiar's Wazir, Akhtar played the lead role of an Anti Terrorist Squad soldier. It was his first action role as an actor, and for which he went through intense physical training and gained eight kilograms of weight. Raja Sen's review called him "pretty good [.] early in the film, but his performance begins to unravel as the film begins to get hysterical gear and he is expected to do more than frown." With Amitabh Bachchan for Wazir, Akhtar sang the duet "Atrangi yaari" for Wazir. The film was a box-office hit. Akhtar's year-end was the rock musical drama Rock on 2, a sequel to the 2008 critically acclaimed Rock On!! He revived his role as Aditya Shroff, his band's lead singer. Akhtar's attempt to bring northeast India back to popular culture was the subject of the film.

In 2017, Akhtar discussed the role of a Dawood Ibrahim-like mafia don Maqsood in Daddy, co-starring Arjun Rampal. His next release was the ensemble drama Lucknow Central, co-starring Diana Penty, Gippy Grewal, and Deepak Dobriyal. The film was based on a true story of a prisoner group who also formed a band and was inspired by a true event. Lucknow Central was launched on September 15, 2017 and met with mixed reviews and financial distress.

The Sky Is Pink (2019), co-starring Priyanka Chopra, Zaira Wasim and Rohit Saraf, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, receiving a 15-minute standing ovation from the audience at the Roy Thomson Hall, Akhtar's new film, The Sky Is Pink (2019), co-starring Priyanka Chopra, Zaira Wasim and Rohit Saraf, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film received critical acclaim, but it did not do well commercially. Akhtar received preparations for boxing for his forthcoming release Toofan, a sports drama starring Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, which premiered on Amazon Prime Video on May 21, 2021. When throwing a flurry of punches on bigotry, Bollywood Bubble said the film interlaces love and sport.

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