Farhan Akhtar

Farhan Akhtar dons many hats - film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, playback singer, lyricist and television host. Born to screenwriters Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani, he was raised with Bollywood in the background. He started off working as assistant director for films like Lamhe and Himalay Putra. He teamed up with Ritesh Sidhwani to start Excel Entertainment, under which banner they have produced films like Dil Chahta Hai, Don and The Return of Don, Lakshya, Honemoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. While Dil Chahta Hai was his directorial debut, he made his acting and singing debut with Rock On! Other hit movies he has acted in include Zindagi na Milegi Dobara and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. He has received a number of awards as director, actor and producer. He is married to ace hairdresser Adhuna Akhtar, and they have two children, Shakya and Akira. His sister Zoya is also a scriptwriter and filmmaker while Shabana Azmi is his stepmother.

Akhtar made his directorial and writing debut at the age of 27 with Dil Chahta Hai (2001), produced by Excel Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., a production company he established along with Ritesh Sidhwani in 1999. The film went on to bag various awards including National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi (2002). It was also screened at the International Film Festival of India, the Austin Film Festival and the Palm Springs International Film Festival. When went on to direct Lakshya (starring Hrithik Roshan and Preity Zinta) in 2002, Don in 2004 and Don 2 in 2010 (both starring Shahrukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra).

Farhan made his acting and singing debut with Rock On!! in 2008 and received huge success. He has gone on to act in several films then including Luck By Chance (2008), Karthik Calling Karthik (2010) and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011). In his next film as actor, Farhan will be seen playing the well-known Indian athlete Milkha Singh in the film Bhaag Milkha Bhaag directed by Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra.