Farhan Akhtar

Contemporary 2001–present

Farhan Akhtar is an Indian actor, filmmaker, singer and producer, and one of the defining figures of contemporary Hindi cinema. He first made his mark as a director with the acclaimed Dil Chahta Hai (2001) before turning to acting with the musical drama Rock On!! (2008), in which he played and sang as a rock frontman. As an actor he is best known for the buddy road film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and his physically demanding portrayal of runner Milkha Singh in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, which won him the Filmfare Award for Best Actor. He also co-founded the production house Excel Entertainment with Ritesh Sidhwani and works as a playback singer and lyricist.

Honours: Won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2014) and shared the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut for Rock On!! (with Imran Khan); earlier won the Filmfare Award for Best Screenplay for Dil Chahta Hai. Productions from his company Excel Entertainment, including Rock On!! and Dil Chahta Hai, won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.

Filmography

12 films · compiled from Wikidata

Recent & Ongoing

2017

Lucknow Central

2016

Wazir

2016

Rock On!! 2

2015

Dil Dhadakne Do

2000s

2014

Shaadi Ke Side Effects

2013

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

2011

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

2010

Karthik Calling Karthik

2009

Luck by Chance

2008

Rock On!!

2008

The Fakir of Venice

Signature Roles

Toofan

Best known for: Rock On!! · Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara · Bhaag Milkha Bhaag · Dil Dhadakne Do · Wazir · The Sky Is Pink · Toofaan

Did You Know?

He was born into a prominent film family, as the son of screenwriter-lyricist Javed Akhtar and screenwriter Honey Irani, and is the younger brother of filmmaker Zoya Akhtar.
He directed his debut feature, Dil Chahta Hai, in 2001 — seven years before he first acted on screen — and it is now regarded as a landmark of modern Hindi cinema.
He is also a playback singer and lyricist, performing his own vocals as the frontman of the fictional band Magik in Rock On!!.
He played Waleed, leader of the Red Daggers, in Marvel's Disney+ series Ms. Marvel (2022), marking his Hollywood/MCU debut.
Kishore Kumar had no formal training in classical music, yet became one of the most influential playback singers ever.
Aamir Khan’s Lagaan (2001) is one of only three Indian films nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar.
The song “Mere Sapno Ki Rani” from Aradhana was famously picturised on a moving toy train in Darjeeling.

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