Farhan Akhtar

Biography:

Indian actor, director, singer, and songwriter Farhan Akhtar was born on January 9, 1974. He primarily appears in Hindi language movies. The son of screenwriters Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani, Akhtar made his directorial debut with the coming-of-age comedy-drama Dil Chahta Hai (2001). The film won the National Award for Best Hindi Film and the Filmfare Award for Best Film (Critics). Akhtar was born in Mumbai. He and Ritesh Sidhwani founded a production company called Excel Entertainment in 1999.

Following this, he co-wrote the lyrics for Bride and Prejudice (2004) with his sister Zoya Akhtar, directed the cult hit war movie Lakshya, and made his Hollywood debut. After directing the financially successful Don (2006), his third picture as a filmmaker, he went on to direct the HIV/AIDS awareness short film Positive (2007).

Despite having a delayed release in the drama The Fakir of Venice to start his acting career, Akhtar made his official screen debut in the musical drama Rock On!! (2008), for which he also served as producer and took home the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut. For the critically acclaimed and financially successful buddy-road movie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011), which earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor, he wrote the dialogue and produced. The same year, he also directed the Don sequel Don 2 (2011), which is still his highest-grossing movie to date.

Later, Akhtar portrayed Milkha Singh in the biography Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, for which he was honored with the Filmfare Award for Best Actor. His next performances in the ensemble family comedy-drama Dil Dhadakne Do (2015) and the criminal thriller Wazir (2016) garnered appreciation. Since then, he has starred in the plays Toofaan (2021), The Sky Is Pink (2019), and Lucknow Central (2017, 2017).

After dating Adhuna Bhabani for three years, Akhtar wed her in the year 2000. They initially connected while Dil Chahta Hai, his maiden film as a director, and Bhabani’s first film as a Bollywood hairdresser, were being shot. The Shakya and Akira, the couple’s two daughters. After 16 years of marriage, they announced their separation on January 21, 2016. On April 24, 2017, their divorce became official, and Bhabani was given custody of their kids. In 2018, Akhtar began dating VJ Shibani Dandekar. They were wed in a civil ceremony at his Khandala property on February 19, 2022.