Farhan Akhtar is one of the biggest creative forces in Bollywood and has had a significant contribution to Indian cinema. Whether it's behind the camera or in front of it, his talents are boundless, and his passion for cinema is awe-inspiring. You might have followed his career closely, but let's learn some unknown facts about this star.
In today's time, Farhan is considered as one of the focused and driven individuals. He's done insane physical transformations, commendable jobs as an actor, fantastic director and has a thriving music career. However, did you know he used to be confused and unfocused in life? He flunked out of law school in the second year and spent more than two years day in day out watching movies. This was a phase of his life where he was largely aimless and, in retrospect, he called it his form of film school. His experience of lacking a purpose in life was the source of inspiration behind the movie ‘Lakshya.’
Dil Chahta Hai is considered one of the most iconic film names and represents a sense of youthfulness. However, did you know that the film's original title was going to be Hum Teen. It was something Farhan used to introduce the film but was later changed due to negative reception. Even Dil Chahta Hai title had a negative reception as his father felt it was a bit incomplete. He later used it as a format to write the now iconic title track and focused on completing it in different ways.
You might have noticed that the idea of friendships and having a strong bond is a strong throughline in his movies. Even her sister Zoya Akhtar has largely explored similar themes in her movies too. The reason is surprisingly poignant as their mother and father divorced early on in their childhood. This was a turbulent time for both of them, and their friends were the biggest source of strength. Without their emotional support, they won't be at the stage of life they are in. This idea of friendship is extremely important for them, and they love it and cherish it in their art.
Farhan Akhtar's character Imran Qureshi's big fear in the movie is heights, and his friends motivate him to break free. However, in real life, Akhtar is a big thrill-seeker, and he's a certified skydiver. He's the only one who did the sky diving sequence, and Hrithik, Abhay used stunt doubles for those scenes.
He is an entertainer at heart, but he's only an extremely conscious citizen also, using his privilege to make social change. He founded the Men Against Rape and Discrimination campaign after learning about the horrific case of Pallavi Purkayastha in 2012. A Mumbai lawyer filed a case against the watchmen for sexually assaulting her, and later killing her for it.
This campaign of his received widespread praise from the entertainment industry and athletes. His goal with the campaign was to fight against the toxic masculinity prevalent in our society and support women rights.
During the Second-wave, when India was suffering, he ran various campaigns to provide relief support. Some of these campaigns were:
He collaborated with an N.G.O. named 'Hope Welfare Trust' to feed the patients and medical staff. It was used to feed the people of Harishchandra and Manikarnika shamshan ghats in Varanasi. More than 1000 thalis were distributed daily, fulfilling the basic needs.
In 2020, he donated more than 1000 PPE kits to frontline workers in government hospitals.
Akhtar has proven to be a celebrity that has used his status and powers to promote the needs of the common man.
Farhan Akhtar is one of the most hardworking men in the industry. Even though he's from a film family, he is one of the rare individuals that has used his power for the right reasons. His entertainment company Excel Production is making a huge impact on the industry and empowering new writers, directors. He is the ultimate triple threat and continues to push his creative limits.
