#Farhan who writes acts directs produces

[ennaih]

NA’s top five fave actors (and partly why)

1. Edward Montgomery Clift.

2. Henry Jaynes Fonda.

3. John Uhler Lemmon III.

4. Joseph Leonard Gordon-Levitt.

5. (Paul) Benjamin Mendelsohn.

(bonus sixth cos I gotta have my desi represent)

6. Farhan Akhtar.

[brindaneer]

Inspiration and positivity are what the entire human race is in dire need of during these uncertain times. The present blog acquires additional importance for us because the film it deals with is possibly one of the most motivational motion pictures produced by the Hindi movie industry in the past few years. Penned by the inimitable Javed Akhtar, and directed by Farhan Akhtar, Lakshya showcased the progression of Karan Shergil from an aimless, albeit good-hearted soul drifting through life into a dutiful officer of the Indian Army. Karan's path of self-discovery was not merely an entertaining watch; it was also about the vital role that initiative and determination could play in our lives. Thrown in the midst of a world pandemic after a hundred years, most of us have lost these amazing qualities up to some degree at least, which is probably why pondering over this film in particular seems to be a productive job at the moment. Ironically, a film that several people have drawn inspiration from over the years (people had actually joined the Army after watching Lakshya) had been declared a 'box-office flop' during the time of its release. In that aspect, Lakshya resembles classics like Kaagaz ke Phool, Mera Naam Joker, Pakeezah, Jane Bhi Do Yaaron, and Andaaz Apna Apna, all of which failed to take the box-office by storm, but went on to obtain cult status among viewers later. Astounding? Definitely. Great films sometimes fail financially without rime or reason and unfortunately, the same fate befell Lakshya.

At its core, Lakshya was Karan's story and not a war film. The war and Indian Army provided a perfect setting for Karan to find his true calling. Nevertheless, intricacies of the Kargil war along with the destruction, desolation and pain that accompanied it, and which are also inevitably associated with all international armed conflicts in general, were far from being neglected in the story. A great writer is able to strike a balance between various dimensions of a plot without compromising on his actual intention, and who better than the legendary Javed Akhtar to achieve that? He was complimented by his talented son, the captain of this ship, who ably steered the film into a direction his father had envisaged while writing the script. Karan's metamorphosis from a lazy, casual college-going boy, perpetually confused about what he really wanted to do with life into a mature and responsible man was laced with humour and drama in equal measure, a strategy Farhan had previously employed while depicting Akash's journey in the epic 'Dil Chahta Hai'. Yet, the real genius lay in how different these two journeys actually were. Nobody could accuse Farhan of repeating what he had already done in his debut directorial venture.

Moments such as Karan listing his engagements of the day to Romi's (Preity Zinta) father upon being asked about his future plans in life and then literally hijacking that man's opinion on the importance of giving the best, no matter what the job was, to pacify his own father were examples of the witty humour we were talking about earlier. Of course, the actors took these scenes to a different level altogether. Hrithik’s delivery of ‘Main ye sochta hoon Dad’ after Karan had just rattled the ‘achcha ghaas kaatnewala’ lecture, and Boman Irani’s (Karan’s strict father) poker faced ‘Thik sochte ho’ in return have never failed to elicit roars of laughter from viewers till date. This wit pervaded most of the film’s first half as Karan continued his antics- the expression of his eternal confusion through the iconic ‘Main Aisa Kyun Hoon’ (apart from displaying Hrithik’s insane dancing skills through the choreography of the one and only Prabhu Deva, this sequence also aptly conveyed Karan’s inherent dilemmas), his decision of joining the Army only because another friend had promised he would come too, his disappointment upon being dumped by that friend, his ‘unconventional’ marriage proposal to Romi and his characteristic callousness as well as indolence even during his stint at the IMA were hilarious to say the least. Hrithik’s comic timing was pitch perfect in every scene, and perfectly suited for the nuanced, elegant genre of comedy that the script had aimed at.

Just when we thought Lakshya was a hoot, Farhan introduced the dramatic element in it; and he did so with such subtlety and ease that the ensuing sequence of events seemed to be the only natural course for the film to take. The scene where Karan fell into the pool by sheer unmindfulness during one of his drills and got punished by his commanding officer was somehow able to generate a strange mixture of sympathy as well as laughter amongst the audience and proved to be one of the watershed moments in Karan’s story. Hrithik’s masterful portrayal of humiliation as Karan knelt in front of his fellow cadets engendered such palpable discomfort within us the first time that re-watching it remains difficult even now.

The Karan that emerged on the other side of this event was somewhat different. Staying true to his fickle-minded nature, he jumped the wall of IMA and fled home. Nevertheless, regret could clearly be observed on his countenance as he sat with his parents, head bowed in shame, forced to accept defeat in front of his father- a man, who had always underestimated him. The grievance in his eyes upon over-hearing Mr. Shergill's unfavourable opinion of him hinted not only towards Karan's underlying strong ego, but also revealed his latent desire to prove himself. The hurt ego, along with his heart, was eventually completely shattered when the one person who had genuinely believed in him refused to be a part of his life anymore. Romi, played by Preity Zinta with her usual vivacity and boldness, broke up with Karan at the same place where she had once agreed to marry him because he had failed to live up to even her expectations. For Karan, someone who had probably harboured feelings of inferiority ever since childhood because of incessant comparisons with his brother, this became the ultimate betrayal. As viewers, it was our interpretation that he never really understood Romi’s point of view; he only attributed one primary meaning to her actions- her belief in his worthlessness. Looking at this entire sequence from a neutral perspective, one might say that both Karan and Romi deserved some empathy from each other. Karan’s lack of conviction in everything he did naturally upset Romi to a point where she could not imagine spending the rest of her life with him. Can we really blame her? As far as Karan was concerned, he had to bear rejection from someone, who, he had hoped, would never judge him like his dad. Before this, he had been able to bear the brunt of his father's expectations because of the security that his relationship with Romi provided him. However, when she pushed him away, he truly hit bare ground, with no one to break the fall. The scene that followed the break-up will possibly remain one of the best pieces of emotional acting in Hrithik’s career forever. As easy as it might seem, crying your heart out on screen can actually be very difficult in practice. Hrithik obviously nailed the sobs, but more importantly, he conveyed his character’s rancour towards Romi most effectively through the unspoken hurt in his eyes, thereby suitably justifying the transition Karan would undergo next.

With no comfort zone left for him to turn to, Karan did what his parents, especially his father, and Romi had always wanted him to do. He grew up. He could have sulked like a petulant child and continued to live a directionless life like he had done previously. Instead, he chose to prove himself to Romi and made that his life’s goal. Ironically, Romi had disapproved when he insisted on joining the army earlier because she felt he was doing it to rebel against his father. But this was a different Karan. He was not rebelling anymore. He was trying to show Romi that he could be much more than what everyone thought about him. Sub-consciously, it was not just she who was the reason for this transformation; rather, it was both his dad and her.

Karan’s second stint at the IMA provided viewers with some of the finest moments in the film. His dedication towards learning and training, initial isolation and finally, amalgamation into the student community were fascinatingly depicted through the brilliant title song ‘Haan yahi rasta hai tera, tune ab jana hai, Haan yahi sapna hai tera, tune pehchana hai, tujhe ab ye dikhana hai......Roke tujhko aandhiyaan, ya zameen aur aasmaan, payega jo lakshya hai tera....Lakshya ko har haal mein paana hai’. Now, let us take a brief moment to acknowledge the terrific music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy which truly set the mood for the film. This song in particular struck a chord with us because of the simplicity and eloquence with which it expressed the inherent message of the story. The picturization was top-notch with several nuances throughout. Few moments stand out even now such as Karan passionately screaming ‘Dhawa’ during his drill, something he had been completely casual about earlier, Hrithik’s unflinching eye-contact with the CO who had previously punished him indicating that Karan was a changed man now, and Karan’s increasing camaraderie with his batch mates.

The song was followed by two important sequences, superb for the understated nature in which they expressed first Karan’s unspoken resentment towards his father, and then, his blatant grievance against Romi. In the first, Karan’s mother informed him that his dad had wanted to attend his graduation ceremony but could not ultimately, and in the second, Karan himself called Romi to inform her that he was finally a lieutenant of the Indian Army. At this point of time, talking about Hrithik’s acting probably seems redundant. So, we apologize for the redundancy (What? Did you think we would stop talking about it? 😱😱). Karan’s casual brushing away of his mother’s statement about Mr. Shergill conveyed volumes about how he had ceased to expect anything from his father; it also revealed the disappointment he felt, courtesy of Hrithik’s amazingly layered performance. Similarly, his delivery of ‘Saare faisle tum nahin kar sakti Romi’ was spot-on. It was optimally hurtful, just like it was supposed to be.

As his job brought Karan to Kargil, Ladakh, and he met his commanding officer, Colonel Damle, played to usual perfection by the enigmatic Mr. Bachchan who managed to captivate the audience completely during the few brief moments he had in the film, as well as other colleagues, the lines between proving himself to the two important people of his life and finding his true ‘Lakshya’ began to blur. By his own confession, he had never thought about the significance of being an ‘Indian’ until his senior colleague Jalal Akbar (a brilliantly natural Sushant Singh) took him to the border (pretty prophetic that Hrithik himself went on to play a different Jalal Akbar later in his career, right?). In all honesty, a considerable section of the audience probably felt the same too. The stunning Trans-Himalayan locales shot so artistically definitely added to this feeling, although any border area is usually capable of engendering such thoughts. The landscape of Ladakh has a strange haunting quality about it, and that played a substantial role not only in making the film a visual treat but also metaphorically with respect to Karan’s journey.

As he truly began to love his job, Karan realized that he was finally ready to let go of his ego as far as Romi was concerned. Unfortunately, Romi, after a lot of thought, and pining for Karan, had decided to move on with life, much to Karan’s shock and dismay. The scene where he stood outside the venue of her engagement and watched her laughing with her fiance was one of a kind for the lack of melodrama that usually accompanies such sequences. Its speciality lay in the director’s nuanced handling of emotions and the actor’s terrific portrayal of subtle poignancy.

Run down and broken by the trials of his life, Karan returned home to his parents, only to receive news that his leave had been cancelled, and that he was urgently required to return to base. The moment where he bid goodbye to his parents was the first time when his father openly expressed love and concern for him, although not exactly in those words. The visible tension on Mr. Shergil’s face as he lost his cool and asked Karan to tell the complete truth was a testimony to his worry for his son who was about to go to a border area amidst serious disturbances. The part where Karan hugged his mother and left with just an uncomfortable glance towards his dad was another of those amazing subtle moments which characterized Farhan’s direction for this film. Hrithik’s discomfort and Boman Irani’s disappointment were both heart-rending to watch and as a viewer, one really wanted to reach out and give both of them hugs. A special thanks to Farhan and whoever was in charge of casting for signing Boman Irani in this role. Hrithik and his scenes were like mini acting classes that aspiring actors could take tips from.

Sometimes, it is difficult to get on with life, more so after losing one’s love forever like Karan had, but military training had instilled a sense of duty and discipline in him that was impossible to ignore. Of course, he had already begun to find a deeper meaning in his life through his job, especially after spending time with his superiors and colleagues. And, so he marched on. Had Romi seen his sense of responsibility even during a time when his personal life was in turmoil, she would have been proud. However, the realization that this was his true calling was probably yet to come to Karan. It did, in phases as he learnt about the war situation from Colonel Damle, and then embarked upon it.

If two people are destined to meet, even the universe conspires to bring them together. The same thing happened with Karan and Romi as they crossed paths unexpectedly in Kargil, of all places. The scene where they saw each other amidst a convoy of army vehicles is absolute poetry. Kudos to Preity for being so natural with her expressions always; she was brilliant in every scene, and especially here as Romi’s eyes changed from pure surprise on finding Karan there to a subtle melancholy and probably hope ( ?) at the thought of their future interactions. Hrithik, as usual, was spot-on with Karan’s ‘seeing a ghost’ expression as he moved past her, without getting an opportunity to satisfy his curiosity regarding her presence there.

Their next exchanges were laced with intense angst, but not of the typical Bollywood kind, rather much more controlled and nuanced. The part where Karan, after knowing about the demise of his good friend Abir (from the IMA) found his other pal Saket (Abir’s closest friend) venting out at Romi requires special mention because of the seamless manner in which it shifted from a discourse on the necessity and morality of war to a fantastic interaction between the lead couple, their first face-to-face conversation since the break up. It was formal, yet intimate; mundane, yet special; filled with hope for more on Romi’s part, and discomfort as well as suppressed anger on Karan’s. This scene was followed by his a little mean ‘pata nahin’ when Romi asked him if he had decided whether they should meet or not, and his angsty ‘congratulations’ for her engagement. Of course, the poor guy had no idea that she had broken it off after finding out that her fiance who was apparently a highly motivated successful individual was also a narrow-minded chauvinist. The irony of life! Once again, kudos to the genius of Farhan Akhtar. Without even mentioning it, he managed to point out the difference between Karan and Rajeev, and it was clearer than ever why Romi loved Karan. Remember ‘Maine aj tak tum mein koi choti baat nahin dekhi’ ? However, Romi obviously did not explain the truth to Karan. It was truly frustrating at times to see these two souls so much in love with each other, and yet unable to let go of their stubornness. Nonetheless, the frustration could be borne because of the brilliant intensity of their scenes and the wonderful chemistry these two shared. Truly, we do not talk enough about Hrithik and Preity’s amazing on screen bonding. We really should!

Karan eventually found out about Romi’s broken engagement from a letter his best friemd Ashu had sent him a while back. Hrithik’s expression of shock portrayed the extent to which the news had unsettled Karan. Incidentally, just when love had given him a second chance, Karan encountered death more closely than ever. After an initial victory during the first battle (the one in which he had saved the life of a senior officer, and killed opponents for the first time; also possibly the one where he began to realize that serving his country had started becoming his passion), Karan and his battalion were massively defeated in the second and several lives were lost, including his close colleague, Captain Akbar’s. The scene where Akbar succumbed to his injuries in front of his best friend, Dr. Sudhir (played by the late Abir Goswami, may he rest in peace too) who tried desperately to resuscitate him while motivating the gasping man with remarks such as ‘aam khane jana hai na’ can make people cry anytime without manipulating their emotions or forcefully tugging at their heartstrings. In fact, this was true for every battle sequence in Lakshya, which made it one of the best war movies Bollywood had ever made. Notably, the script treated every character with sufficient respect including even the ones who had screen times of just a few minutes. Everyone had a well-crafted story arc, however small it might be but integral to the movie. Most importantly, not for one second did we feel that Karan had taken up the screen space of others.

The best example for this was provided by the great late Om Puri ji, who played the role of Subedar Pritam Singh. Of course, if you have the privilege of casting an actor of his calibre, your can rest assured of the outcome. Acting is at its best when it does not feel like enactment, and not many actors are more natural than Om Puri ji! Appearing on screen for not more than four to five scenes, he delivered some of the most profound dialogues in the film. He explained to Karan how a soldier knew better than anyone about the destructiveness of war; yet he had no other option but to be a part of it. When Karan asked why wars took place, he pointed out that human greed had drawn boundaries upon the earth’s surface and if it were in their hands, men would partition the moon too. How true it rings, especially now. People are actually talking about ‘making life interplanetary���. If it ever happens, countries are going to fight about demarcating territories there.

Moving on! Excuse the length of this blog please! A film like Lakshya has so many subtle intricacies that it becomes impossible to leave out scenes. But don’t be impatient please. We have almost reached the end of our ‘Lakshya’. A few sequences still deserve mention. First, the iconic ‘Tum kehti thi na Romi meri zindagi mein koi lakshya nahin hai?’ The defeat accompanied by the loss of close friends and colleagues had augmented Karan’s determination to win but our hero had also finally discovered his passion, his true calling. In moments when such epiphanies occur, is there anything else left to do other than crying? Probably not. That was exactly what Karan did. As usual, Hrithik’s performance elevated the quality of this scene, like so many others. The part where Karan pledged to Colonel Damle that either he would execute the mission successfully, or he would not come back alive was again equally impactful because of both Hrithik and Mr. Bachchan. The way Colonel Damle looked at his officer after this momentous declaration conveyed the immense pride, gratitude and grief he felt at that moment. Truly, Mr. Bachchan needs no dialogues to express emotions. His eyes do it all. And the same is true for Hrithik too.

Now, its time for our favourite scene in the movie. You guys must be thinking that we agree on everything. Well, we do agree a lot, but disagreements occur too. However, there was no disagreement on this one. We think its a lot of other people’s favourite too. You are right! We are talking about the scene in which Karan called his dad. This was on the night before the final mission- a mission that was near suicidal. Upon seeing his colleague Vishal take off his engagement ring and put it in an envelope, Karan finally acknowledged what he was running away from; something that he had buried deep down in his sub-conscious- his conflicted emotions towards his father. The knowledge that he might no longer be alive for a resolution made Karan pick up the phone and dial his number. Here is an anecdote in this context. When Boman Irani started shooting for his part in this sequence, Hrithik’s lines were being read by an AD, and Mr. Irani could not get his shot right because he was not able to get the proper feel. Acting is a lot about reacting, and the non-impactful delivery by the AD hampered Mr. Irani’s shot. Finally, the person in charge of the sound came to his rescue and Hrithik’s dialogues were played in audio (Hrithik’s part had already been shot by then) to which Boman Irani reacted. And what an outcome. This is the true mark of a great actor; he not only excels himself but helps others soar too. And what an honour to have helped an ace actor like Boman Irani! The performances by both in this scene were superlative and manage to leave us with lumps in our throats even today.

In his first ever heart-to-heart with his dad, Karan confessed that he had always disappointed his father and told him that he was aware of it. In return, his dad who initially had thought Karan had called his mom, finally told him how proud he was of him. A salute and heartfelt gratitude to all the parents out there who send their children to serve in the security forces so that civilians can live in peace. The smile on his son’s face was proof that he could die happy. The tears in both their eyes expressed the craving they had towards each other; the dejection that Karan had always felt upon being ‘ignored’ by his father was replaced by the understanding that his father had always loved him; the pain on Mr. Shergill’s face portrayed his disappointment for waiting so long to convey his love to Karan- so long that there was a chance he might never see him again.

Having poured his heart out to his dad, Karan finally set out to achieve his Lakshya of recapturing Point 5179 and hoisting the Indian flag on it, but not before a much needed conversation with Romi. What an amazing bond these two shared. Karan did not need to tell her explicitly that he knew about her broken engagement; she did not have to tell him that she still loved him. They just knew. Her ‘to phir main zindagi bhar intezaar karungi’ was far more intense than a conventional ‘I love you’. The beauty of this scene lay in the complete lack of melodrama which one usually associates with Bollywood scenes of this kind. No over the top background score, no hysterics, not even a hug! And the fact that they wanted to hug, but could not (because Karan’s seniors were waiting) made this moment even more poignant. Hrithik and Preity were the epitomes of subtlety here. The frustration of not even being able to touch each other before Karan left for a life threatening assignment was so tangible that even the audience imbibed it. Seriously, why did not Hrithik and Preity work more? They were so attuned to even each other’s silences!

The final mission proved the truth of Romi’s words. ‘Jis din usne decide kar liya ki use kya karna hai, aap dekhna wo kahan se kahan pohochta hai’. Indeed, Karan reached the peak of success, literally and metaphorically. The mountain-climbing scene deserves a special mention here. It was so perfectly done that the only comparison that comes to mind is the famous rock-climbing sequence in ‘The Guns of Navarone’ by the iconic Gregory Peck. And in all fairness, Captain Mallory only climbed a cliff; Captain Shergill had to climb a peak of the Trans Himalayas! Jokes aside, both scenes shall forever remain goosebump- inducing. Karan, obviously hoisted the Indian flag, and just in time. Boy, did he make Colonel Damle proud or what?!

Thanks to our friend Mita for this wonderful VM .

There is a saying that everything works out in the end, and if it does not, it is not the end. It indeed did happen that way for Karan. He found his goal, and achieved it too. As he walked out of that elevator, and hugged his dad finally, we surely did feel contented. And who said Mr. Shergill did not know his son? Well, he might have taken time, but now he understood him better than most. When Karan’s mother asked if they could go home, he objected. Go home? What NO! Karan had to go and fulfill his other 'Lakhshya’, right?

How wonderfully thoughtful of Romi to stand at a distance from Karan’s parents, wanting to give them the private space that they needed! Actually, kudos to the director for his sensitivity; such subtlety is not something that we frequently see in Bollywood. So thank God for ‘Lakshya’. Just like Karan’s story ended on a positive note as the camera focussed on him and Romi, holding hands, finally embracing each other, ready to step in to a new chapter of their lives, we also end this blog with a bit of optimism.. Let us all hope and pray that ‘Hum Jeetenge Ye Baazi’ (modifying Javed Akhtar’s line a bit) on behalf of every Indian, and every person in the world dealing with this pandemic.

P.S. This blog is dedicated to all the front-line workers (doctors, nurses, other medical personnel, medical suppliers, delivery executives, grocery storekeepers, and all other emergency personnel) who put their lives in danger everyday so that we may survive. Please know that you are always in our prayers. Also, let us all hope that no one remains shy of masks and vaccines anymore. Those are the most effective ways of countering this virus. Stay safe everyone!

[alwaysfirst]

Farhan Akhtar drops unseen picture with his great-grandfather; see what his family has to say

Jul 26, 2022 06:38 IST Mumbai (Maharashtra) , July 26 (Always First): Farhan Akhtar dropped an unseen lovely picture with his great-grandfather on Monday on his social media account. Taking to his Instagram handle, the 'Toofaan' actor shared an unseen picture with his great-grandfather, late Muztar Khairabadi, who was an Urdu poet. https://www.instagram.com/p/CgbYgdZrj_Z/ Sharing the picture Farhan Akhtar wrote, "My family thinks I look like my great-grandfather, Muztar Khairabadi.. what do you think?" In the old picture, Farhan edited the picture to share the frame with his great-grandfather. The actor was twinning with late Muztar Khairabadi. Both could be seen donning traditional attire. As soon as Farhan posted the picture, fans and his friends flooded the comment section with messages. His wife Shibani Dandekar Akhtar wrote, "twins."

Actor Aditi Rao Hydari dropped a comment, "Whoa!!!!! So cool! #samesame."

Farhan's sister-in-law VJ Anusha reacted the same as her sister. She wrote, "TWINS!!!"

A fan wrote, "thought it was a film poster."

Unversed, Farhan and Shibani who dated for almost three years tied the knot at Farhan's family farmhouse in Khandala in the presence of close friends and family members on February 19. The daytime wedding was attended by several celebrities including Farah Khan, Rhea Chakraborty, Satish Shah, Ashutosh Gowariker and Ritesh Sidwani. Hrithik Roshan also attended the wedding with his parents, Rakesh and Pinkie Roshan. Meanwhile, Farhan was in news as the Russo brothers are considering a collaboration with Excel Entertainment, the Indian production company run by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar (Gully Boy, "Made in Heaven"). Akhtar also directs, writes, composes, and acts in addition to producing alongside Sidhwani. In addition to a long-term connection with Netflix, the business already has a relationship with Amazon Prime Video. "Jee Le Zara," the next film Akhtar will direct, stars Bollywood A-listers Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Katrina Kaif, and Alia Bhatt. On the work front, Farhan Akhtar is on cloud nine as he made his Hollywood debut with 'Ms. Marvel'. 'Ms. Marvel' is one of the highly anticipated Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) projects. It introduces Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan, aka the titular character, who is a Muslim American teenager growing up in Jersey City. An avid gamer and a voracious fan-fiction scribe, Kamala is a superhero mega-fan with an oversized imagination -- particularly when it comes to Captain Marvel. Aramis Knight, Saagar Shaikh, Rish Shah, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, Matt Lintz, Yasmeen Fletcher, Laith Nakli, Azhar Usman, Travina Springer and Nimra Bucha are also a part of the Disney+ show. (Always First) Read the full article

[adityaft]

25 Farhan Akhtar Movies That Are Among Finest Works in Bollywood

Movies are an integral part of our life. Whether it is for our entertainment or to learn something new, movies never fail to impress us. Living in India, we all have become die-hard Bollywood fans and are always ready to watch the best Bollywood movies.

Well, Farhan Akhtar has never failed to provide the movies which have made Bollywood proud. He works as a perfectionist in any field he works, whether it is direction, production, acting, writing, or singing Akhtar has always worked as a hard-working individual, perfecting his skills in every possible way.

Here we bring to you the list of 25 Farhan Akhtar movies which made Bollywood proud-

1) Dil Chahta Hai (2001) - Director, Producer, Writer

One of the most successful Farhan Akhtar movies is surely Dil Chahta Hai. This was Farhan’s Debut movie as a Director. He even produced and wrote the beloved storyline which made the audience drool over the movie for years! 

The film won the National Award for the Best Hindi Feature Film and is a must-watch for every generation.

2) Lakshya (2004) - Director

This Farhan Akhtar movie saw him as the director and is set in the background of the Kargil War with the story of Lt. Karan Shergill. The movie was praised all over India, and Farhan proved that he is a successful Director who brings stories of values for the new generation!

3) Don - The Chase Begins Again (2006) - Director, Producer, Writer, Lyricist

This movie witnessed Farhan Akhtar in different roles such as a Director, Producer, writer, and Lyricist. The movie was a remake of the 1978 movie by the same name. Farhan’s approach towards the movie was well appreciated as he tried to blend it with modern times. 

This move of Farhan made the movie a big hit and kept the viewers engaged for several days.

4) Read more…

[rbbox]

Mrunal Thakur has had a great year in 2019. Both her releases, Vikas Bahl’s Super 30 opposite Hrithik Roshan and Nikkhil Advani’s Batla House opposite John Abraham were acclaimed hits. She has also acted in this year's in Karan Johar's anthology Ghost Stories on a digital platform and will be seen next in Jersey opposite Shahid Kapoor and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Toofan opposite Farhan Akhtar. Now, we have heard that the talented actress is in advanced talks to play the female lead in Ranjit Tiwari’s detective thriller Bell Bottom, opposite Akshay Kumar. If all goes well, this will mean a fresh pairing.

Says a trade source, “Nikkhil was keen to sign Mrunal as he’s worked with her in Batla House (where she plays John’s wife and a news anchor) and feels that she is very talented. Bell Bottom is said to be a spy thriller revolving around a cop-cum-detective’s stories. He is a cop in the day but likes to be a sleuth when off duty. If everything goes well and Mrunal signs Bell Bottom, she will play Akshay’s romantic interest. Her role is interesting and has shades to it – someone whom Akshay’s character meets in the course of his life as a cop and falls in love with her. It’s a retro movie set in the 1980s, and the thriller revolving around one of India’s forgotten heroes. It will be a mix of all Akshay, Vashu and Nikkhil’s style of filmmaking – action, emotion and entertainment and is said to be inspired from a real-life incident.”

Bollywood Hungama was the first to write about Akshay Kumar being in talks with producer Vashu Bhagnani, to discuss a project with him. The producer, who has given many blockbusters over more than two decades in the Bollywood film industry, is working with Akshay for the first time and buzz is that he has given Akshay a huge remuneration of over Rs. 120 crore to act in the movie.  Bell Bottom is produced by Nikkhil Advani, Vashu Bhagnani, Jackky Bhagnani, and Akshay Kumar. Akshay is said to have been paid a whopping amount for the role.

Akshay and Vashu have been in talks for quite some time to do a movie together while Nikkhil was looking for a good script for Akshay, post Airlift. Nikkhil, Akshay and Vashu coming together in one movie means the merging of three super brands - Nikkhil is also on a career high with his movies like Satyameva Jayate and Batla House doing excellent business at the box-office and his next Marjaavaan (starring Sidharth Malhotra and Tara Sutaria and directed by Milap Zaveri) is carrying very good reports. Nikkhil is also doing a movie with Arjun Kapoor and Rakul Preet Singh. He is also helming a web series called Bombay Diaries.

Akshay and Nikkhil come together after three years. Their last movie was Airlift (2016), directed by Raja Krishna Menon. The star is on a roll with his last releases including Kesari, Mission Mangal, Housefull 4 and Good Newwz being super hits. A large portion of Bell Bottom will be shot in London and is planned as a big budget extravaganza shot in other international locales too.

Also Read: Toofan: Here’s how Mrunal Thakur has been making Farhan Akhtar’s life difficult outside of the ring!

January 13, 2020 at 10:53AMEXCLUSIVE: Mrunal Thakur to romance Akshay Kumar in spy thriller Bell Bottom? https://ift.tt/2FIQ3Cn

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It’s been over a decade since Sonam Kapoor made her on screen debut with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Saawariya. And in these 10 years, we got to see different shades of Sonam Kapoor on-screen. From the shy and innocent Sakina in Saawariya, to the fearless and courageous portrayal of Neerja, Sonam has given us many memories from her characters on screen. Along with some brilliant performances on screen, Sonam has also gotten herself the reputation of being the ultimate fashionista in Bollywood. Whether she is walking the ramp or just spotted during a casual outing in the city, Sonam always has her style game on-point.

She also has been walking the ramp at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival for quite a few years now and has managed to make heads turn at every single appearance. Sonam has always been at the forefront when it comes to standing up for the environment and raising awareness regarding important issues like breast cancer and LGBT rights. So, we give you a complete timeline tracking the journey of Sonam Kapoor over the years.

As we all know, Sonam Kapoor comes from a family with a rich heritage in the film industry. She is the daughter of Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor and Sunita Kapoor and is the niece to producer Boney Kapoor and actor Sanjay Kapoor. So, it is no surprise that Bollywood runs in her blood. Interestingly, Sonam was more interested in writing and direction than in acting earlier. And upon her father, Anil Kapoor’s recommendation she managed to bag a role in the crew of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Black as an assistant director.

It was during the filming of Black when Sonam Kapoor began to develop interest in acting. During the shoot of Black, Sanjay Leela Bhansali told Sonam that he wanted to cast her as the lead in his next film. Motivated by Bhansali’s words Sonam Kapoor ended up loosing 35 Kg’s within a span of two years.

While we all are admirers of Sonam Kapoor’s hot bod now, many might not know she had severe issues with her weight when she was younger. Sonam was diagnosed with insulin resistance and polycystic ovarian disease. This provoked her to spread awareness for diabetes, for which she shot a special commercial and also promoted the launch of Kalli Purie’s Confessions of a Serial Dieter. During the launch of the book, Sonam spoke about her condition and revealed that it was Sanjay Leela Bhansali who gave her the wake up call which motivated her to get in shape. She said, “I was 63 kilos at the age of 12, then I lost my weight because at 13 I started noticing boys and boys started noticing me and then when I was 15 and I had to start studying I put on a lot of weight again and I was 86 kilos till I was 19. Sanjay Leela Bhansali saw my face and said you have a beautiful face but your body is like an Ajanta Elora painting, which was happening like 100s and 100s of years ago, it’s not happening anymore! You have to wear a backless choli and you can’t have fat rolls sticking out from behind! That was a reality check.”

Sonam Kapoor later went on to study acting under Roshan Taneja, Jayati Bhatia and Feroz Abbas Khan. During an interview with a leading daily, she also revealed that her admiration of Nutan and Waheeda Rehman further inspired her for being an actor. She said, “I simply adore Waheeda Rehman. From her acting to her choice of films — it needed guts to choose movies like Pyaasa or Guide — she went ahead with it. I’m also very inspired by Nutan. I love her for her work in Bandini and Saraswatichandra. Both have looked good and done path-breaking films. I love their quality of doing different things. They stood out as actors who are not just beautiful faces.”

While Saawariya did not manage to impress the audience and the critics, Sonam’s work in the film received praise. Although, her character in the film wasn’t very likeable but she definitely impressed everyone with her charming screen presence. Saawariya also earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut (Female).

In 2009, she was seen in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Delhi 6 which also starred Abhishek Bachchan Om Puri and Waheeda Rahman. Even though, this film failed to perform at the box-office again, Sonam’s character of a bubbly and full of life Delhi girl certainly grabbed many eyeballs.

Sonam’s first commercial success came in 2010, with Punit Malhotra’s I Hate Luv Storys, which also starred Imran Khan. I Hate Luv Storys was a film about how two completely opposite people end up together. Sonam played the character of Simran, a girl who believes that her life is just like a typical Bollywood romantic film. In fact, her life does (sort of) resemble that theory as well with her perfect job and a “Mr.Perfect” finance. On the other hand, we had Jay (Imran Khan), who didn’t want anything to do with love stories. His hate for Sonam’s obsession with romance causes them to fight a lot earlier but they eventually become good friends. Simran’s close bond with Jay brings problems in her love life to the point that she believes Jay not Raj is the right man for her. However, when she finds out that he doesn’t feel the same, she leaves town and does not inform him out of embarrassment. During Simran’s absence Jay realises that he too has fallen in love with her. In the end, Jay confesses his love to her and she reveals that she still feels the same. I Hate Luv Storys was Sonam’s first commercial success and the major reason for that was it was able to struck the right chord with its target audience. Although the story didn’t have anything extra ordinary, Sonam and Imran’s chemistry in the film made it a fun a watch. The lifetime collections of the film were ₹72.5 crore.

In the same year, Sonam played the eponymous role in Aisha. Aisha was a romantic comedy based on Jane Austen’s novel Emma and was also produced by her younger sister Rhea Kapoor. Along with Sonam, Aisha also starred Abhay Deol, Ira Dubey and Amrita Puri. Even though the film wasn’t able to perform at the box office, Sonam’s performance received rave reviews from critics all over. Many believed that Sonam’s role in Aisha was tailor made for her personality which is why she was such a good fit.

After this Sonam Kapoor had a string of films which failed to live up on people expectations. Films like Thank You, Mausam and Players failed to impress the critics as well as the audience.

A turning point in her career came when she seen in Aanand L Rai’s Raanjhanaa in 2013. In Raanjhanaa, Sonam played the character of Zoya Haider, a student who later gets drawn into politics after the death of her Sikh lover. Since Sonam was playing the role of a student, she interacted with students, attended several workshops and also practised with the theatre groups from Jawaharlal Nehru University. She also revealed during an interview with a leading daily, that she drew inspirations from Jaya Bachchan’s character in the 1971 film Guddi for her role. She said, “The spunkiness that Jayaji’s character had in Guddi… We needed that. I needed an inspiration as in real life my schooling was conservative and different. So I needed a starting point… I did watch that film again. It was quite amazing to play this role. Jayaji’s performance inspired me to do better. It was perfect for the character I was going to portray.” Her performance in the film was described as the best of her career at the time and also earned her the first nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress.

In the same year, Sonam was seen in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Bhaag Milkha Bhaag which was a biopic on the legendary Indian Athlete Milkha Singh. Although her role in the film wasn’t large she managed to impress the audience with her portrayal of the innocent and sweet girl who Milkha Singh fell in love with. In an interview with a leading daily, Sonam revealed that she charged just Rs 11 for her role in the film. She said, “They had a budget and they told me they can’t give money and that’s why I said give Rs11 and I will do the film. I love Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. For me he is somebody who gave me a lot of confidence and helped me open up. For me the reason I did ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ was because it was an outstanding script, I wanted to work with Farhan Akhtar and I wanted to again work with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. My role is a pivotal role, and it was an honour to play the part. I feel great; I’m really proud to be a part of this film. I love working with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, so to be a part of Milkha is amazing because it’s such an inspirational story, and the inspiration for Milkha is my character, so I think it’s beautiful being a part of the story.”

After Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, her next hit was Khoobsurat (2014) which also starred Pakistani actor Fawad Khan. The film was an adaptation of the 1980 film of the same name, playing the role which had originally been given to Rekha. Khoobsurat earned her a nomination at the Filmfare Awards in th Best Actress category the following year. After the release, people started drawing comparison between Sonam’s and Rekha’s character in the film. When Sonam was asked about her response to these comparison in an interview with a leading daily, she said, “People are drawing comparisons, obviously, but I can never be as good as her, and this is not just about Rekhaji. Meena Kumari, Katherine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn … they were all icons and I am inspired by all of them. I am also inspired by other women who are artists. I am inspired by clothes that I find beautiful, or by art. I am not trying to imitate or ape someone and there is more to me than just the clothes. My paintings, for instance. I love art. I collect books. I do so many things and there are so many other facets to my personality as well. But I guess I can’t really carry my paintings or my books around with me, so it’s my clothes that become the talking point. I don’t think I can do justice to what Rekha has done. This film is an ode to Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s filmmaking. There are very few films that have been wholesome entertainers and have great value. Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s films appealed to all, as they were fun films with a message. Today, such films are made by Raju Hirani. It is a huge responsibility but it was exciting to work on this film.”

Sonam Kapoor also featured in Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015) opposite Salman Khan. Although the film didn’t impress the critics it went on to score big at the box office. The film managed to make just over 200 crore (203.53 approx) and became one of the highest grossing films of the year.

In 2016, Sonam was seen in Neerja which is widely considered the highlight of her career so far. In Neerja, Sonam played the role of Neerja Bahnot, a courageous air hostess, who died while saving the passengers of the hijacked Pan Am Flight 73 in 1986. The film garnered massive critical acclaim and she went on to win the Filmfare critics Award for Best Actress and was honoured with a special mention at the National Film Awards. In an interview with a leading daily, Sonam also revealed that this project was extremely close to her heart since she was portraying the story of a real person. She said, “With every film, I would say that it was my most difficult. I think, if with every film I don’t challenge myself over and over again then I will get bored. So, each movie is equally challenging for me. Definitely, since Neerja is my latest film, it was the most challenging. I am also more emotionally attached to it because it is a real person and to live up to that expectations it was challenging, yes.”

After a 2 year break from the silver screen, Sonam Kapoor was seen in Akshay Kumar’s Pad Man (2018). The film was based on a short story in Twinkle Khanna’s book The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad. Pad Man told the story of Arunachalam Muruganantham, the man who campaigned for menstrual hygiene in rural India. Although her role in the film was short in duration, Sonam said that she took the project because she felt it was important to address such an issue. In an interview with a leading daily, she said, “It’s a really difficult phase for us women. Those of us who have a platform and a voice, must use it to express what we believe in. PadMan addresses itself to the question of menstruation. It’s a huge issue for a majority of woman in our country. It didn’t take me long to say yes to PadMan. And I am so glad I did it.”

Sonam Kapoor’s latest release was Veere Di Wedding. Along with Sonam, the film also stars Kareena Kapoor Khan, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania. Veere Di Wedding is a story about four best friends and what transpires when one of them is getting married. The film overall has received a positive response from the critics as well as the audience and is doing phenomenally well at the box office.

Sonam also has an extremely exciting line up of films coming up. She will first be seen in the Sanjay Dutt biopic titled Sanju which also stars Ranbir Kapoor and releases on June 29. The film is without a doubt one of the most eagerly awaited movies of the year. Ever since the trailer has been out, people cannot stop raving about it. She will also be seen in Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, which also stars her father, Anil Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao and Juhi Chawla. The film is scheduled to release in the later half of 2018.

The post Birthday Special: Sonam Kapoorâs complete timeline in Bollywood appeared first on Lazy Updates.

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Farhan Akhtar Net Worth

  Full Name: Farhan Akhtar Date of Birth: 9 January 1974 Birth Place: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India Nationality: Indian Source of Wealth: Acting, directing, producing Last Year Income: $4 Million Net Worth: $20 Million Last Year Net Worth: $19 Million Yearly Income: $5.5 Million average Income From Last Movie: 14 Crores About Farhan Akhtar net worth: Farhan Akhtar is Indian film actor and one of the big stars of Bollywood. He is one of the most famous celebrities in India. Farhan Akhtar net worth is $20 million. He has appeared in more than 47 movies and other television shows.  He is earning about $5 million per year and his per movie salary is 5 to 10 crores. He is the most senior actor in India. He is wealthiest and talented artist, who is not just earning money from starring in the films but also producing and directing. He produced some high budget movies such as Rock On!!, Luck By Chance, Karthik Calling Karthik, Game, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Don 2, Fukrey and Dil Dhadakne Do. Many of these movies crossed over 2- crores on box offices. Farhan is a very versatile actor and he is also a singer as well. Farhan Akhtar is an Indian film actor and director who was born on 9 January 1974 in Mumbai. He is one of the most talented and most senior actors with very sensitive and soulful acting. He made films different from other director giving a film a unique and appreciable story. He directed films like “Don” and “Dil Chahta Hai” and several others under his label Excel Entertainment. Farhan Akhtar net worth is $20 million. His main earning source is directing films but he also starred in Bollywood films and have very high profile actor. Farhan Akhtar is a multi-talented superstar who works not only acting and directing but he is also screenwriter musician and lyricist etc. He ranked number 34 by Forbes in their lists of top 100 Bollywood celebrities. Along with appearing in movies, Farhan Akhtar on television shows frequently. Take a look at his overall estimated earning from all of his work. Earnings of Farhan Akhtar: Farhan Akhtar net worth is about $18 million in 2015. He never relies on one income source like he has multiple sources but all related to Bollywood film industry. He is a director, actor, screenwriter, producer, playback singer, television host, and lyricist. Mean! he is earning from eight sources. Forbes ranked him as number 39 in money. Farhan Akhtar earned over 16.6 crores as of Jan 2013. In 2006, he produced and directed a very popular film “Don” and it was the first big success of his career. He earned more than $8,221,000 from that film. After appearing in several low budgeted films, Farhan then appeared in “Zindagi Na Mili Gi Dobara” which was also produced by him and he earned over $$7.8 million from that film. He is also the director and producer of “Don2”. He produced many super hit films like Talaash, Fukrey, Dil Dhadakne Do, Bangistan, and Raees. Total earning from movies: $70 Million Total Earning from television: $14 Million Other income endorsements: 87 lacks Income as a producer: $50 million He started his career in 2001 with debut film "Dil Chahta Hai" and gave eight most successful movies in the following years. Farhan Akhtar net worth in 2015 was about $15Million which then increased to $38 in 2017 and now in 2018, his net worth is $20Million.

  See Farhan Akhtar income from some of his movies in the table given below. Lucknow Central 12 crores Raees 14 crores Baar Baar Dekho 19 crores Dil Dhadakne Do 90 crores Fukrey 23 crores Career: Production. Farhan Akhtar started his career in 1991 as an assistant director in the film Lamhe and later he assisted another film “Himalaya Putra”. Eventually, he made his own production company withholding the name of Excel Entertainment. he made his directing debut films under this company “Dil Chahta Hai” which was an excellent production and Aamir Khan and Akshay Khanna was included in the cast. This was his first and amazing great work for Indian cinema and won National Award. Lyrics. He made his soundtrack debut in 2004 y writing the lyricist for the film “Bride and Prejudice”. Acting. Farhan Akhtar started his acting career in 2008 with his debut film “Rock On” and won his second national award for that film. In 2011, he wrote, directed and acted in the film “Zindagi Na Milay Gi Dobara” along with Hrithik Roshan and Abhay Deol and him two awards including best actor in supporting role. Read the full article

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Farhan Akhtar Net Worth

About Farhan Akhtar Net Worth:

Farhan Akhater is an Indian film actor and director who was born on 9 January, 1974 in Mumbai. He is one of the most talented and most senior actor with very sensitive and soulful acting. He made films different from other director y giving film a unique and appreciable story. He directed films like "Don" and "Dil Chahta Hai" and several others under his label Excel Entertainment. Farhan Akhtar net worth is $20 million. His main earning source is directing films but he also starred in Bollywood films and have very high profile acting. Farhan Akhtar is a multi talented super star who work not only acting and directing but he is also a screen writer musician and lyricist etc. He ranked number 34 by Forbes in their lists of top 100 Bollywood celebrities. 

Career:

Production. Farhan Akhtar started his career in 1991 as an assistant director in the film Lamhe and later he assisted another film "Himalay Putra". Eventually, he made his own production company with holding name of Excel Entertainment. he made his directing debut films under this company "Dil Chahta Hai" which was an excellent production and Aamir Khan and Akshay Khanna was included in the cast. This was his first and amazing great work for Indian cinema and won National Award.  Lyrics. He made his soundtrack debut in 2004 y writing the lyricist for the film "Bride and Prejudice". Acting. Farhan Akhtar stared his acting career in 2008 with his debut film "Rock On" and won his second national award for that film. In 2011, he wrote, directed and acted in the film "Zindgi Na Milay Gi Dobara" along with Hrithick Roshan and Abhay Deol and he two awards including best actor in supporting role.

Earnings of Farhan Akhtar:

Farhan Akhtar net worth is about $18 million in 2015. He never rely on one income source like he has multiple sources but all related to Bollywood film industry. He is director, actor, screenwriter, producer, playback singer, television host and lyricist. Mean! he is earning from eight sources.  Forbes ranked him as number 39 in money. Farhan Akhtar earned over 16.6 crores as of Jan 2013.    In 2006, he produced and directed a very popular film "Don" and it was the first big success of his career. He earned more than $8,221,000 from that film.  After appearing in several low budgeted films, Farhan then appeared in "Zindgi Na Mili Gi Dobara" which was also produced by him and he earned over $$7.8 million from that film. He is also the director and producer of "Don2" . He produced many super hit films like Talaash, Fukrey, Dil Dhadakne Do, Bangistan, and Raees. Click to Post