Sultan Rs 15 crore income in Pakistan

Sultan Rs 15 crore income in Pakistan

According to the Geo Films, the distributors of Sultan in Pakistan has eclipsed the opening weekend record set by Pakistani movie Jawani Phir Nahi Ani (JPNA) on Eidul Azha last year.

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan and Anushka Sharma-starrer Sultan has earned Rs 150 million on the first five days of its release, setting a new record of doing the best business on Eid days.

According to the Geo Films, the distributors of Sultan in Pakistan, the Indian film directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, has eclipsed the opening weekend record set by Pakistani movie “Jawani Phir Nahi Ani (JPNA)” on Eidul Azha last year.

“One advantage ‘Sultan’ had over previous films including ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ was that it was released over a five-day weekend because of Eid holidays,” said Muhammad Nasir of Geo Films. “And with tickets for the first five days of screening already being sold in advance ‘Sultan’ has crossed Rs 150 million by today (Sunday),” he added.

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Sultan’s 1.day 8 box office collection’s Rs 219.6 crore

Sultan’s 1.day 8 box office collection’s Rs 219.6 crore 

Salman Khan's Sultan has earned rs 219.6 crore till Wednesday, which was day 7 since its release.

Sultan released with high expectations. Salman Khan, Anushka Sharma film exceeded every single one of them. On Tuesday, the film made Rs 10.82 crore, taking the movie’s tally to Rs 219.6 crore.

The film’s continuing its box office dominance despite these being weekdays and lower ticket prices.

As the film became the fastest film ever to earn Rs 200 crore, besting the records of Salman’s own Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Aamir Khan’s two films — PK and Dhoom 3 — more records will soon fall through.

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Kangana Ranaut working for Pakistani culture

Kangana Ranaut working for Pakistani culture

Actress Kangana Ranaut has been invited for a cultural event in Pakistan and is reportedly working on the dates to attend it.

The “Tanu Weds Manu” star has been invited for an event called School of Tomorrow International Education & Cultural Festival that will be held between November 4-6 in Lahore.

A source close to Kangana told IANS: “Kangana is keen to attend this conference and her manager is figuring the dates”.

Organised by Beaconhouse School System, this year the festival will focus on the rapidly growing influence of geopolitics and global security, digital technologies, media, art and culture, environment and the changing needs of society on the shape of schools in the 21st century.

Kangana, who is holidaying in Manali, has taken some time off before starring her next movie with filmmaker Hansal Mehta.

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Ranveer Singh say me & Deepika Padukone are marrying

Ranveer Singh say me & Deepika Padukone are marrying

Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone are engaged. Oh wait, Ranveer and Deepika are actually breaking up. No, no you got it all wrong, they are actually getting married next year.

We are so tired about all the buzz on Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone’s current relationship status. But then, we are so interested in knowing the truth too.

So, rather than going by all the buzz and gossip, why not ask the Befikre actor himself? That is what media decided to do when Ranveer Singh returned to India on Thursday (July 14) morning after wrapping up the schedule of Aditya Chopra’s next in France.

As the actor walked out, he was asked about his wedding-in-the-works with Deepika. And this is what he had to say: “Arey kya baat kar rahe ho yaar. Subah subah neend bhi poori nahi hui hai. Ab aaya hu to pata chalega.”

Guess Ranveer has to wait and watch like the rest of us. Who should we ask next, Deepika?

The couple has been plagued by gossip about an ‘unofficial’ engagement to Deepika Padukone. From the buzz, it seems like parents of both met and an extremely secretive engagement followed. There is absolutely nothing official about it though.

Interestingly, the engagement reports cropped immediately after earlier speculations that suggested both actors were taking some time off from each other.

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‘Golmaal 4’ Will be Relese on Diwali 2017

‘Golmaal 4’ Will be Relese on Diwali 2017

The fourth instalment of the highly successful comedy franchise "Golmaal" will release during Diwali next year.

The fourth instalment of the highly successful comedy franchise “Golmaal” will release during Diwali next year.

Titled “Golmaal Again”, the film will see Ajay Devgn reunite with director Rohit Shetty to take forward the franchise after three previous blockbusters, a statement from the makers said.

The announcement was made to celebrate 10 years of “Golmaal”, the first part, which released on this date in 2006.

Apart from the “Drishyam” star, the film featured Arshad Warsi, Sharman Joshi, Tusshar Kapoor, Paresh Rawal and Rimi Sen in lead roles.

The film spawned two sequels– “Golmaal Returns” in 2008 and “Golmaal 3” in 2010– both of which were also released during Diwali.

“Golmaal Again” will mark the reunion of Shetty and the 47-year-old actor after hit films like “Bol Bachchan” and the “Singham” franchise.

Devgn, meanwhile, will be next seen in his directorial venture “Shivaay”.

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Anushka Sharma’s Clean Slate Films now ventures into brand shoots

Anushka Sharma’s Clean Slate Films now ventures into brand shoots:-

Actress Anushka Sharma’s production house Clean Slate Films has now ventured into the corporate arena and will also shoot for recognised brands. The production house recently had its first brand shoot.

“Making ad films can be both lucrative and creatively satisfying. We will collaborate with brands on smart ideas and execution with experts and new talent behind the lens,” Anushka said in a statement.

Clean Slate Films’s first production venture was “NH10” starring Anushka herself and is now set for its second film Philauri.

“We seek expansion on the creative front with commercials and ad films. It’s a move towards building a bigger footprint for us,” Karnesh Sharma, partner, Clean Slate Films added.

Anushka is herself the face of quite a few respected national brands, and her experience with commercials and brand related shoots will only add value to this new foray.

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About Sanjay Balraj Dutt :-

About Sanjay Balraj Dutt :-

 Sanjay Balraj Dutt (born 29 July 1959) is an Indian film actor and producer known for his work in Hindi cinema (Bollywood). Dutt, son of veteran Hindi film actors Sunil Dutt and Nargis Dutt, made his acting debut in 1981. Since then he has acted in more than hundredHindi films. Although Dutt has enjoyed great success as a lead actor in genres ranging from romance to comedy it has been the roles of gangsters, thugs and police officers in films that belong to the drama and action genres that have won Dutt much appreciation, with the Indian media and audiences alike popularly referring to him as the "Deadly Dutt," for his larger-than-life portrayals of such characters. In a film career spanning more than 35 years, Dutt has garnered two Filmfare Awards, two IIFA Awards, two Bollywood Movie Awards, three Screen Awards, three Stardust Awards, a Global Indian Film Award and, a Bengal Film Journalist's Association Award as well as played the lead in four national award winning films.

Dutt was arrested under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act in April 1993, due to illegal arms possession. The terrorism charges were dropped, but he was convicted of illegal possession of arms. After serving his sentence with good behaviour and conduct, Dutt was released on 25 February 2016.

Personal life[edit]

Sanjay Dutt with wife Manyata Dutt in 2011

Dutt was born to Hindi cinema actors Sunil Dutt and Nargis. His mother died in 1981, shortly before his debut film's premiere; her death has been cited as the cause of his drug addictions.[2] As a child actor, Dutt appeared in the 1972 film Reshma Aur Shera, which starred his father; he appears briefly as a qawali singer.[3]

Sanjay Dutt married actress Richa Sharma in 1987.[4] Sharma died of brain tumour in 1996. The couple have a daughter, Trishala, born in 1988, who lives in the United States with her grandparents, following a custody battle with Dutt after the death of his wife.[5] Dutt's second marriage was to model Rhea Pillai in 1998.[6] They divorced in 2005. Dutt married Manyata (born Dilnawaz Sheikh)[7] in 2008 in a private ceremony in Goa, after two years of dating.[8] On 21 October 2010, he became a father to twins, a boy named Shahraan and a girl named Iqra.[9]

Film career[edit]

1981–1997[edit]

Sanjay Dutt made his Bollywood movie debut with the box office hit Rocky in 1981. He went on to star in Vidhaata, the highest grossing Hindi film of 1982 along with the super hitMain Awara Hoon (1983). In 1985 he shot for his first film in three years, Jaan ki Baazi (1985). This was Sanjay's first film post what is now referred to as his drug phase years, when personal problems and a number of films that had been completed before his departure to the USA flopped at the box office, after which he had contemplated not returning to films. Jaan ki Baazi marked a comeback for Dutt and he appeared in successful films throughout the 80s such as Imaandaar, Inaam Dus Hazaar, Jeete Hain Shaan Se (1988),Mardon Wali Baat (1988), Ilaaka (1989), Hum Bhi Insaan Hain (1989), Kanoon Apna Apna (1989), and Taaqatwar (1989).[citation needed]

The 1986 blockbuster Naam (1986 film) was Dutt's first major critical success and a turning point in his career, the film firmly cemented him amongst India's finest young mainstream leading actors as he earned praise for his portrayal of an illegal immigrant in Dubai who spirals into a life of crime. His performances in both Kabzaa (1988) and J. P. Dutta's 1989 Hathyar. were also both well received by critics although both films only managed average collections at the box office.[10][10][11][12] In the late 1980s he was seen in a number of multi-starrers alongside actors like Govinda, Mithun, Dharmendra, Jackie Shroff and Sunny Deol.

His successes continued in the 1990s, with films that include Tejaa, Khatarnaak, Zahreelay, Thanedaar, Khoon Ka Karz, Yalgaar, Gumrah, Sahibaan, and Aatish: Feel the Fire. He went on to star in some of the most era-defining Indian films of the early 1990s such as Sadak, Saajan (for which he was nominated for the Filmfare Best Actor Award) and Khal Nayak, for which he earned his second Filmfare Best Actor Award nomination. Three weeks before its release, however, in April 1993, he was arrested, charged with involvement in the 1993 Mumbai bombings. Dutt was unable to act for the next four years due to his subsequent arrests and bails although many incomplete films released featuring Dutt during this time that all sank without a trace, the 1994 hit Aatish being the only exception, which was completed before his 1993 arrest.[citation needed]

1997–2015[edit]

Dutt's first film after his 1993 arrest 1997's Daud which did not manage to sustain its phenomenal opening at the box office and was declared a flop.[citation needed] He followed this up with the 1998 Dushman but all credit for the film's success was given to lead actress Kajol. 1999 was an excellent year for Dutt and one that is truly regarded as his comeback year, with all his five releases being amongst the highest-grossing films of that year. He began the year by starring in the Mahesh Bhatt-directed hit Kartoos, followed byKhoobsurat, Daag: The Fire, Haseena Maan Jayegi and the award-winning Vaastav: The Reality, for which he won his first Filmfare Best Actor Award.[citation needed] His role in 2000's Mission Kashmir won him critical acclaim and a number of awards and nominations, as did his subsequent performance in Kurukshetra.[citation needed] As the decade went on, he continued to play lead roles in popular and critical successes such as Jodi No.1 (2001), Pitaah (2002), Kaante (2002) and the National Award-winning blockbuster Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. (2003), which garnered him several awards.[citation needed] Later successes came with Musafir (2004), Plan (2004), Parineeta (2005) and Dus (2005). He won critical acclaim for his performances in Shabd (2005) and Zinda although both films only fared averagely at the box office.[citation needed]

The blockbuster sequel Lage Raho Munna Bhai was released in late 2006. He received a number of awards for his performance in the film along with an award from the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his work in the Munna bhai series.[13] In the same year news channel NDTV named him Indian of the Year. He also sang and danced in a music video with Asha Bhosle called Asha and Friends, directed by S Ramachandran. Although he was going through a successful time professionally and receiving great acclaim for his performance in Lage Raho Munna Bhai, this coincided with the start of the Mumbai bombing's trial. The nation became transfixed with Dutt's court ongoings which saw him found not guilty of terrorism related acts but jailed for short periods on two occasions between 2006–2007, as he was found guilty under the Possession of Arms Act. He was granted bail, enabling him to star in successes like Dhamaal (2007), Shootout at Lokhandwala (2007), All the Best (2009), Double Dhamaal (2011), Son of Sardaar (2012) and Agneepath(2012) for which he won a number of awards as the psychotic villain Kaancha. His latest role was as a supporting character in the Bollywood film PK, which he completed before being sentenced to imprisonment in early 2013, for the possession of illegal arms verdict handed out to him in 2006.

In January 2008, the Indian film Institute Filmfare listed 12 films featuring Dutt in its top 100 highest-grossing movies of all-time list. In its May 2013 edition 100 years of Indian cinema Filmfare listed three films featuring Dutt in its top 20 list of highest-grossing Hindi films of all time, adjusted for inflation these films were Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Khalnayakand Saajan.[citation needed]

Other activities[edit]

Bigg Boss 5[edit]

Dutt co-hosted the fifth session of the Indian reality show Big Boss along with Salman Khan. The show aired on Colors television from 2 October 2011 to 7 January 2012.[14] Dutt later said it was Khan who persuaded him to co-host the show.[15]

Super Fight League[edit]

Dutt and entrepreneur Indian Premier League-cricket team owner Raj Kundra together launched India's first professionally- organised mixed martial arts league — the Super Fight League — on 16 January 2012.[16]

Illegal possession of arms[edit]

1993–2006[edit]

Bombay suffered a series of serial bombings in 1993. Dutt was among several people associated with Bollywood who were accused of involvement. Dutt was accused of accepting a delivery of weapons at his house from Abu Salem and co-accused Riyaz Siddiqui, who had also been implicated in relation to the Mumbai blasts.[17] It was claimed that the weapons formed a part of a large consignment of arms connected to the terrorists.[18]

In April 1993, he was arrested under the provisions of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA).[18][19][20] Dutt was granted bail by the Supreme Court of India in October 1995 but was re-arrested in December 1995. He was again released on bail in April 1997.[21] The case came to court in 2006 and during the period of 2006–2007, Dutt spent seven months in Arthur Road Jail and Pune prison on three occasions for the offences.[22]

2007–2009[edit]

Abdul Qayyum Abdul Karim Shaikh, who was thought to be a close aide of the terrorists' ringleader, Dawood Ibrahim, was arrested.[23] Dutt had given Qayuum's name to the police when confessing to arms possession, saying that in September 1992 he had bought a pistol from Qayuum in Dubai.[24]

On 31 July 2007, the TADA court sentenced Dutt to six years' rigorous imprisonment for illegal possession of weapons and cleared him of charges relating to the Mumbai blasts.[18][25] According to The Guardian, "The actor claimed he feared for his life after the notorious "Black Friday" bombings, which were allegedly staged by Mumbai's Muslim-dominated mafia in retaliation for deadly Hindu-Muslim clashes a few months earlier. But the judge rejected this defence and also refused bail."[25] Dutt was returned to jail at Arthur Road and soon after moved to the Yerwada Central Jail in Pune.[18][26]

Dutt appealed against the sentence[27] and was granted interim bail on 20 August 2007 until such time as the TADA court provided him with a copy of its judgement.[28] On 22 October 2007 Dutt was back in jail but again applied for bail. On 27 November 2007, Dutt was granted bail by the Supreme Court.[29] On 21 March 2013 the Supreme Court upheld the verdict of the TADA court but shortened the sentence to five years' imprisonment. Dutt was given a month to surrender before the authorities.[30]

Dutt has said that "I am not a politician but I belong to a political family."[31] He was persuaded by a close friend to contest the 2009 Lok Sabha elections as a candidate for theSamajwadi Party but withdrew when the court refused to suspend his conviction.[32] He was then appointed General Secretary of the party, leaving that post in December 2010.[33]

Re-imprisonment and release[edit]

In March 2013 the Supreme Court upheld Dutt's five-year sentence, 18 months of which he already spent in jail during the trial.[34] He was given four weeks to surrender to the authorities, the court having refused to release him on probation due to the severity of the offence.[35]

With analysts believing that his imprisonment would have a significant impact on the fortunes of Bollywood, people from the movie business made statements of support following the ruling and some said that they would be making appeals for him to be pardoned.[36][37] On 10 May, the Supreme Court rejected Dutt's review petition for the reconsideration of his conviction and asked him to surrender on the stipulated date.[38][39] On 13 May, the Supreme Court rejected appeals filed by two film producers who were seeking more time for the actor to surrender so that he could complete two of his under-production films.[40] On 14 May, Dutt withdrew the mercy plea and surrendered to the Mumbai Police on 16 May 2013.[41][42] Just before the surrender, the Mumbai jail authority got an anonymous letter threatening Dutt's life. Dutt filed an appeal to allow him to surrender before Yerwada Central Jail. Later, Dutt withdrew this request too.[43] Dutt subsequently surrendered in court as ordered.[44][45] He was paroled from 21 December 2013. The parole was extended three times until March 2014, raising concern in Mumbai High Court and a proposal from the Government of Maharashtra to amend the law of parole. He returned to Yerwada prison after his parole ended.[46] Dutt was out on a two weeks' furlough granted by the Yerwada Central Jail authorities on 24 December.[47] He said "I have lost 18kg. Now if I lose any more weight, I will vanish."[48] Sanjay Dutt was subsequently incarcerated in Yerwada Central Jail, to complete his jail term.[49] After serving his sentence, Dutt was released from Yerwada Central Jail on 25 February 2016.[50][51][52]As a semi-skilled worker, Dutt earned a salary of Rs 38,000 over a five-year prison term but, having spent most of it on daily use items, he walk out of jail with Rs 450 as salary.[53]

Filmography[edit]

Main article: Sanjay Dutt filmography

Awards and nominations[edit]

Sanjay Dutt awards and nominations

[hide]Awards and nominations

Award Wins Nominations

Totals

Awards won 17

Nominations 10

Filmfare Awards[edit]

1992: Nominated, Best Actor for Saajan

1994: Nominated, Best Actor for Khal Nayak

2000: Winner, Best Actor for Vaastav: The Reality

2001: Nominated, Best Actor for Mission Kashmir

2003: Nominated, Best Supporting Actor for Kaante

2004: Winner, Best Comedian for Munnabhai M.B.B.S.

2006: Nominated, Best Supporting Actor for Parineeta

2007: Nominated, Best Actor for Lage Raho Munna Bhai'

Star Screen Awards[edit]

2000: Winner, Best Actor for Vaastav: The Reality

2001: Nominated, Best Actor for Kurukshetra

2001: Winner, Best Supporting Actor for Mission Kashmir

2004: Nominated, Best Actor for Munnabhai M.B.B.S.

2005: Nominated, Best Supporting Actor for Musafir

International Indian Film Academy Awards[edit]

2000: Winner, Best Actor for Vaastav: The Reality

2001: Nominated, Best Actor for Mission Kashmir

2007: Nominated, Best Actor for Lage Raho Munnabhai [1]

2010: Winner, Best Performance in a Comic Role for All the Best [2]

Global Indian Film Awards[edit]

2006: Winner, Global Indian Film Awards, Critics Choice Awards – Best Actor (Male) for Lage Raho Munna Bhai[54]

Stardust Awards[edit]

2004: Winner, Stardust Star of the Year Award - Male, Munnabhai M.B.B.S.

2007: Winner, Stardust Star of the Year Award - Male, Lage Raho Munnabhai[55]

2013: Winner, Stardust Award for Best Actor in Negative Role, Agneepath[56]

Zee Cine Awards[edit]

2001: Winner, Zee Premiere Choice- Male for Mission Kashmir

2007: Winner, Zee Cine Awards – Best Actor (Male) Critics Awards for Lage Raho Munnabhai[57]

Bollywood Movie Awards[edit]

2003: Winner, Bollywood Movie Award - Critics Award Male for Kaante

2004: Winner, Bollywood Movie Award - Most Sensational Actor for Munnabhai M.B.B.S.

Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards[edit]

2004: Winner, BFJA Awards, Best Actor for Munnabhai M.B.B.S. [58]

Other awards[edit]

2004: Winner Celebrity Style Male at the Bollywood Fashion Awards

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Riteish Deshmukh wants to produce Punjabi & Southern films

Riteish Deshmukh wants to produce Punjabi & Southern films:-

Riteish Deshmukh hit the bull's-eye with his Marathi productions 'Balak Palak' and 'Lai Bhaari' and now the actor plans to venture into Punjabi and Southern cinema as a producer. "Regional cinema is a space one needs to understand. It doesn't mean if a film has worked in Marathi cinema then it will work in other language as well. I would love to explore (producing films in) other languages as well," Riteish told PTI in an interview.

"I have friends who have produced Punjabi cinema. I would like to collaborate. Genelia has worked extensively in Tamil and Telugu (and) with her experience we will try to collaborate there," he said. Talking about wife Genelia, the 37-year old actor said he misses seeing her onscreen. "She is busy having babies. I do miss Genelia seeing onscreen. I am huge fan of her. She is a wonderful actress." The actress' last Bollywood film was 'Tere Naal Love Hogaya', opposite her husband, in 2012.

Riteish and Genelia married in 2012. The couple had their first child, Riaan in 2014, while Rahyl was born this June. The actor-producer said Genelia overlooks the functioning of his production house. "The entire production is handled by her. She is very good at it. My job is to creatively green light a project and she executes it." Riteish will be seen next in adult comedy 'Great Grand Masti' alongside Vivek Oberoi, Aftab Shivdasani and Urvashi Rautela. The film, directed by Indra Kumar, hits cinema houses this Friday.

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About Emran Anwar Emran (Emran Emran)

About Emran Anwar Emran (Emran Emran):-

Emraan Anwar Hashmi ( born 24 March 1979) is an Indian film actor who appears in Hindi languagefilms.Through his successful career, Hashmi has received three Filmfare Award nominations and has established himself as one of the most popular and highest-paid actor of Hindi cinema.

Hashmi, member of the Bhatt family was born and raised in Mumbai. After graduating from the University of Mumbai, he worked as an assistant director for the 2002 horror film Raaz before pursuing a career in acting. The following year, he made his acting debut with a leading role in the crime thriller Footpath, a moderate box-office success. By 2004, Hashmi had established him as one of the leading actor of Hindi cinema with roles in the successful Murder (2004), Zeher (2005) and Gangster (2006). However, he followed it by starring in a series of films that under-performed at the box office, although his performance in the romantic drama Awarapan (2007) was praised.

The year 2008 marked a turning point for Hashmi when he played conman in the crime drama Jannat. He subsequently received wide critical recognition for portraying unconventional characters in several commercially successful films, including the horrorRaaz: The Mystery Continues (2009), the biographical drama The Dirty Picture (2011), the psychological thriller Murder 2 (2011), the romantic comedy Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji (2011), the crime thriller Jannat 2 (2012), the horror Raaz 3 (2012), and the supernatural thriller Ek Thi Daayan(2013). Hashmi's acclaimed performances in the action thriller Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai(2010) and the political thriller Shanghai (2012) garnered him two Best Supporting Actor nominations at the Filmfare Awards—and received praise for his role in the 2015 drama Hamari Adhuri Kahani.

Early life and background

Emraan Hashmi was born into a Muslim family on 24 March 1979[7] to Anwar Hashmi and Mahira Hashmi. Anwar Hashmi was also an actor who acted in Baharon Ki Manzil in 1968, and was the son of actress Meherbano Mohammad Ali (known by her screen name Purnima) by her first husband Shauqat Hashmi who went to Pakistan.[8][9] Meherbano Mohammad Ali (alias Purnima), who later married producer-director Bhagwan Dass Varma, was the sister of Shirin Mohammad Ali, the mother of producers Mahesh Bhatt andMukesh Bhatt, who are thus Emraan Hashmi's uncles. Hashmi is the cousin of director Mohit Suri, actress Pooja Bhatt, actor Rahul Bhatt and actress Alia Bhatt. Hashmi studied atSydenham College, Mumbai and University of Mumbai.

Career

2003–2007: Debut and breakthrough

Hashmi made his acting debut in 2003, with Vikram Bhatt's thriller Footpath. Co-starring alongside Aftab Shivdasani and Bipasha Basu, he portrayed the role of Raghu Shrivastav, a gangster. His performance in the film was appreciated by critics; Gaurav Malani described him as the "scene-stealer" and praised his mannerisms.The following year he featured in Anurag Basu's erotic thriller Murder with Mallika Sherawat and Ashmit Patel. Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama said about his performance, "Emraan Hashmi is fantastic in a role that seems tailormade for him. Enacting the role of an obsessive lover with flourish, there's no denying that the narrative gets a major impetus thanks to Emraan's performance.Murder emerged as a financial success, with a domestic total of ₹250 million (US$3.7 million), becoming the ninth-highest grossing film of the year in India.

Hashmi with his uncle Mahesh Bhatt

Hashmi next starred in Anurag Basu's romance Tumsa Nahin Dekha opposite Dia Mirza. While shooting the film, Basu was diagnosed with blood cancer, so producer-director Mahesh Bhatt completed it.Although the film did not succeed at the box office, his portrayal of Daksh Mittal (a young millionaire who falls in love with a bargirl) was generally well received. A review of his performance in BBC Onlinenoted that he was "becoming fabulous with every film.

In 2005, Hashmi appeared in Mohit Suri's romantic thriller Zeher, co-starring Shamita Shetty and Udita Goswami. His portrayal of Siddharth Mehra (a chief of police who is jealous of his wife's professional success) met with positive reviews from critics. Patchy N of Rediff.comwrote, "Emraan Hashmi has done a passable job, except for the scenes where his character gets angry. The young man yells so loudly that he could well compete with a Sunny Deol!".The film emerged as a moderate success, earning over ₹100 million (US$1.5 million) in India.He then starred in Aditya Datt's romance Aashiq Banaya Aapne and Vivek Agnihotri's crime thriller Chocolate; both films performed poorly at the box office.

Hashmi then took a supporting role in Mohit Suri's thriller Kalyug, alongside Kunal Khemu, Smilie Suri, Amrita Singh, Ashutosh Rana andDeepal Shaw. Based on the sex industry, the film depicted the devastating effect that non-consensual pornographic films have on the subjects. Hashmi featured as Ali Bhai, a man who runs a sex shop. His performance garnered positive reviews from critics, with Taran Adarsh writing, "Emraan Hashmi makes a brief appearance and the actor is, like always, highly competent."Kalyug was a moderate success in India.

Hashmi's first film in 2006 was Anant Mahadevan's thriller Aksar with Udita Goswani and Dino Morea. The film was a profitable production,but met with negative reviews from critics. He next appeared in Anurag Basu's romantic thriller Gangster, co-starring Kangana Ranaut and Shiney Ahuja. The film emerged as an economic success, grossing over₹190 million (US$2.8 million) in India. Hashmi positive reviews for his portrayal of an undercover detective called Aakash; Rediff.com's Raja Sen wrote, "His character is an understated one, and Hashmi manages to keep it that way. There is no unnecessary bluster or melodrama, and he does a pretty believable job. There is something lazy about his acting, by which I mean he makes the job look easy.For the film, Hashmi received his first Filmfare nomination for Best Performance in a Negative Role. He then acted in thecrime thriller The Killer (adapted from the 2004 film Collateral) and the romance Dil Diya Hai. Both these films failed critically and commercially.

In 2007, Hashmi appeared in three films. He first starred in the comedy Good Boy Bad Boy alongside Tusshar Kapoor, Isha Sharvani and Tanushree Dutta. The film flopped at the box office and received poor reviews.He then featured opposite Mrinalini Sharma and Shriya Saran in Mohit Suri's romantic thriller Awarapan. Hashmi was cast as the protagonist Shivam, a gangster with a tragic past. The film was considered a poorly executed flop. Writing for The Hindustan Times, critic Khalid Mohamed described it as "intense and believableSubhash K Jha wrote, "... Emraan Hashmi [is] an actor who conceals more than he reveals on screen. There is an inherent pain in his personality that this film taps better than anything he has done earlier. This film marks the emergence of a major talent."His final release of the year was the thriller The Train, which also underperformed. Only Awarapan was a both commercial and critical success becoming the best film of his career.

2008–2012: Commercial success and stardom

His only film in 2008 was Kunal Deshmukh's Jannat, a love story set against the backdrop of match fixing. Co-starring alongside Sonal Chauhan, Javed Sheikh and Sameer Kochhar, Hashmi was cast as Arjun Dixit, a bookmaker. His performance was appreciated by critics; Taran Adarash commented that "[t]he actor displays the gamut of emotions with aplomb, he changes expressions like a chameleon changes colors. Jannat is yet another turning point in his career.The film emerged as a commercial success in India, with revenues of over ₹420 million (US$6.2 million).

Hashmi with co-stars Tusshar Kapoor (left) and Vidya Balan at the audio release of The Dirty Picture, 2011

In 2009, Hashmi appeared in Mohit Suri's supernatural horror Raaz – The Mystery Continues, alongside Kangana Ranaut andAdhyayan Suman. The film's domestic collection exceeded ₹340 million (US$5.1 million), and emerged as a success. Hashmi's portrayal of a painter attracted favourable reviews; The Times of India's Nikhat Kazmi wrote, "Emraan Hashmi is fast emerging as theColin Farrell of Indian cinema: completely mercurial, eclectic and unpredictable. As the brooding, prescient painter, who paints death on his canvas and falls in love with one of subjects, he is suitably aggrieved, desperate and afraid.He then starred oppositeSoha Ali Khan in Kunal Deshmukh's Tum Mile, a love story set against the backdrop of the 2005 Maharashtra floods. The film performed poorly at the box office.

The following year, Hashmi featured in Milan Luthria's period action-drama Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai with an ensemble cast including Ajay Devgan, Randeep Hooda, Kangana Ranaut and Prachi Desai. The picture, which depicted the rise of organised crime in Mumbai, saw Hashmi play Shoaib Khan, a character inspired by real-life gangster Dawood Ibrahim. With a domestic revenue of over ₹780 million (US$12 million), Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai emerged as a hit, and received a positive critical reception.[42]For his performance, Hashmi earned positive reviews from critics and received a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the 56th Filmfare Awards.Blessy Chettiar of Daily News and Analysis described him as "top class". Komal Nahta remarked, "This is easily Emraan's best performance so far. If he is cute in the romantic scenes, he is believably tough in the action and dramatic scenes.His next release was Mohit Suri's thrillerCrook, based on the violence against Indians in Australia controversy. However the film performed poorly and was panned by critics.

In 2011, Hashmi first appeared in Madhur Bhandarkar's romantic comedy Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji, alongside Ajay Devgan, Omi Vaidya, Shazahn Padamsee, Tisca Chopra andShruti Hassan. The film underperformed and received mixed reviews from critics, as did Hashmi's performance.[50][51][52][53] He next featured in Mohit Suri's slasher thriller Murder 2, alongside Jacqueline Fernandez, Prashant Narayanan and Sulagna Panigrahi. The film, as well as his performance generated mixed reviews from critics. Shubhra Gupta ofThe Indian Express wrote, "Hashmi gets to do what he does best, glowering at the men, bedding the ladies, and towards the end, going head to head with the bad guy [...] he goes through the film with his usual smart one-liners containing equal amounts of bluster and fluster."Despite this, Murder 2 was a major success; with a domestic revenue of over₹476 million (US$7.1 million), the film emerged as a blockbuster.

Hashmi at the promotional event for Jannat 2 in 2012

Hashmi's final film in 2011 was Milan Luthria's biopic The Dirty Picture, featuring Vidya Balan as the controversial Indian actress Silk Smitha, alongside Naseeruddin Shah and Tusshar Kapoor. He was cast as Abraham, the narrator, who proclaims himself to be the protagonist's biggest enemy. The film opened to critical acclaim and Hashmi's performance was appreciated;CNN-IBN's Rajeev Masand wrote, "Emraan Hashmi is appropriately restrained as Abraham, a director who believes in film as art, and who abhors the idea of inserting steamy numbers in his movie to lure in the crowds. However, several critics were sceptical about his role in the film;Soumyadipta Banerjee from Daily News and Analysis considered it "out of place".The Dirty Picture emerged as a commercial success with a worldwide revenue of over ₹1.14 billion(US$17 million).

In 2012, Hashmi appeared in Kunal Deshmukh's crime thriller Jannat 2 with Randeep Hooda and Esha Gupta. It was initially titled "Informer" but was later changed to the current title, making it a follow-up film to Jannat (2008). The film generated mixed reviews from critics,though was a success at the box office. He then starred alongside Abhay Deol, Prosenjit Chatterjee and Kalki Koechlin in Dibakar Banerjee's Shanghai, an adaptation of writer Vassilis Vassilikos's novel Z and the 1969 French film of the same name. Set in a fictional town called Bharat Nagar, the political thriller traced corruption in India. The film opened to critical acclaim, and Hashmi received unanimous praise for his portrayal of Joginder Parmar, a videographer who sometimes shoots porn films. Madhureeta Mukherjee of The Times of India wrote that Hashmi "looks the part and pulls off an act he should be proud of. Raja Sen described it as one of his best performances and wrote, "Emraan Hashmi, delivers a knockout punch as he masters a complicated role and called it as "the year’s finest, bravest and most consistent performance. He received his second Best Supporting Actor nomination at the 58th Filmfare Awards for his performance.

Hashmi's next appearance was for Vikram Bhatt's supernatural horror Raaz 3D, alongside Bipasha Basu and Esha Gupta. Though a commercial success, the film and his performance received mostly negative reviews; critic Kunal Guha commented, "[Hashmi] takes his role as seriously as he could but his efforts couldn't exorcise the devilishly terrible plot from spelling doom for this film." Lisa Tsering of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "The swarthy Hashmi [...] does a forgettable job. His final film of the year was Shamin Desai's delayed thriller Rush, which failed at the box office.

2013–present

In 2013, Hashmi was first seen in Ekta Kapoor and Vishal Bhardwaj's supernatural thriller Ek Thi Daayan, alongside Konkona Sen Sharma, Huma Qureshi and Kalki Koechlin.Critical opinion on the film was mostly positive, and Hashmi's performance also drew appreciation. Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV mentioned that Hashmi "gives the character of the haunted magician just that – a haunted feel that is just apt," whilst Shubhra Gupta called his performance "consistent", adding that he "is a performer who keeps getting better

Hashmi and Vidya Balan during the promotions of their film Hamari Adhuri Kahani

Hashmi's second appearance was for Raj Kumar Gupta's comic-thriller Ghanchakkar opposite Vidya Balan. Critics were divided in their judgment of the film, as well as Hashmi's performance.]Sneha May Francis of Emirates 24/7 wrote that "Emraan Hashmi spins one of his acting career’s most understated, yet imposing performances. He crafts [his character's] predicaments – his anger, frustration and suspicions – with effortless charm. Rajeev Masand was more critical of his performance, reflecting that he "struggles to shine under the limited scope of his role. At the box office, both Ek Thi Daayanand Ghanchakkar underperformed. In 2014, Hashmi firstly starred in Kunal Deshmukh's Raja Natwarlal and Rensil D'Silva's Ungli, both of which flopped at the box office, with the latter being Hashmi's 5th consecutive failure at the box office.

In 2015, Hashmi appeared in two films. Mr. X was a disaster at the box office among with negative reviews, the other being the long awaited Hamari Adhuri Kahani, opposite Vidya Balan for the third time. It was commercially average despite getting mixed reviews by critics although it received positive reactions by the audience. 

He has finished work on Academy Award winning director Danis Tanovic's Tigers which is expected to release in 2016. He is currently shooting for Azhar and Raaz 4.[citation needed] He has also signed Remo D'Souza's tentatively titled Badtameez.

Personal life

Hashmi with his wife Parveen Shahani in 2013

Hashmi married Parveen Shahani in an Islamic wedding ceremony on December 2006 after a six and a half year relationship. The couple have a son Ayaan Hashmi who was born on 3 February 2010. On January 15, 2014, Emraan's four-year-old son Ayaan was diagnosed with first-stage cancer.

His mother Maherah Hashmi died on 11 March 2016, Emraan cancelled one day’s shoot when he got to know about his mother’s demise. He did not want to delay the shoot of Azhar any further and also wanted to occupy his mind with work. So, he returned to the sets the soonest he could. In 2016, Hashmi launched the auto-biographical book called "Kiss Of Life".

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About Farhan Akhtar:-

About Farhan Akhtar:-

Farhan Akhtar (born 9 January 1974) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, playback singer, lyricist and television host. Born in Mumbai to screenwriters Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani, he grew up under the influence of the Hindi film industry. He began his career in Bollywood by working as an assistant director in Lamhe (1991) and Himalay Putra (1997).

Akhtar, after establishing a production company named Excel Entertainment along with Ritesh Sidhwani, made his directorial debut with Dil Chahta Hai (2001) and received critical acclaim for portraying modern youth. The film also won a National award. Following it, he made Lakshya (2004) and had his Hollywood debut through the soundtrack of Bride and Prejudice (2004), for which he wrote the lyrics. He went on to make the commercially successful Don (2006). He directed a short-film titled Positive (2007) to spread awareness on HIV-AIDS.

He started his acting career with Rock On!! (2008), for which he won a second National Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi as producer, and indulged in further experimentation before he acted in, produced and wrote the dialogues for the critical and commercial success Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011), which won him two Filmfare Awards, including Best Supporting Actor. In the same year, he directed a sequel to Don titled Don 2 (2011), which remains as his highest-grossing film till date. He achieved further success by portraying Milkha Singh in the 2013 film Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, earning him the Filmfare Award for Best Actor. In 2016, Akhtar received praise for starring in the crime thriller Wazir and the comedy drama Dil Dhadakne Do.

Early life and background[edit]

Farhan Akhtar was born to screenwriters Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani in Mumbai. His sister is writer–director Zoya Akhtar. His parents divorced during his early days, and his father married Shabana Azmi in 1984.[2] Akhtar has termed his parents as the "harshest" critics in his career, and also considered Robert De Niro as an "inspiration" in the film industry.[3][4]

His great grand father, Fazl-e-Haq Khairabadi, a scholar of Islamic studies and theology, notably edited the first diwan of Mirza Ghalib on his request, and later became an important figure during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 in his native Khairabad.[5] He is great-grandson of renowned Urdu poet Muztar Khairabadi and grandson of Jan Nisar Akhtar. He is also the cousin of Farah Khan and Sajid Khan.[6][7] He did his schooling in Maneckji Cooper school in Mumbai and went on to study a law degree in the HR College, also in Mumbai,[8] during which he was dismissed from the institution in his second year due to lack of attendance. His next few years were spent mostly just watching movies.

Career[edit]

Akhtar worked as an apprentice in cinematography and direction for Yash Chopra's Lamhe (1991) when he was 17 years old and later shifted to an advertisement production house named 'Script Shop' to spend an approximate 3 years there.[9] He also assisted Pankaj Parashar as a director in Himalay Putra (1997) before launching himself into direction and writing.[10]

Directing, writing and producing[edit]

Akhtar made his writing and directorial debut with the critically acclaimed film Dil Chahta Hai (2001), produced by Excel Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., a production company he established along with Ritesh Sidhwani in 1999.[11] It was shot over a period of three months in Sydney, Goa and Mumbai.[12] Due to its acclaim, he called it a "turning point" in his career.[13] The film dealt with the lives of westernised urban youth in Mumbai. Akhtar had written the script based on his trips to Goa and New York, as well as a narration of a story outline by a friend of his.[14] After its release, the film failed to do well at the box office by taking up a 'below average' opening and proceeded to become an 'average' grosser.[15]However, it received international critical acclaim and attained an iconic status, with Akhtar receiving credit for starting a "new wave" in Indian cinema.[16] Critic Ziya Us Salam praised Akhtar's direction and commented for The Hindu: "In his maiden venture, Javed Akhtar's son shows enough glimpses of his pedigree to indicate that promise will attain fulfilment sooner than later."[17] Various award shows conferred accolades on the film and nominated it for several categories. The year's National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi for 2002 was won by the film.[18] It was also screened at the International Film Festival of India,[19] the Palm Springs International Film Festival,[20] and the Austin Film Festival.[21] In the same year, he and his sister Zoya Akhtar assisted their father in writing the English lyrics of a song in Lagaan, for which the soundtrack was scored by A. R. Rahman.[22]

Akhtar's next project was Lakshya (2004), a film about an aimless youngster finally setting a goal for himself, starring Hrithik Roshan and Preity Zinta. It was shot in Ladakh, Dehra Dun and Mumbai, and marked the beginning of the collaborations between Akhtar and Hrithik.[23] He had to research the army before writing the script and directing the venture.[24] The theme of the film, as stated by Akhtar, was about "finding oneself". He also believed that if the same characters and situation were set elsewhere, the main core of the story would remain the same as the film was not about war, as it had been reported.[23] Post-release, the film failed to make a mark at the box office and became a commercial failure.[25] Parul Gupta of The Times of India gave it a negative review and explained that "It's hard to reconcile to such triviality when it comes from Farhan Akhtar, considered the ultimate symbol of cool in Hindi filmdom."[26] On the contrary, Manish Gajjar from BBC wrote, in his positive review, "Young Farhan Akhtar, proves yet again that he is one of the finest directors Bollywood has to date. He has paid full attention to the script and the technical aspects, giving rise to a polished product".[27]

Meanwhile, Akhtar wrote the English lyrics of Gurinder Chadha's Hollywood film, Bride and Prejudice (2004) along with his sister, Zoya Akhtar after being recommended by his father.[28] The music for the film was composed by Anu Malik and consisted of a mixture of Hindi songs, West side story, Fiddler on the Roof and Grease.[29]

In 2006, Akhtar directed, produced and wrote the screenplay of Don starring Shah Rukh Khan in the title role, a remake of the 1978 film Don, starring Amitabh Bachchan.[30] It marked his first project holding the status of a remake. The character of Don became iconic and popular. Despite so, he noted that he did not mean to be a "torchbearer of the remake brigade" and did not feel comfortable with being credited for the trend of remakes in the film industry.[31] The film released on 20 October 2006 and was declared as a "hit" at the box office, grossing around ₹105 crore worldwide.[32] It became widely known for its dialogues.[33] However, critics predominantly condemned Akhtar's direction and screenplay. Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama said Akhtar had "climbed the ladder as far as craftsmanship is concerned [every frame is well decorated and makes a spellbinding impact] but despite a readymade classic at his disposal, the storyteller just doesn't get it right this time."[34]

In 2007, Akhtar produced the film Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd., directed by debutant Reema Kagti and starring Abhay Deol, Minissha Lamba, Shabana Azmi and Boman Irani. The music for the film was composed by Vishal-Shekhar, marking their first collaboration with him.[35] Akhtar was supposed to make his acting debut with the project, but he had to be replaced by Abhay Deol as he was involved with Don.[36] The film was financed and funded by Exim Bank.[37] This was the first time Excel Entertainment collaborated with a different director as all their previous projects had been involving Farhan as a director. The story of the film revolved around six couples who went to Goa on a honeymoon.[38] The film opened up on 23 February and received mixed reviews from critics,[39] and ended up with an 'average' box office result.[40]

In the same year, Akhtar directed Positive, a film produced by Shernaz Italia and Frenzy Kodaiji, starring Boman Irani and Shabana Azmi.[41] It was a short-film running for 12 minutes. Dealing with a family's attitude towards a person suffering from HIV-AIDS, the film was shot in Mumbai and aimed at creating awareness about the problem. It also introduced Arjun Mathur in the film industry. Speaking about the purpose of the project, Akhtar stated that "Just as a social stigma, many people believe that an HIV patient should be isolated. They also have certain misconceptions about dealing with the disease. And since India has a lot of joint families; it becomes very important for them to understand the value of support to the person who has acquired this disease. This is exactly what Positive talks about." The film had its background score composed by Ram Sampath but no soundtrack.[42] It was a part of the 'AIDS JaaGo' ('AIDS Awake'), a series of four short films, directed by Mira Nair, Santosh Sivan, Vishal Bhardwaj and himself, in a joint initiative of Mira Nair's Mirabai Films, voluntary organisations Avahan and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.[43]

Akhtar's first project in 2011 was the drama thriller Game, directed by Abhinay Deo. The lead cast consisted of Abhishek Bachchan, Kangana Ranaut, Boman Irani and Jimmy Shergill. He wrote the dialogues and produced the venture.[44] The film received highly negative reviews after release, with critics panning almost all the aspects of it.[45] At the box office, it had a poor opening, and later resulted in giving losses for the distributors, due to a heavily negative word-of-mouth. It was described as a "washout" by trade analysts.[46]

Akhtar with the team of Don 2 at a promotional event.

Later that year, Akhtar wrote, produced and directed Don 2, a sequel to his 2006 Don. It marked his return to direction after a gap of nearly 5 years. His decision of making a sequel was explained by him in an interview, "I am wary of sequels having to be made. WithDon 2 I could finally make an action thriller the way I wanted to. Good story, classic action and simple plot which has one goal and work towards it effectively and dramatically."[47] The film was a major success in India and went on to become the year's highest-grossing Bollywood production abroad[48] with a worldwide gross of ₹210 crore.[49] However, it received mixed reviews from critics,[50]with Khalid Mohammed stating, "Throughout, you can’t help feeling that Farhan Akhtar could have made three far more valuable films out of the budget squandered on this thriller where cars are smashed as if they were tea cups."[51]

Akhtar and Shahid Kapoor hosting the 13th IIFA Awards.

Next year, Akhtar produced and wrote the dialogues of the neo-noir thriller Talaash: The Answer Lies Within.[52] His production work was followed by the comedy films: Fukrey (2013) and Bangistan (2015).[53][54]

Acting and singing[edit]

In 2008, Akhtar made his acting and singing debut in a musical film titled Rock On!!, for which he wrote the dialogues and also produced. The film was directed by Abhishek Kapoor. Prachi Desai, Arjun Rampal and Purab Kohli co-starred along with him.[55] As he had been learning guitar ever since the start of his directing career, he had been well-versed with it and used it for the film. The role played by him was that of Aditya, lead singer of the rock band "Magik". He sang five songs from the soundtrack album.[56] The film was acclaimed by critics and received positive reviews upon release. Gaurav Malani of The Economic Times wrote that the film seemed to be "clearly designed by Farhan Akhar as his own acting debut and he doesn't let himself down. Lending voice to all his songs helps him to get into his character with effortless ease. One could certainly overlook the lisp in his dialogue delivery."[57] Manish Gajjar of BBC wrote of his performance: "Director-turned-actor, Farhan Aktar surprises all with his superb, flawless performance, transforming from a hippy-style lead-singer to a subdued, dismal workaholic banker."[58] Akhtar received several accolades for his debut performance. The film, in addition won the National Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi. However, it did not create an impact at the box office and turned out to be an 'average' grosser.[59] For his role in Rock On!! Salim Khan, Salman Khan's father gave him a filmfare trophy won by himself as a praise for his performance.

After refusing an offer to sing a song for A. R. Rahman's album Blue,[60] Akhtar acted in, and produced his sister Zoya's directorial and written debut, Luck By Chance which hadHrithik Roshan and Konkona Sen Sharma in the lead roles.[61] He was cast in the film after being deemed as a "perfect choice" for it.[36] The story of the film revolved around a struggling actor who arrives in Mumbai to become a film star. It was released on 30 January 2009.[62] Though failing to do well at the box office and being declared as a "flop", the film received generally positive reviews from critics.[63] Neil Genzlinger from The New York Times said: "It is Mr. Akhtar whose understated performance holds together this far-ranging, cameo-filled film. He manages to remain sympathetic even while wreaking romantic havoc."[64] Rajeev Masand noted: "Farhan Akhtar delivers a simple-enough likeable performance that is just what the film required — no showy flourishes, no loud outbursts, just a straight off spontaneous act that works like a dream."[65]

Following Luck By Chance, Akhtar acted in a project titled The Fakir of Venice, which was initially scheduled to release before Rock on!! and was supposed to be his acting debut. Due to several delays, it was released in mid-2009. It was written and directed by Anand Surapur, and accepted by Akhtar after he described its script as "very powerful", while emphasising that it "touches upon weaknesses and confusions in all human beings."[66] Before release, it premiered at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles,[67] and the Venice Film Festival at the ArcLight Hollywood.[68] Kirk Honeycutt of The Hollywood Reporter praised the film and felt that "Akhtar, a producer, director and writer making his film debut here as an actor, is talented and handsome enough – and with looks that could translate into any number of ethnicities – to have a huge career ahead of him."[69]

Akhtar acted in, and produced his next film, Karthik Calling Karthik (2010), a psychological thriller directed by Vijay Lalwani. He played Karthik, an introvert character,[70] starring alongside Deepika Padukone for the first time.[71] Preparation for the role involved working on the Rubik's Cube, which he learnt from the director.[72] The film received mixed reviews and praise for Akhtar's acting from critics, with Sukanya Verma highlighting that "He conveys the anxiety, simplicity and frailty of Karthik even when the script isn't doing it for him. Perhaps it's his innate filmmaker instinct."[73] The film had a good opening at the box office, as it was targeted towards the youth of the multiplexes.[74] However, it failed to continue on its business and went on to become a 'below average' grosser.[75]

Akhtar with Abhay Deol promoting Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.

Akhtar produced and appeared as one of the three leads in his sister, Zoya Akhtar's coming-of-the-age film Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara along with Hrithik Roshan and Abhay Deol, Katrina Kaif and Kalki Koechlin, starring opposite Ariadna Cabrol. He was also credited as the dialogue writer for the film.[76] He was the first actor to be cast in the film,[77] and described his role as a "fun character" and a "guy who for the longest time takes nothing seriously."[78] His real life father, Javed Akhtar wrote poetry for the film, which he performs as a voice-over.[79] His performance was favourably received by critics, with Shaikh Ayaz ofRediff.com highlighting his dialogues as "gentle, they won't make you ROFL; they are more like tender dig in the ribs."[80]Kaveree Bamzai of India Today called his acting as "sensitive, soulful", further saying that he was "perfectly capable of reading out his father's poetry."[81] The film made ₹153 crore worldwide and was declared as a commercial success at the box office.[82] It also became one of the highest grossing Bollywood films overseas, earning around US$7.25 million.[83] It won two National Awards, for the Best Choreography and Best Audiography.[84]

Following Don 2, Akhtar was signed up for the biopic Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. He plays the role of Milkha Singh. For his role, he had to undergo a training phase at the gym and study the character of Milkha Singh by researching his body language.[85] He also had to prepare his looks to depict a 17-year-old army recruit and endure an on-the-spot preparation at an army cantonment.[86] In 2014, Akhtar acted for the romantic comedy Shaadi Ke Side Effects alongside Vidya Balan, a film directed by Saket Chaudharyand produced by Pritish Nandy. It was a sequel to Pyaar Ke Side Effects (2006).[87]

Next year, Akhtar featured in the supporting role in his sister Zoya Akhtar's Dil Dhadakne Do, an ensemble comedy-drama starring Anil Kapoor, Shefali Shah, Priyanka Chopra,Ranveer Singh and Anushka Sharma.[88]

In 2016, Akhtar played the lead role of an Anti Terrorist Squad officer in Bejoy Nambiar's Wazir. It was his first action role as an actor, and for which he went through intense physical training and put on eight kilograms of weight.[89][90] Raja Sen in his review called him "pretty good [..] early on in the film, but his performance starts to unravel once the film hits hysterical gear and he is required to do more than frown."[91] Akhtar also sang the duet "Atrangi yaari" with Amitabh Bachchan for Wazir.[92] The film was a box-office success.[93]

Personal life[edit]

Relationships & Marriage[edit]

Farhan Akhtar with his ex-wifeAdhuna Akhtar.

He married Adhuna Bhabani in 2000, after being in a relationship with her for 3 years.[94][95] They first met during the filming of his directorial debut Dil Chahta Hai in 2001 which also marked Adhuna's debut as a Bollywood hairstylist.[96] The couple have two daughters named Shakya and Akira.[97] On January 21, 2016 the couple officially announced their separation after 16 years of marriage.[98]

Non-film work[edit]

Akhtar appeared as one of the nine judges in the beauty pageant, Femina Miss India (2002).[99] He was the judge on the first season of the dance-reality show, Nach Baliye (2005). He hosted a TV show on NDTV Imagine, called Oye! It's Friday! in the same year.[100] He has endorsed several brands as a part of his career, especially after the release of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. These include Hindustan Unilever's water purifier product titled Pureit, Vijay Mallya's alcohol firm United Spirits, and watchmaker Titan Industries. His endorsements are managed by Atul Kasbekar.[101]

Men Against Rape and Discrimination[edit]

Main article: Men Against Rape and Discrimination

Men Against Rape and Discrimination or MARD is a social campaign launched by Akhtar. The idea came to the mind of Akhtar when in August 2012, Pallavi Purkayastha, a lawyer by profession, was sexually assaulted and then killed by her home watchman.

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