THE MAVERICK MIND FARHAN AKHTAR ACTOR, PRODUCER, WRITER & DIRECTOR

He has spent nearly 25 years shape-shifting across Indian entertainment. His playbook for staying relevant is surprisingly simple: protect your voice, bet on discipline over passion, and build teams that share the mission

- BY PUNITA SABHARWAL

Meeting Farhan Akhtar is meeting a man with a mission. A disciplined, focused soul, who knows what he is looking for. I realized not just after meeting him but after witnessing his movies, he's a director's actor while also being a director who knows what to get out of his actors. A Bhaag Milkha Bhaag or a Dil Chahta Hai might be two movies for two different set of audiences but made while keeping the right set of audience in mind. A man of purpose his clarity of thought is what amazes you while talking to him. You might be enthused by his simplicity or overwhelmed by his body of work, his clarity of thought and his multi hyphenate personality is what leaves a charm. At 51, Farhan lives by fitness as his mantra and entertainment as his power whether through acting, directing or singing. Being born in a family which is rooted in films, the love for cinema came naturally to him. “I knew this was the world I wanted to belong to,” says the actor, director, writer, producer and singer. He knew success has to be repeated every time for the audience to keep applauding you. For him, creativity without discipline is useless. His experience outside films drives his creativity the most, its these everyday experiences of traveling, reading, listening to music, spending time with family and friends opens up a new world. The support I can give in so many lives drives the change. To be challenged as producers and storytellers is good for the business, says Akhtar, the man who has stayed relevant in cinema from last 24 years.

Actor-director-producer-musician Farhan Akhtar has spent nearly 25 years shape-shifting across Indian entertainment. His playbook for staying relevant is surprisingly simple: protect your voice, bet on discipline over passion, and build teams that share the mission.