Boy to father; ‘ There is more life than just signing cheques.” Father to Boy: Really... What is that? Boy again:’ I don't know, but as soon as I do, you will be the first to know.” It was this cheeky insouciance which marked a typical exchange in Dil Chahta Hai 2001, and which made Farhan Akhtar a household name with his very first film. The thirty writer wife Honey Irani-actress Shabana Azmi is his doting stepmother mixed an urban sophistication his character vacationed in Goa, drank wine not whisky older women and danced to techno music with a Bollywood kid’s instinctive sense of knowing what sells a mandatory twenty minutes of melodramatic ending. The movie borne out of two years of idleness punctuated by stints on the sets of movie such as Himalayaputra Son of Himalaya 1997, and Lamhe Moments 1991, when young Akhtar watched movies and sunbathed in Goa, was refreshing for its youthful spirit. It was also an eye-opener for Bollywood producer used to working in an often wasteful manner. Akhtar and his childhood friend Riteish Sidhwani, whose family used to manufacture pressure cookers did six months of detailed pre-production work, getting together a fine crew which ranged from Ravi K. Chandran to Farah Khan a star choregrapher who is also working with Mani Ratnam, also Akhtar ‘s cousin and shot the movie in a tightly-wound 180-day’s schedule.
Akhtar ‘s fresh new voice surfaced in parts again Lakshya 2004, written by his father about a young man who strays into the army but returns a hero when India engages Pakistan in battle a re-creation of the 1999 Kargil war. The movie was a technical accomplishment it was shot Dil Chahta Hai in synch-sound and filled again with stunning visual this time by German cinematographer Popp and underlined the pointless existence privileged urban youngsters often lead. His latest movie a remake of Don 2006, a 1978 gangster film co-written by his father was again a Wouderfully composed film, not always coherent in its narrative but with brilliant glossy Picturization. As always Akhtar ‘s planning was perfect as was his ability to put together an A team: cinematographer K. U. Mohanan he was the additional cinematographer for the award-winning Lagaan 2001, production designer Aradhana Seth well known for her work on Deepa Mehta’s Fire and 1947: Earth, and designer Aki Narula whose kitschy costumes for Bunty aur Babli made desi look divine.
As Seth says Akhtar’s sense of detailing is finely developed. For Don he wanted all his accessories to be just right whether It was the specially crafted gun, the Samsonite custom-made in London or the Tag Heuer limited edition watch. On Dil Chahta Hai, he made as befitting the husband of premier new looks for the three lead actors were drastically different from anytime they had done before. Hum hain naye andaz kyu ho purana. This joyous song in Dil chahta Hai Symbolizes Akhtar’s sensibility. He has to have his personal take in everything in the visual as well as the language, I like you says gangster to Don in the 2006 movie.’Yeah. I also like me answers Don.
Akhtar’s ability to make his kind of cinema has been extremely influential for film maker who love the Bollywood song and dance sequence but want to tweak it to suit a more globalized and youthful Indian audience which watches Hollywood movies on television and on pirated DVD’s. Film maker as Shaad Ali Sahgal the director of Saathiya 2000, Bunty aur Babli 2004, And Jhoom Barabar Jhoom 2007, and Siddharth Anand Salaam namaste 2005, and Tara Rum Pum 2007, could explore themes such as an unmarried man and woman living together and give their characters out-of-the ordinary professions. Akhtar has also director the feisty Reema Kagti has directed an ensemble peice about six couples Honeymoon 2007, while his sister Zoya will also turn director with Kismat Talkies. And Akhtar who wrote the English songs with his sister for Gurinder Chadha’s Bride and prejudice 2004, has also found time to act in a lead role playing a movie production controller in his friend Anand Surapur’s film The Fakir.
As someone who has grown up in an environment where Urdu Poetry is discussed at the dining table and who has trendy friends in the spectrum of fashion and music , he is able to blend the best of the East and West attracting sophisticated audiences with his chic style.