Farhan Akhtar is an Indian actor, filmmaker, and singer. He is 52 years old and was born on 9 January 1974 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
He mainly works in Hindi films. Farhan co-founded the production company Excel Entertainment with Ritesh Sidhwani in 1999.
He made his directorial debut with Dil Chahta Hai (2001). The film also won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.
As an actor, he made his acting debut in Rock On!! (2008).
Quick Facts Farhan Akhtar
| Full Name | Farhan Akhtar |
| Profession | Actor, filmmaker, singer |
| Age | 52 years old |
| Date of Birth | 9 January 1974 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Zodiac/Sun Sign | Capricorn |
| Birthplace | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Current Address | Yet to be updated |
| Gender | Male |
Farhan Akhtar Early Life and Education
He comes from a deep lineage of Urdu poets and writers. He is the grandson of the renowned Urdu poet Jan Nisar Akhtar and the great-grandson of Muztar Khairabadi.
As a teenager, he got early exposure to film work. He worked as an apprentice in film distribution and direction for Yash Chopra’s Lamhe (1991) when he was 17.
Later, he worked for about three years at an advertisement production house called Script Shop. His parents divorced when he was young. After that, his mother raised Farhan and Zoya at the family home in Bandra Bandstand, Mumbai.
Education
He completed his primary and secondary education at the Maneckji Cooper School in Mumbai. He enrolled at H.R. College of Commerce and Economics in Mumbai to study law.
However, he found commerce unengaging, stopped attending classes, and was dismissed in his second year for having insufficient attendance.
| School | Maneckji Cooper School, Mumbai |
| Alma Mater | H. R. College, Mumbai |
| Highest Qualification | College dropped out |
Farhan Akhtar Personal Life
Farhan Akhtar is a prominent Indian filmmaker, actor, and musician. Raised without religious beliefs, Farhan identifies as an atheist.
Partner and Children
He was earlier married to celebrity hairstylist Adhuna Bhabani in 2000 after a three-year courtship. The couple had two daughters, Shakya and Akira. After 16 years of marriage, they announced their separation in January 2016 and finalised their divorce in April 2017. They continue to maintain a cordial relationship to co-parent their children.
Farhan began dating model, singer and actress Shibani Dandekar in 2018. They were married on February 19, 2022, in a non-religious, intimate ceremony at his father’s farmhouse in Khandala.
Family
Father
His father, Javed Akhtar, is one of Indian cinema’s most decorated lyricists and scriptwriters, having formed the legendary writing duo Salim-Javed. After his divorce, Javed Akhtar married veteran actress Shabana Azmi.
Mother
His mother, Honey Irani, is a respected screenwriter known for her work on films like Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai and Koi… Mil Gaya.
Siblings
He has an elder sister, Zoya Akhtar, who is an acclaimed filmmaker.
| Relationship Status | Married |
| Wife/EX-Wife | Wife: Shibani Dandekar EX-Wife: Adhuna Bhabani |
| Children | Daughters: Shakya Akhtar, Akira Akhtar |
| Parents | Father: Javed Akhtar Mother: Honey Irani |
| Siblings | Sister: Zoya Akhtar |
Farhan Akhtar Career
Farhan Akhtar started working in films behind the scenes. In 1991, he worked as an apprentice on Lamhe.
In 1997, he assisted director Pankaj Parashar on Himalaya Putra.
In 1999, he co-founded Excel Entertainment with Ritesh Sidhwani.
In 2001, he made his directing debut with Dil Chahta Hai, starring Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Preity Zinta, Sonali Kulkarni, and Dimple Kapadia.
In 2004, he directed Lakshya, starring Amitabh Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, and Preity Zinta.
In 2006, he directed Don, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Arjun Rampal, Isha Koppikar, and Boman Irani.
In 2011, he wrote, produced, and directed Don 2, again led by Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra, with Boman Irani, Kunal Kapoor, Om Puri, and Lara Dutta also in the main cast.
Farhan began acting in 2008 with Rock On!!, alongside Arjun Rampal, Purab Kohli, Luke Kenny, Prachi Desai, and Shahana Goswami.
In 2009, he starred in Luck by Chance with Konkona Sen Sharma, Rishi Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, and Dimple Kapadia.
In 2010, he led Karthik Calling Karthik with Deepika Padukone, with Ram Kapoor and Shefali Shah in key supporting roles.
In 2011, he acted in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara with Hrithik Roshan, Abhay Deol, Katrina Kaif, and Kalki Koechlin.
In 2013, he played the lead in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, with Divya Dutta, Prakash Raj, Pavan Malhotra, and Yograj Singh in the main cast, and Sonam Kapoor in a special appearance.
In 2014, he starred in Shaadi Ke Side Effects with Vidya Balan, and the film also featured Ram Kapoor and Vir Das.
In 2015, he acted in Dil Dhadakne Do with Anil Kapoor, Shefali Shah, Priyanka Chopra, Ranveer Singh, and Anushka Sharma (with narration by Aamir Khan).
In 2016, he starred in Wazir with Amitabh Bachchan, alongside Aditi Rao Hydari, Neil Nitin Mukesh, and Manav Kaul.
In 2016, he also returned in Rock On 2 with Arjun Rampal, Shraddha Kapoor, Purab Kohli, and Prachi Desai.
In 2017, he had a cameo in Daddy (the film starred Arjun Rampal and Aishwarya Rajesh).
In 2017, he led Lucknow Central with Diana Penty, Ronit Roy, Deepak Dobriyal, and Gippy Grewal.
From 2018, he also had major work as a producer. In 2018, he produced Gold, starring Akshay Kumar, Mouni Roy, Kunal Kapoor, Amit Sadh, Vineet Kumar Singh, Sunny Kaushal, and Nikita Dutta.
In 2018, Farhan Akhtar worked as a producer on the Amazon Prime Video series Mirzapur with Ritesh Sidhwani under Excel Entertainment. The series starred Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Divyendu Sharma, Vikrant Massey, Shweta Tripathi, Rasika Dugal, Harshita Gaur, and Kulbhushan Kharbanda.
In 2019, he acted in The Sky Is Pink with Priyanka Chopra, Zaira Wasim, and Rohit Saraf.
In 2019, his production banner was also linked to the web series Made in Heaven, starring Sobhita Dhulipala, Arjun Mathur, Kalki Koechlin, and Jim Sarbh (among others).
In 2020, he continued as a producer when Mirzapur Season 2 was released. The season brought back key cast members and also featured actors such as Vijay Varma, Isha Talwar, Anjum Sharma, Priyanshu Painyuli, and Anangsha Biswas.
In 2021, he led Toofaan with Mrunal Thakur and Paresh Rawal, and the cast also included Supriya Pathak, Mohan Agashe, and Vijay Raaz.
In 2022, he appeared in the Disney+ series Ms Marvel in the episode “Seeing Red”.
In 2023, he is credited for dialogues on The Archies, directed by Zoya Akhtar.
In 2024, he is credited for dialogues on Yudhra, which starred Siddhant Chaturvedi, Malavika Mohanan, and Raghav Juyal.
In 2024, Farhan again worked as a producer on Mirzapur Season 3. The season featured Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Shweta Tripathi Sharma, Rasika Dugal, Vijay Varma, Isha Talwar, Priyanshu Painyuli, Harshita Gaur, and other credited cast members.
In 2025, he starred in 120 Bahadur as Major Shaitan Singh. The film’s page lists its theatrical release date as 21 November 2025.
Upcoming Projects
- Don 3: The Final Chapter (Hindi): Pre-production. Farhan Akhtar as director, with an expected date shown as 25 December 2026. Don 3 was released in 2026, but due to Don 3 facing massive pre-production setbacks and creative reshuffling, putting the timeline into complete flux.
- Untitled Ringo Starr Biopic (English): Filming. Farhan Akhtar is in the cast as Ravi Shankar, with the year shown as 2028.
- Untitled Paul McCartney Biopic (English): Filming. Farhan Akhtar is in the cast as Ravi Shankar, with the year shown as 2028.
- Untitled John Lennon Biopic (English): Filming. Farhan Akhtar is in the cast as Ravi Shankar, with the year shown as 2028.
- Untitled George Harrison Biopic (English): Filming. Farhan Akhtar is in the cast as Ravi Shankar, with the year shown as 2028.
- Untitled Lala Amarnath Biopic (Hindi): Pre-production. The project was directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and starred Aamir Khan as Lala Amarnath.
- Untitled Farhan Akhtar/Rs Prasanna Project (Hindi): Pre-production. Rs Prasanna as the director and Farhan Akhtar as the listed star.
- Khiladi 1080 (Hindi): Pre-production. Kabir Sadanand as director, with Farhan Akhtar included in the cast list.
Farhan Akhtar Awards and Achievement
Farhan Akhtar has received several awards and nominations as a filmmaker, actor, producer, writer, and singer in Hindi cinema.
His awards list includes National Film Awards, Filmfare Awards, IIFA Awards, Zee Cine Awards, Stardust Awards, and other honours.
He has also been part of National Film Award-winning films such as Dil Chahta Hai and Rock On!!.
His major wins
- National Film Awards (2002): Won Best Feature Film in Hindi for Dil Chahta Hai (2001), shared with Ritesh Sidhwani.
- National Film Awards (2009): Won Best Feature Film in Hindi for Rock On!! (2008) as producer, shared with Ritesh Sidhwani and Abhishek Kapoor.
- Filmfare Awards (2009): Won Best Male Debut for Rock On!! (2008).
- Stardust Awards (2009): Won Superstar of Tomorrow, Male for Rock On!! (2008).
- Filmfare Awards (2012): Won Best Film for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011), shared with Ritesh Sidhwani.
- Filmfare Awards (2012): Won Best Supporting Actor for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011).
- Filmfare Awards (2012): Won Best Dialogue for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011).
- IIFA Awards (2014): Won Best Actor in a Leading Role for Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013).
- Filmfare Awards (2014): Won Best Actor for Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013).
- Filmfare Awards (2020): Won Best Film for Gully Boy (2019), shared with Zoya AkhNational Film Awards (2002): Won Best Feature Film in Hindi for Dil Chahta Hai (2001), shared with Ritesh Sidhwani.
- National Film Awards (2009): Won Best Feature Film in Hindi for Rock On!! (2008) as producer, shared with Ritesh Sidhwani and Abhishek Kapoor.
- Filmfare Awards (2009): Won Best Male Debut for Rock On!! (2008).
- Stardust Awards (2009): Won Superstar of Tomorrow, Male for Rock On!! (2008).
- Filmfare Awards (2012): Won Best Film for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011), shared with Ritesh Sidhwani.
- Filmfare Awards (2012): Won Best Supporting Actor for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011).
- Filmfare Awards (2012): Won Best Dialogue for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011).
- IIFA Awards (2014): Won Best Actor in a Leading Role for Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013).
- Filmfare Awards (2014): Won Best Actor for Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013).
- Filmfare Awards (2020): Won Best Film for Gully Boy (2019), shared with Zoya Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani.
His key nominations
- Filmfare Awards (2002): Nominated for Best Director for Dil Chahta Hai (2001).
- IIFA Awards (2002): Nominated for Best Director for Dil Chahta Hai (2001).
- Filmfare Awards (2009): Nominated for Best Male Playback Singer for Socha Hai from Rock On!! (2008).
- IIFA Awards (2020): Nominated for Best Picture for Gully Boy (2019), shared with Zoya Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani.
Farhan Akhtar Controversies
Farhan Akhtar has mostly stayed away from major public disputes, but a few incidents have been widely reported.
May 2026 (Don 3 and Ranveer Singh dispute): Reports said Ranveer Singh exited Don 3 after being announced as the lead. Reports also said Excel Entertainment raised the issue with industry bodies, sought Rs 45 crore in damages, and FWICE issued a non-cooperation directive linked to the matter.
November 2025 (120 Bahadur title backlash): Reports said groups from the Ahir community objected to the title 120 Bahadur and demanded it be changed to 120 Veer Ahir, linked to the Rezang La (1962) battle and how the story is presented.
November 2025 (Jawaharlal Nehru remark and boycott calls): Reports said Farhan named Jawaharlal Nehru as his favourite Prime Minister during an interview, and this led to online backlash and boycott calls.
Farhan Akhtar Net Worth
The estimated net worth of Farhan Akhtar is about 150 to 180 crore($20 million USD), and his annual salary is 3 to 4 crore per film project.
| Net Worth in Dollars (Approx.) | $17 million USD |
| Salary (Approx.) | 3 to 4 crore per film |
Farhan Akhtar Height, weight and Physical states
Farhan Akhtar’s height is around 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm), and he weighs 70 kg (154 lbs). Though it is known that he has Dark Brown eyes and hair.
| Height | In centimetres: 170 cm In meters: 1.70 m In feet & inches: 5’7 |
| Weight | In kg: 70kg In lbs: 154 lbs |
| Body Measurements | 41-30-14 inches |
| Hair Color | Dark Brown |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
Farhan Akhtar Instagram, X, Facebook
 @faroutakhtar | |
| X |  @FarOutAkhtar |
 @farhanakhtarlive |
Interesting Facts About Farhan Akhtar
- Farhan Akhtar co-founded Excel Entertainment with Ritesh Sidhwani in 1999.
- He made his directing debut with Dil Chahta Hai (2001), and the film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.
- He made his acting debut with Rock On!! (2008) and won the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut for the film.
- In March 2013, he launched the social campaign Men Against Rape and Discrimination (MARD).
- He is the son of writers Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani, and his sister is filmmaker Zoya Akhtar.
- Farhan married Shibani Dandekar on 19 February 2022 in Khandala.
FAQs
Who is Farhan Akhtar?
Farhan Akhtar is an Indian actor, filmmaker, and singer who mainly works in Hindi films.
What is Farhan Akhtar’s age and date of birth?
He was born on 9 January 1974 and is 52 years old.
Where is Farhan Akhtar from?
He was born in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
Who is Farhan Akhtar’s wife?
He is married to Shibani Dandekar.
How many children does Farhan Akhtar have?
He has two daughters. from his first marriage.
What was Farhan Akhtar’s debut film?
His directorial debut was Dil Chahta Hai (2001), and his acting debut was Rock On!! (2008).
