Farhan Akhtar recalls suffering depression after Hrithik Roshan starrer Lakshya tanked at box office; ‘Bachpan se sunta aara…’

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Farhan Akhtar recalls suffering depression after Hrithik Roshan starrer Lakshya tanked at box office; 'Bachpan se sunta aara...'

As a lifestyle expert with an eye for resilience and perseverance, I admire Farhan Akhtar immensely. His journey from the triumph of Dil Chahta Hai to the setback of Lakshya, followed by his struggle with depression, is a testament to his grit and determination. It’s evident that he has learned valuable lessons throughout this process, such as the importance of hard work not always guaranteeing immediate success.

Farhan Akhtar, the well-known actor-director famous for his hit movies, experienced a significant letdown with Lakshya as it didn’t fare well at the box office. Regardless of his tireless work and the intriguing narrative of the film, it failed to resonate with viewers, resulting in a lackluster response. In a recent conversation, he revealed that this failure triggered a severe bout of depression lasting for approximately 1.5 years before he eventually recovered. Reflecting on his past, he mentioned that he had been taught from an early age that hard work would yield success, but this belief was challenged by the movie’s underperformance.

During a chat with Raj Shamani, Farhan shared anecdotes about his initial failure and how he dealt with it. He explained that following the triumph of Dil Chahta Hai, he pondered his next venture and chose to produce Lakshya. He detailed the immense dedication he invested in crafting this film, stating that he had never exerted himself more throughout his life.

He strongly held the conviction that perseverance through hard work would eventually be compensated, a principle he had been taught since his childhood and expressed as, “If you listen to it from your heart since childhood, rewards will come.” He was firmly convinced that in his entire life, he hadn’t put in as much effort for any project as he did for this film.

Farhan disclosed their plans for showing a movie to General Nirmal Chander Vij, with the intention of leaving a lasting impression on the army by presenting an unprecedented cinematic experience. Regrettably, the screening didn’t go as hoped, and the film failed to draw crowds at the box office.

When the movie I worked on was launched, it unfortunately didn’t perform as expected. I was left feeling so disheartened, wondering how this could have happened after all the hard work I put into it, particularly in selecting the right cast members. It took me nearly a year and a half to emerge from that deep sense of disappointment.

In my own journey, I recall Farhan sharing that during those days, there were no therapeutic ideas readily available. To fill this gap, he often ventured to Dehradun with his companions, visiting the esteemed Indian Military Academy (IMA). It was during these trips that an idea sparked in him – the genesis of Don.

When asked about his upcoming film “Don 3” during an interview with TopMob, director Farhan Akhtar shared some exciting news: Ranveer Singh and Kiara Advani will be starring as the main characters in this long-awaited movie. He also mentioned that the production team plans to start filming in 2025, and he’s eagerly looking forward to bringing this project to life.

Apart from mentioning that he’s taking up the direction for Jee Le Zaraa, Farhan expressed his sentiment that after participating in numerous remarkable movies, he misses the creative control that comes with directing and is eager to get back behind the camera.

In the same podcast discussion, the director clarified that they chose Ranveer Singh for Don 3 because the character demanded a fresh, dynamic performer such as him. The director praised Ranveer for his charisma, mischief, and vitality, explaining why Shah Rukh Khan wasn’t considered for the trilogy role.

Farhan pointed out that so far, Ranveer hasn’t tackled a part like the one in Don 3, implying there’s still potential for him to explore deeper acting dimensions. He further mentioned that, with exceptions like Lootera, most of Ranveer’s roles have been boisterous characters that seemed to align closely with his own persona and were more externally focused.

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2024-08-09 15:38