Farhan Akhtar will be directing very soon

He's acted and he's sung, he's written films and is also anchoring a TV show. But now, after successfully impressing with his acting skills in "Rock On!" and "Luck By Chance", Farhan Akhtar is itching to get back into directing.

Farhan, who has been juggling the roles of writer, director, actor, singer, TV host and producer, says he enjoys everything he does but direction is next on the agenda.

"I'll be directing very soon. Right now I don't know whether that will be my earlier postponed directorial venture 'Voice From The Sky' or not, but direction is on my agenda," Farhan told IANS over the phone from Mumbai.

He carved a niche for himself with his directorial debut "Dil Chahta Hai" (2001), which along with other honours bagged a National Award too. He later directed "Lakshya" and "Don - The Chase Begins".

Asked which facet of filmmaking gives him maximum creative satisfaction, he said: "It's very difficult to pick one thing and say that this gives me the maximum creative satisfaction and I enjoy doing that the most. It is said that every action has an equal and opposite reaction; so I enjoy every action I do.

"When audiences appreciate whatever you do and your skill is respected and spoken about in the industry, it sure feels nice, no matter which skill they are appreciating."

"Luck By Chance", which is Zoya Akhtar's directorial debut, has been received well by critics as well as the audiences and Farhan says he is proud of his elder sister.

"I'm extremely proud of Zoya's work. I'm happy for her as a brother and as a producer. It's great to know that the film has received appreciation from all corners and that Zoya's eye for detail, her writing and the way she has extracted performances from the actors are lauded too," he said.

Zoya approached many stars for the role that Farhan ultimately played, but they refused it saying that the character had grey shades. Farhan, however, says he had absolutely "no apprehensions playing Vikram Jaisingh" in "Luck By Chance".

"I was not at all apprehensive about doing the role because, according to me, it's a very real life-like character. You often see people like him; he is not someone difficult to find. I could very well imagine a person who is like my character; hence there were no doubts in my mind," said Farhan.

He says his two little daughters Shakya and Akira get extremely excited when they see him on screen.

"The little one is only two years old; so she is quite small to actually give any reaction verbally, but she gets excited when she sees me on the screen. The elder one, who is eight, too feels extremely thrilled when she sees my film. When her friends tell her that they saw me on TV, it makes her very happy," said Farhan, who recently won the STAR Screen Best Debut Award for "Rock On!".

Some of his forthcoming films as an actor include "Kartik Calling Kartik", Abhinay Deo's untitled film that also stars Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai and Reema Kagti's next.

Do Stars really live up to their names

They say the name of a child determines the way they live the rest of their lives. So when Prithviraj Kapoor names his son Raj, years later Raj Kapoor did in fact rule Bollywood. Kishore means a ‘young boy’ and if we look at Kishore Kumar this can’t be truer for anyone else!

We take a look at our current lot of top Bollywood actors and see whether they have kept true to their name:

Shah Rukh Khan - The Face of a King
SRK is the closest that anyone can come to living their name. His mother may have named him thinking that he had the face of a King and today millions of fan all over the world agree. No wonder then the superstar is living the life of a true king – big palatial homes, hit movies, huge bank balance and a reign in Bollywood that is truly King size!

Hrithik Roshan – From the Heart
Known to take decisions instinctively and working from the heart and not the head are some of the ways that one can describe this light eyed superstar. Hrithik shot to super stardom with just his first film Kaho Na Pyaar Hai. And after that there has been no looking back for him. Working in films that are produced by papa Rakesh, Hrithik is definitely working from the heart and not by the bank balance!

Akshay Kumar - Eternal, immortal, indestructible
Khiladi Kumar’s name signifies what we have seen Akshay do in his nineteen years in the industry. Fight the odds, kick some serious butt in his films and perform death defying stunts have been synonymous with Kumar’s films. And despite coming from a family with no connection in Bollywood, Akki has gone on to become one of the most successful and richest stars at the Bollywood box office!

Aamir Khan – Prince, Ruler or Commander
Aamir falls a little short of Shah Rukh. While SRK’s name means the face of a king, Aamir’s name means a prince or a commander. And don’t we know all about it! The actor has managed to maintain his command in Bollywood. In a highly competitive industry, Khan stuck to his guns and only worked in one film a year and he has yet created his niche in the industry. For many he is the rules of Bollywood.

Salman Khan – Protector, Conqueror
Salman’s means to protect or conquer. And in the case of the man we all love to hate, this definitely holds true. The actor is extremely protective of all the people in his life. Whether it was his mother, sister, lover or ex-girlfriends, the actor has always been fiercely protective. And at the same time he has loved conquering the women that most men knew were definitely out of their reach!
Another connotation of Salman is also peace and don’t we all know about Salman’s passion for world peace. No wonder he started the Being Human Foundation!

Farhan Akhtar – Merry, Happy
Bollywood’s latest poster boy Farhan’s name means to be happy. And have we ever seen Farhan not smiling? The actor-director has an amazing sense of humour, is the life of the party and is one of the most loved people in the industry.

American critics now rave about Luck By Chance

The success of Mumbai-set "Slumdog Millionaire" seems to be opening the eyes of American movie critics to films set in India going by the rave reviews for Zoya Akhtar's "Luck By Chance".

To the Los Angeles Times, the simultaneous release of 'Luck by Chance' in India, the US, Canada, Britain and elsewhere "seemed charged with an unusual excitement", while New York Times believes Akhtar "shows herself to be a master of extremes".

"A fabulous circus-theme musical number pulls out all the stops, but a scene in which an acting teacher explains why Hindi stars have to be more talented than those in Hollywood is a subtle comic gem," said New York Times' Neil Genzlinger.

To the Los Angeles Times' Mark Olsen, Akhtar displays assured storytelling skills in a film about chasing fame in India's movie industry.

Comparing the film to "Slumdog Millionaire," Olsen said the film actually bears a stronger resemblance to another Oscar contender, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button".

"Both films are willing to face storytelling clichés head-on and refashion them not by winking irony, but with a clear-eyed sincerity matched by a skilful knowingness of when to ease off just enough to keep things from toppling into inanity," he said.

"Imagine 'A Star Is Born' if Judy Garland's character had been devious, manipulative and ruthlessly ambitious," said the Film Journal critic.

"Then add insightful satire, wryly funny dialogue, a dollop of drama, and one knockout musical number that plays like Cirque du Soleil on speed, and you've got this latest entry from the mainstream Indian fantasy factory called Bollywood.

"Most of the musical numbers play under montages, but there is one full-out, film-within-a-film full production: the joyous 'Baawre', the aforesaid circus-set number that's worth the price of admission alone. OK, that's hyperbolic. But it is a ravishing cornucopia of colour, sounds, shapes and sizes, as dazzling as the movie is down-to-earth."

Movie website flickchick.com said "poised somewhere between art movie and mainstream feature," Akhtar's "satirical skewering of the ugly realities behind celluloid dreams breaks no new ground".

"But it's a sharp, sly variation on the theme, starting with the bittersweet opening montage that pays tribute to all those nameless, faceless drones who keep the machinery humming," it added.

B.O. update: 'Luck By Chance' & 'Victory' start slow

The two new releases, LUCK BY CHANCE and VICTORY, had a slow start on Friday in India. What comes as a surprise is the fact that the two films were well-publicized prior to their release. LUCK BY CHANCE started on a 25% - 30% note at plexes, while VICTORY was 10% to 20% at several screens.

LUCK BY CHANCE has an advantage of a strong word of mouth and glowing reviews by the English media in India, which should help the film consolidate its position over the weekend. The exhibitors are hopeful that the business should pick up from Friday evening onwards.

VICTORY isn't carrying positive reports and the word of mouth is strictly average/below average. Also, the reviews are far from flattering and that makes its survival chances remote, unless a miracle occurs.

Luck By Chance - Movie Review

By Taran Adarsh

One has often heard, read and seen [on screen] the positive and negative aspects of Bollywood. It would be erroneous to state that LUCK BY CHANCE does a pol-khol of the glamorous industry. Let's put it this way: The film mirrors the behind-the-scenes drama and manoeuvring exactly the way it occurs in showbiz. Watching LUCK BY CHANCE is like experiencing it first-hand.

If you're associated with Bollywood, if you know how the machine works, you'd laud and applaud, laugh and smile, identify and understand and at times, empathize and sympathize with the characters in LUCK BY CHANCE. Zoya Akhtar's take on an industry that attracts millions of hopefuls year after year is bang on target.

Almost three decades ago, Hrishikesh Mukherjee's GUDDI depicted a star-struck teenager's [Jaya Bhaduri] obsession for a top star [Dharmendra]. Along with the core issue, the film highlighted the behind-the-scenes hard work and labour that went into making movies.

LUCK BY CHANCE taps almost every important facet of Bollywood and presents assorted characters you've encountered some time in life: An over-ambitious aspirant who knows to make the right moves; an actress trying hard to get that big break, even if she has to compromise; an icon of the 1970s who desperately wants her daughter to be a star; a producer who looks at riding on big names, script be damned; a failed actor now looking at direction to redeem his career.

One of the prime reasons why LUCK BY CHANCE works is because the writing [Zoya Akhtar] is simply wonderful. Right from the characters, to the individualistic scenes, to the way Zoya puts them in a sequence, LUCK BY CHANCE is easily one of the most cohesive scripts this side of the Atlantic.

The verdict? Leave aside everything and hitch this joyride called LUCK BY CHANCE. It would be sacrilege to miss this one!

Sona [Konkona Sen Sharma] arrives in Mumbai with dreams of becoming a film star. She does whatever it takes, to make it. Vikram [Farhan Akhtar] has just moved to the city leaving the comforts of his Delhi home. He is used to getting what he wants and is smart enough to know when to demand it and when to manipulate it. Gradually, Sona and Vikram develop a romantic relationship.

Rolly [Rishi Kapoor] is a successful though superstitious producer who only works with the biggest stars. He is making a potential blockbuster launching Niki [Isha Sharwani], the daughter of 1970s superstar Neena [Dimple Kapadia]. The hero of the film, Zaffar Khan [Hrithik Roshan], is the superstar.

Zaffar decides to opt out of Rolly's film and that creates havoc in Rolly's life. Rolly decides to cast newcomers and finally, Vikram is shortlisted for the main role...

LUCK BY CHANCE picks up characters straight out of life and that's the beauty of this script. The interesting part is that each of these characters has a story running parallel to the main story. Although the writing is foolproof, this review would be incomplete if one failed to acknowledge a number of scenes that are the hallmark of this enterprise...

Note the sequence when Rishi Kapoor breaking down after Hrithik has walked out of his movie. It moves you!

On the lighter side, Farhan strikes a conversation with Dimple at a movie premiere and extols lavish praises on her.

Much later, an angry Dimple instructs Isha to patch up with Farhan, soon after Farhan and Isha's debut film has been declared a success. Watch the moments when Dimple recalls her early years.

The sequence featuring SRK.

If Zoya's writing is superb, her execution of the written material deserves distinction marks. This may be Zoya's directorial debut, but she treats the difficult subject like a veteran. Javed Akhtar's dialogues are remarkable. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's music is a mixed bag; the score could've been better. However, the choreography of the circus song is remarkable. Carlos Catalan's cinematography captures the right moods.

Farhan Akhtar is evolving into one of the most dependable actors of his generation. He's very real, very believable. No wonder, this character stands out. Konkona Sen Sharma is exceptional. The supremely talented actress delivers a sparkling performance yet again. Rishi Kapoor is incredible. A performance that merits the highest praise. Dimple Kapadia is in terrific form. It easily ranks amongst her most accomplished works. Juhi Chawla is first-rate. Isha Sharwani does her part well. Sanjay Kapoor springs a surprise. He registers an impact. Aly Khan is perfect.

Hrithik Roshan is truly wonderful. Note the sequence when he strikes a conversation with Karan Johar, only to realize that he himself had paved the way for Farhan in the industry. Only an accomplished actor could've handled this sequence with aplomb. Amongst the A-listers who make fleeting appearances in the film, the one who registers the maximum impact is Shah Rukh Khan.

On the whole, LUCK BY CHANCE is an outstanding film in all respects. A magnificent outing from the producers of ROCK ON!!, LUCK BY CHANCE is sure to prove an extremely lucky and rewarding experience at the box-office. Strongly recommended!

20 Bollywood stars light up Luck By Chance

Step aside, everyone. The buzz is that debutante director Zoya Akhtar is making a dhamal entry into Bollywood today with Luck By Chance — the film that’s been produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani and whose story and script has been penned by Zoya herself.

Happily, Bollywood’s the backdrop of this film and Zoya’s got film stars, filmmakers, fashion and costume designers shining in each frame, making it the first production of its kind.

The story is that she’s got over 20 prominent and interesting faces from Bollywood involved in the narrative of Luck By Chance. Ritesh explains, “In terms of how many celebs we have, the starcast is quite big; but the film is an insider’s journey into Bollywood and shows what mayhem goes into making a Hindi film. So we had to take real people from the industry. And all play themselves in the film.” A huge and challenging task. Ritesh adds, “Thank God Zoya didn’t write the script bringing all of them in one frame. It would have been crazy. They all form an integral part of the narrative and each appears at different intervals.”

So in just three hours, the audience will get to feast on Bollywood superstars Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, John Abraham, Ranbir Kapoor, Akshaye Khanna, Kareena Kapoor, Rani Mukerji, Dia Mirza, Vivek Oberoi, Boman Irani and others. And, to her credit, all these busy stars took time off their schedules to shoot for Zoya... but none of them charged for their appearances.

“Everyone went out of their way to adjust a day or two. All of them are friends who Farhan and Ritesh have worked with before,”says Zoya.

“They know that we will not exploit them. There is a certain level of trust between us and that’s why the film was possible,” she said.

Luck By Chance is presented by Big Pictures and Excel Entertainment and has Farhan and the very watchable Konkona Sen Sharma in the lead. The cherry on the cake is Hrithik Roshan, who plays a superstar in the film.

Preity to replace Farhan Akhtar

He has been a successful director, actor and even singer, but it seems Farhan Akhtar couldn’t quite make it as a TV chat show host.

After his show “Oye! It’s Friday” on NDTV Imagine refused to take off, despite featuring A-list celebrities such as Shah Rukh, Aamir, Hrithik and Priyanka, Farhan is likely to be ousted from the talk show and will most likely be replaced by Preity Zinta.

Karan Johar is said to have been the desired replacement but as he is busy with the shooting of “My Name is Khan”, the filmmaker could not commit to the talk show.

So Preity now is one of the favourite contenders and the second in line is Anupam Kher, although nothing has yet been finalised.

When the channel was contacted about whether it is going to take the show off air, it was said there is no such plan. They also said they are happy with the show even though it does not fetch the desired TRPs.

Meanwhile let’s have a look at the statistics. Star Plus serial “Bidaai” is highest on TRP with 8.54%, “Balika Vadhu” on Colors with 8.28%, while “Oye! It’s Friday” has only 0.82%. Did the channel see these ratings before being happy about the show?

Farhan gets intimate, measures Deepika's height

Chandni Chowk To China getting ready for release, this week's special guest on 'Oye! It's Friday!' is none other than Deepika Padukone. What makes the episode special is the fact that Farhan Akhtar celebrates his birthday in this episode where there are tons of surprises and gifts galore. The episode travels from Chandni Chowk To China with Deepika Padukone and then to Mumbai with the latest item-hotty Sherlyn Chopra who comes up with a sizzling performance. Add to that some action from Sweden with Mattias Lindstrom and his spectacular 'Man on wheels' - all of which makes this week's episode worth remembering.

- Deepika's love for Ranbir is a known fact. However, expect some more sweet nothings as Farhan gets candid with the beautiful Deepika Padukone while chatting about her relationship with Ranbir Kapoor. Deepika also shares her experience working with Akshay Kumar in CC2C.

- Deepika also narrates her hopes and dreams of settling down and getting married. Of course, she also talks about her new found friendship with none other than Sonam Kapoor, whose Delhi 6 would be releasing just a few weeks after CC2C.

- It becomes a full on fun outing as there is a very special surprise for Farhan Akhtar in the form of his dad's (the renowned lyricist and writer Javed Akhtar) visit on the show. Giving everyone a surprise visit, Javed Akhtar wishes his son a very Happy Birthday, only to continue chatting with Deepika. Expect some naughty talks in the offering as the loving dad reveals quite a few of Farhan's secrets and childhood pranks!

- In the true tradition of fun being a dominant factor on 'Oye! It's Friday!', Deepika also goes on to endorse, hold your breath, 'Oye Hair product'!

- Deepika is known for her towering height. Well, Farhan eventually gets the right measurements of her, well for height of course, by bringing a measuring tape on the show, making her stand upright and hold the tape from the top as he places the other end on her feet. Wanna guess her real height?

- As is known by one and all by now, for her upcoming film Chandni Chowk To China, Deepika Padukone underwent rigorous training in martial arts. Not someone to just believe in hearsay (in lighter vein of course), Farhan put her training to the test by asking her to break a 3 layered brick! Not to be taken for a ride by someone, the young lady convinced Farhan to do the deed instead! Did Farhan manage to break the brick or break his hand?

- Talking about stunts, Deepika demonstrates her prowess as a 'stunt queen', as learnt in Chandni Chowk To China, in the show. Watch out for her next move!

- Mattias Lindstrom from Sweden gets an international touch and class to the show and comes up with an unbelievable 'Man on wheels' act! He has been known globally for his spell-binding and awe-inspiring 'Cyre Wheel' act since 1999, hence making this segment belong to 'Don't Miss This One' category!

- Watch out for some 'Balle Balle' as 'Bhangra Power' comes on full force with Farhan being the center of attraction. There are quite a few professional 'bhangra' dancers who storm the show and make Farhan join them for the jig. That's not at all as Javed Akhtar and Deepika too are not to be left behind and match the steps!

- Meanwhile hot and steamy Sherlyn Chopra makes sure that it's not just Deepika who entertains Farhan on his birthday special. She sets the stage on fire with her sizzling bold performance of Dard-e-Sherlyn and 'Khawaab Dekhe Jhoothe Moothey' [Race].

- The fun and dance continues with Deepika getting back to the 'Dhoom Tana' [Om Shanti Om] act. What makes her revive the dance number? Well, she teaches none other than Farhan Akhtar the steps and the 'amrapali mudra' made ever-so-memorable by Farah Khan!

- The Om Shanti Om fun isn't limited to 'Dhoom Taana'. Farhan Akhtar gets into his jovial best as he imitates Deepika's much remembered scene 'Ek Chutki Sindoor' from the film.

- There are some somber moments in the show as well with Farhan Akhtar trying his hand at piano. In the last episode it was Priyanka's chance to play drums while this week it is Farhan himself taking his piano lessons. 'Oye! It's Friday!' is turning out to be some musical show!

This one is slated to be a fun, touching and electrifying episode. Don't miss 'Oye! It's Friday!' on 9th January 2009 at 10:00 PM only on NDTV Imagine.

Deepika, Javed Akhtar celebrate Farhan's birthday on Oye! It's Friday

Well, you may have guessed it by now that Farhan Akhtar's birthday is just around the corner and what better way to celebrate it than on your own chat show? Well that's what Farhan had in mind; however he was in for a big surprise himself...

For the first time on the show 'Oye! It's Friday', the tables got turned as Farhan came under the spot light. Although it was supposed to be like any other episode, with the gorgeous leggy lass Deepika Padukone as the guest, things took a turn for the better with a sizzlingly hot performance by none other than item girl Sherlyn Chopra.

Adding to this was the fact that Farhan's father Javed Akhtar dropped in and started to reveal some facts about the star. Well, as you can imagine just by looking at the picture above, Deepika seems to be having a lot of fun reliving Farhan's childhood. It kind of looks like she's teasing him to stay till after Javedji finishes what he had to say about Farhan.