Published By: Sayan Paul

Farhan Akhtar's Birthday Special: Why We Need More Of The 'Director' In Him

After the release of 'Dil Chahta Hai', Farhan Akhtar received credit for pioneering a "new wave" in mainstream Hindi cinema.

It's a huge loss for cinema that the director in Farhan Akhtar has taken a backseat in recent years. While he continues to impress us as an actor, singer, and producer - a true “Jack of all trades” - it goes without saying that he is at his best behind the camera. More importantly, his direction style has its unique spark, putting him in a league of his own. Today, at a time when Bollywood seems stuck in formulaic storytelling, we badly need Akhtar to come back and break the structure, pioneering a new era in every sense. Well, just like he did in the early 2000s with 'Dil Chahta Hai'.

Born on January 9, 1974, Akhtar made his directorial debut with 'Dil Chahta Hai' (2001), which won the National Award for Best Hindi Film and Filmfare Awards for Best Film (Critics) and Best Screenplay. He followed it with 'Lakshya' in 2004, and then 'Don' in 2006 and its sequel 'Don 2' in 2011. There has been some buzz about 'Don 3', however, there's no concrete update or confirmation on when he will don the director's hat again.

(Credit: Calcutta Times)

Today, as we celebrate Akhtar's 51st birthday, let's understand his directorial voice that we need more of.

The Urban Sensibilities

First and foremost, Akhtar has an unmatched understanding of Westernized urban youth in India's metro cities. In 'Dil Chahta Hai', he depicted the culture (specifically of Mumbai) in a way that audiences had never seen before. Whether it's the friendships, relationships, or aspirations of the youth - he handled various complex subjects deftly. The same is evident in 'Lakshya' as well, where a city guy doesn't know what he wants to pursue in life - and when he does, magic happens!

(Credit: prime video IN)

This sensibility of Akhtar is hard to match, and no one comes close to it (Zoya Akhtar's style is a bit different).

Building Memorable Characters

Without an iota of doubt, Akhtar is a master at developing relatable and memorable characters. In 'Dil Chahta Hai', the three lead characters feel remarkably real - from Akash's fun-loving nature to Sid's sensitivity to Sam's hopelessness. And here, the director knows how to focus on the characters' individual evolution, while simultaneously maintaining the chemistry between all of them. In 'Lakshya', Karan reflects countless young men in the country who feel lost in the rat race. And yet, Karan finding his 'lakshya' gives us hope that we too will find our goal sooner or later. Whether it's the conflicts, the internal dilemmas, or the emotional arcs - Akhtar crafts his characters so beautifully that they leave a lasting impact on us.

Hrithik Roshan in ‘Lakshya’

And it's not just the relatable characters - he excels in crafting larger-than-life as well. For instance, in his 'Don' franchise, he reinvented the iconic character and made it his own. Keeping the essence intact, he added a modern twist to the character, making it more suitable for the time.

Shah Rukh Khan as Don

A Modern Visual Storytelling

There's a common saying in filmmaking: "Show, don't tell". And Farhan Akhtar has followed it in all his films. For instance, the evolving friendship between Akash, Sid, and Sam in 'Dil Chahta Hai' is conveyed through imagery and actions instead of long dialogues. In 'Lakshya', Karan's transformation from an aimless young man to a soldier is depicted through his clothes (color and designs), and also through camera angles. Moreover, the 'Don' franchise is an example of his understanding of Hollywood's sleek style (as evident in 'James Bond' or 'Mission Impossible' series). Through framing and compositions, he depicts lots of subtexts subtly and makes us hooked to the narrative.

The trio of ‘Dil Chahta Hai’

And being a musician himself, Akhtar knows how to use music as a storytelling tool. In 'Dil Chahta Hai', he portrayed the entire dynamics between the three friends in that title song sequence. When there's a fallout between them, a song sequence comes ("Tanhayee") and conveys everything just in a few minutes. When each of them falls in love, it's again a song sequence in every case (“Jaane Kyun”, “Kaisi Hai Ye Ruth” and “Who Ladki Hai Kahan”) to depict the new chapters in their lives. In 'Lakshya', a "Main Aisa Kyun Hoon" establishes Karan's characteristics, an "Agar Main Kahoon" depicts his feelings for Romi, and a "Kitni Baatein" showcases their eternal bond. In the 'Don' series, songs like "Main Hoon Don", "Yeh Mera Dil", or " Zaraa Dil Ko Thaam Lo" are used as part of narratives as well.

(Credit: Brut India)

Well, Farhan Akhtar is a true new-age filmmaker who has created a whole new genre in Bollywood. He knows how to balance entertainment and enlightenment in his works, making us better human beings. Man, let's file a petition to bring him back to the director's chair.