Back in 2016, Farhan Akhtar was featured on the cover page of Rolling Stone India Magazine.
Whether as a filmmaker, writer, or actor, Farhan Akhtar is undeniably a great talent. But as far as the singer Farhan Akhtar is concerned, it's quite difficult to put him in a particular box. Technically speaking, he may not be called a "great singer" as he lacks the qualities of a traditional playback artist. That's why we don't even place him in the same league as the likes of Sonu Nigam and Arijit Singh. But you know, art is not about perfection - it's about emotions that resonate with the masses on a deeply personal level. And in this regard, Akhtar is someone we can never get enough of. As composer Salim Merchant aptly put it, he "sings from the heart... which may not be technically good, but it touches hearts." And not to mention, there's some kind of magic (read ‘Magik’) in his voice, which soothes our souls, taking us through a spiritual experience. Also, being an actor-director himself, he instinctively knows how to tell stories through his music - which, without an iota of doubt, puts him ahead of others.
Well, we don't really need a reason to write about Farhan Akhtar. But today, on his 51st birthday, let's celebrate the singer in him that we want more of.
Being the son of Javed Akhtar, Farhan Akhtar had a natural inclination towards music while growing up. Although he was quite passionate about it (learned guitar and all), he never considered pursuing it as a career at that time. As you may already know, his aspiration was to become a filmmaker.
With hits like 'Dil Chahta Hai', 'Lakshya', and 'Don', Akhtar established himself as a new-age Bollywood filmmaker during the early 2000s. Then, in 2008, with the musical drama 'Rock On!!', audiences were introduced to two new sides of him - actor & singer.
What's worth noting is Akhtar was always aware that his voice was not suitable for a playback singer. Yet, he decided to sing for himself in the film, because he thought that would add value to the narrative. Later, he explained in an interview with Indian Express, "My skill level or my tone is not in that area, it's not in the vicinity at all. That's why I don't sing for others, as I'm not a playback singer. When I feel that in my film if I will sing for my character, it will enhance the believability of my performance, so that's where it came from, I absolutely enjoyed it and I'm not apologetic at all."
Arjun Rampal and Farhan Akhtar in a still from ‘Rock On!!’
The entire soundtrack of 'Rock On!!' was a massive hit upon the film's release. Thanks to Akhtar's raw and unconventional singing, songs like "Pichle Saat Dinon Mein," "Socha Hai", and "Tum Ho Toh" became chartbusters. And that opened the door to a whole new world for him.
(Credit: T-Series)
After 'Rock On!!', he went on to sing several other tracks for Hindi films, such as 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' (song: Señorita), 'Shaadi Ke Side Effects' (songs: Bawla Sa Sapna, Yahaan Wahaan, & Aahista Aahista), 'Dil Dhadakne Do' (songs: Dil Dhadakne Do & Gallan Goodiyan), 'Wazir' (song: Atrangi Yaari), 'Rock On 2' (songs: Jaago, You Know What I Mean, Manzar Naya, and Woh Jahaan), and 'Bharat Ane Nenu' (song: I Don't Know).
Thanks to the raw and unconventional approach, and not to mention the storytelling, in his music, Farhan Akhtar - the singer - soon became a hot favorite of the Indian youth. During the late 2000s and early 2010s, he performed at countless college shows and music festivals, gaining a solid fan base across the country.
In 2013, he took it to another step by creating his own band, Farhan Live. Needless to say, the band has grown to be quite a phenomenon worldwide. Over the years, they have performed in various countries, including the USA, the UK, Australia, UAE, Singapore, Kenya, and Oman.
(Credit: faroutakhtar)
On the other hand, Akhtar has also worked as an independent music artist. When he is not occupied with films, he creates music, although he doesn't share all of it with us.
(Credit: farhanliveofficial)
Back in 2019, he released his first solo album, titled 'Echoes', consisting of 11 singles (all penned by himself). Producer Tommaso Colliva (a recipient of the Grammy Awards) described it as a "songwriter's album" - and if you listen to any of the songs, you will realize that he is absolutely right! Each song here (whether it's "Seagull", "My Friend Who Was", or "Be All You Can Be") reflects the sheer intellect and emotional depth of Akhtar himself, which also takes us through his evolution as an artist and as a human being.
(Credit: Farhan Akhtar)
Speaking about the album, he shared in an interview with NDTV, "I came at a point in my journey in 2015-16, when there was a desire to share all of it with the audience. We had been connecting with the audience through music with live concerts and I felt it is lot of fun to do. But to grow as an artiste, it is important to share an album with them."
Initially, as Akhtar has admitted in several of his interviews, the response to his singing was a "mixed bag". But as time has passed, his music has grown in popularity, with more and more people coming to love and appreciate it.
