What inspired you to seek a career in movies?
I loved watching Mr Bachchan’s and Robert De Niro’s films all through my younger years. I’d be like, “This is the best thing in the world!” and, “Man, I want to be able to do what these guys do.” Through De Niro
I was introduced to Martin Scorsese’s movies. So that’s how it started.

When did you really say, ‘Okay, I’m a good actor and I’m going to act’?
When I started acting, it was just an experiment (referring to The Fakir Of Venice). But it was a great experiment in getting my feet wet. I realised it was possible for me to play a character. Honestly, after that I didn’t go out looking for a role. But when Rock On!! came along, it just felt absolutely right. Given the milieu of the film and its characters, given that it was about music and I would be getting the opportunity to play the guitar (which is something I love), it felt absolutely right.

He wowed audiences and critics alike with his debut performance in the blockbuster Rock On!!. Farhan Akhtar took his first role and showed that not only can he act and portray the character with true depth but he can also sing! His next film, releasing this Friday, is Zoya Akhtar’s Luck By Chance. In the film he plays a struggling actor in the Hindi film Industry and it was quite a challenging role for the actor. Farhan recently talked to Aly about the film, working with Koko and his take on Luck! So sit back, relax and read the exciting interview we got by Chance!

It’s actually quite difficult to come up with questions for you because you wear so many caps in the industry - you’re an actor, director and producer. So how do you balance these three careers and how do you decide which takes priority?

Well, as far as production goes I have a partner in the company whose name is Ritesh Sidhwani, and he is really the one who deals with all the production issues. So my involvement, really, is not a day-to-day involvement that is hands on. It’s mainly handled by him. As far as the other aspects go, whether it’s acting or directing, it’s really a case of time management and not doing both of them simultaneously. You know, making sure that I have adequate time to prepare for each job when it’s been scheduled to happen. So it’s really a question of time management.

One doesn't expect Farhan Akhtar to be portraying the role of a struggler on screen. After all he has been born to an illustrious family and has enjoyed the luxuries of life. Since he himself has never struggled to reach where he is today, how could he portray the emotions of a struggler in LUCK BY CHANCE?

"I won't say that I have never struggled. Maybe if you have read about it somewhere, it is wrong because I was perhaps misquoted. I too have had my fair share of struggle, whether it was becoming a producer, director, actor or a singer. Everyone goes through this phase, regardless of the background", says Farhan Akhtar as he gets ready for the final leg of the promotion of this Zoya Akhtar directed film which is releasing on 30th January.

One look at the promos of LUCK BY CHANCE and you know for sure that it is not a frivolous film in the offering. Though the film has its song and dance routines with all the fun in the offering, LUCK BY CHANCE does seem to be carrying a much deeper meaning to it. Considering the fact that one can't be sure about what's the kind of narrative that the film has followed and its ultimate culmination, can the audience still expect a happy ending for this Zoya Akhtar directed film?

Director, actor, singer and now a television show anchor. Why did ‘Oye...’ It’s Friday appeal to you?

The show is going to be different and will have mass appeal. It is a first time attempt on Indian television to include talents from various fields on such a large scale.

You have been a reality show judge on television earlier.

But Oye... is a completely different experience. This show will have singing, dancing, gags with cutting-edge humour and mimicry. I’m the host of the show, but I would rather term myself as the master of ceremony because I will be interacting both with the viewers and the guests on the show.

Farhan Akhtar is a man of many talents. He is a skilled director, singer and now a proven actor. A man of few words he steers away from all controversies even if it means disagreeing with Step mother Shabana Azmi. In an interview given to Spicezee’s Swati Chaturvedi for her show ‘Kahiye Janab’, the director par excellence openly talked about the difference of opinion that the two share.

Here are excerpts from a candid chat with the‘Rock On’ star:

The actor in him needs no introduction after Rock On! And that is exactly what ETC in Bollywood Ka Asli Hisaab Kitaab style discloses in an exclusive interview about Farhan Akhtar on B Biz. The director-actor navigates through his debut movie Rock On! to his forthcoming films. Farhan talks to Taran Adarsh about his next movie – Luck by Chance which is directed by his sister-Zoya Khan and having acted in an English movie – Fakir of Venice which is a black comedy.

Difference of opinion is always welcome. He believes in speaking what he feels is right even if it means contradicting with step mother Shabana Azmi.

India’s favourite singer, director and now the actor Farhan Akhtar gets real and unfold his thoughts; as he gets into an interesting conversation with Swati Chaturvedi exclusively on Kahiye Janab, the celebrity chat show on Zee News.

Scheduled for this weekend, Saturday 20, 2008, viewers get a sneak peak into the life of Farhan Akhtar, the man with multiple talents.