Did you know Farhan Akhtar won a National Award at the age of 27? Guess the film that collected approx Rs. 39.40 crore in 2001

Actor-Singer Farhan Akhtar will turn 52 on January 9 it feels like the right time for ETimes to pause and look back at how one young filmmaker quietly changed Hindi cinema. Farhan did not arrive with loud noise or big claims. He came with one simple film and a fresh idea. Born to lyricist Javed Akhtar and writer Honey Irani, cinema was always around him. But still what he did at just 27 was not normal. It was rare, it was brave and it stayed in people’s hearts.

A debut that won a National Award

The maker of 'Don 3' was only 27 when he directed 'Dil Chahta Hai' in 2001. It was his first film. The story was about friendship, growing up, fights, love and change. It felt real. It felt new. People saw themselves in the characters played by Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna. The film did something special. It changed how friendship was shown in Bollywood.

Small list of films, big effect

Farhan did not rush into making many films. His list as a director is small but strong. After 'Dil Chahta Hai', he made 'Lakshya' in 2004. It was about finding purpose and growing up and set against a war backdrop. Then came 'Don' in 2006 and 'Don 2' in 2011. Although 'Don 2' was a commercial hit, the first part really showed Farhan's skill in re-telling an already existing story in a new narrative. All eyes are now on 'Don 3'.

These films gave a new style and modern look to a classic story. In 2008, he directed 'Rock On'!!. That film also marked his acting debut and brought rock music back into Hindi films in a big way.

More than just a director

Farhan Akhtar is not only a director, he is a multi-talented persona, he writes, acts, produces and sings. He slowly built his space without copying anyone. Recently, he was seen in '120 Bahadur'. According to Sacnilk, the film collected Rs 17.85 crore in India by day 14.