Lately
away
from
media
focus,
actor-director-singer-producer
Farhan
Akhtar
speaks
to
Subhash
K
Jha
How
has
life
been
lately?
Hectic.
Everything
is
going
great.
2010
just
swished
by.
It
was
an
exhausting
year.
I
am
hoping
that
all
the
hard
work
pays
off
this
year.
Fortunately,
my
wife
and
daughters
could
join
me
during
my
long
schedules
in
Spain
(for
Zindagi
Na
Milegi
Dobara)
and
Berlin
(Don
2).
Do
you
get
to
spend
enough
time
with
your
daughters?
How
do
you
define
'enough'?
They're
happy
children.
The
older
one
is
a
lot
aware
of
what
I
do.
She
has
begun
to
understand
what
I
do.
As
of
now
she's
more
reactive
to
the
music
in
my
cinema.
Even
the
younger
one
loves
the
Rock
On
music.
Now
both
my
daughters
are
into
the
music
of
Zoya's
Zindagi
Na
Milegi
Dobara
(ZNMD).
How
was
the
long
first
schedule
of
Don
2-The
Chase
Continues
in
Berlin?
I
haven't
really
figured
out
the
full
title.
As
of
now
it's
just
Don
2.
It
follows
Shahrukh's
character
into
a
different
adventure.
Yes,
the
character
has
grown.
Will
there
be
a
Don
3?
Yes,
why
not?
Let's
see.
I
do
enjoy
making
Don.
Right
now
I'm
just
happy
creating
a
whole
new
story
for
this
character.
It's
a
big
challenge
for
me.
We
are
60
percent
done
with
Don.
Is
it
more
action-oriented
than
the
first
Don?
I
don't
know
how
to
answer
that.
There
was
action
in
that
one,
there's
action
in
this
one.
I
hate
saying
things
like,
'You've
never
seen
anything
like
this
before.'
Yeah
there
are
action
sequences
where
Don
being
Don
is
up
to
no
good.
What
was
you
equation
like
with
Shahrukh
this
time?
I
feel
in
terms
of
his
real-life
personality
Don,
suits
Shahrukh
to
the
hilt.
In
real
life
too
there's
a
certain
flamboyance
and
magnetism
about
Shahrukh.
He
brings
these
qualities
effortlessly
to
the
part.
Also,
like
me,
he
has
great
respect
and
love
for
the
original
Don
(featuring
Amitabh
Bachchan).
At
the
same
time
he
gives
the
character
his
own
spin.
In
the
second
Don
we've
taken
some
of
the
essence
of
what
Shahrukh
did
in
the
first
Don.
But
we've
also
given
him
some
new
things
to
do.
You
wear
so
many
hats.
Are
comfortable
with
all
your
roles?
I
guess.
I've
no
regrets
about
any
of
my
roles.
It's
been
more
than
two
years
since
my
acting
debut
in
Rock
On.
Its
impact
lingers.
However,
I
genuinely
feel
my
dad
(Javed
Akhtar)
did
not
get
enough
credit
for
the
lyrics
he
wrote
in
Rock
On.
After
such
a
long
time
these
were
songs
that
were
so
non-situational.
Without
any
reference
point
he
wrote
lyrics
that
were
so
contagious
and
identifiable…Of
course
everyone
loved
the
music
of
Rock
On.
But
my
dad's
calibre
of
writing
in
the
songs
didn't
get
its
due.
In
2010
you
were
directed
by
your
sister
Zoya
in
Zindagi
Na
Milegi
Dobara
(ZNMD).
How
was
the
experience?
Yeah,
all
of
us-Zoya,
Hrithik
Roshan,
Abhay
Deol,
Katrina
Kaif,
Kalki
Koechlin
and
me…became
this
little
commune
travelling
across
Spain.
We
travelled
a
lot.
Spain
has
everything
from
beaches
to
mountains.
So
far
only
Bollywood
songs
have
been
shot
in
Spain.
There's
a
serious
change
in
topography
as
you
drive
through.
The
important
thing
was
for
us
to
look
like
we
belong
to
one
group
All
of
you
do
look
very
Hispanic?
(Thinks)
Come
to
think
of
it
we
do
have
a
similar
skin-tone
and
hair.
And
the
Spanish
crew
was
wonderful.
What's
most
important
is
that
we
were
working
with
like-minded
people.
We
made
sure
every
scene
was
fun.
Abhay,
Hrithik
and
I
spent
a
lot
of
time
together.
We
really
had
some
serious
fun.
Hrithik
I
knew
for
a
long
time.
Abhay
I
got
to
know
during
this
film.
He's
a
very
cool
guy.
ZNMD
looks
like
the
last
part
of
your
trilogy
on
male
bonding
after
Dil
Chahta
Hai
and
Rock
On?
Funny,
you
say
that.
And
why
the
last?
No,
I
don't
have
any
major
fascination
with
cinema
on
male
bonding.
Dil
Chahta
Hai
is
the
only
script
I
wrote
on
the
theme.
Gattu
(Abhishek
Kapoor)
wrote
Rock
On
a
fab
script
about
a
rock
band.
Zoya's
script
for
ZNMD
is
about
three
guys
on
the
verge
of
making
commitments
in
life.
Don't
you
think
Abhishek
Kapoor
and
Zoya
were
influenced
by
Dil
Chahta
Hai?
They
never
told
me.
I
never
asked
them.
I
know
both
liked
Dil
Chahta
Hai
very
much.
How
was
it
being
directing
by
your
sister
a
second
time?
In
Zoya's
Luck
By
Chance
I
was
a
sneaky
social
climber.
In
ZNMD
it's
a
sea-change.
I
play
this
guy
who
for
the
longest
time
takes
nothing
seriously.
I
am
not
even
rich
and
I
don't
pretend
to
be.
I'm
just
happy
being
the
way
I
am.
I
got
to
just
let
my
hair
down.
Many
moments
in
this
film
gave
me
a
chance
to
have
lots
of
fun.
After
Rock
On,
Luck
By
Chance
and
Kartik
Calling
Kartik
which
were
all
serious
angst-laden
characters
in
ZNMD
I
play
a
fun
character.
So
you
had
fun
doing
the
film?
Not
just
me.
All
of
us.
It
was
the
nature
of
the
script.
There
was
so
much
improvisation.
There
was
only
so
much
that
could
be
put
on
paper.
So
yeah
we
did
improvise.
We
participated
in
the
Tomatino
festival
in
Spain.
And
a
bull
fight?
Let
me
clarify
that
once
and
for
all.
There's
no
bullfight
in
ZNMD.
We
had
animal-rights
organizations
questioning
us
about
it.
We
sent
them
a
letter
saying
there
was
no
such
thing.
We
did
participate
in
a
Running
With
The
Bulls
festival.
No
bulls
got
injured
in
that.
We
shot
it
in
a
completely
controlled
environment.
We
plan
to
release
it
at
the
end
of
May.
Reema
Kagti's
film
starring
Aamir
Khan
which
you
are
producing
must
be
very
expensive
considering
Mr
Khan
doesn't
come
cheap?
No
it's
not
that
expensive.
It's
a
very
straightforward
thriller.
It
doesn't
demand
an
expensive
treatment.
The
final
cast
is
Aamir,
Kareena
Kapoor
and
Rani
Mukherjee.
And
we
have
a
host
of
other
good
actors
in
other
roles
What
about
your
singing?
All
three
of
us
Hrithik,
Abhay
and
I,
have
sung
in
ZNMD.
It's
a
party
situation.
It
seemed
interesting
to
lend
our
own
voices
to
our
characters.
It's
turned
out
really
really
well.
I
am
very
excited.
That's
the
only
song
I've
sung
in
a
movie
this
year.
Otherwise
I
am
constantly
singing
in
real
life.
I
was
singing
before
this
interview.
I'll
be
singing
after
we're
done.
If
that's
a
hint
I
am
not
taking
it.
(Laughs)
Seriously
I
enjoy
singing,
though
I
haven't
sung
for
anyone
else
on
screen
apart
from
myself.
Why
not?
You
get
so
many
offers
including
one
from
A
R
Rahman.
It's
not
because
I
am
possessive
about
my
voice.
I
don't
know
if
my
voice
will
work
on
anyone
else.
I
feel
my
singing
adds
to
my
performances.
I
don't
know
if
it
would
add
to
other
actors'
performances.
In
Kartik
Calling
Kartik
I
didn't
see
my
singing
adding
to
my
character,
so
I
didn't.
If
I
feel
really
kicked
about
singing
for
someone
else,
I
will.
Singing
is
not
a
profession
for
me.
As
of
now
I'll
sing
only
for
myself.
Do
you
also
look
into
the
individual
productions
that
emerge
from
your
banner,
or
do
you
leave
that
to
your
partner
Ritesh
Sidhwani?
Ritesh
deals
with
the
day-to-day
decisions.
But
the
larger
decisions,
we
sit
and
discuss.
Our
formula
for
success?
To
focus
relentlessly
on
telling
a
good
story.
To
me
that's
really
important.
People
remember
a
good
story.
Filmmaking
begins
for
me
with
finding
a
good
story.