Trivia

He is exactly one day older than actor Hrithik Roshan, who's a close friend in personal life.

In an interview on the talk show "The Lounge" with Simone Singh (on the Indian channel CNBC-TV18), Akhtar said that when he left college, he spent about two years at home and did nothing productive. During those two years, he watched about two films daily. Akhtar said that it was this period of his life which allowed him to connect with Karan Shergill, the protagonist of Lakshya (2004). Lakshya, which film Akhtar directed, begins with Karan as a young, unemployed slacker who stays at home, sleeps late, and has no ambition or aim in life.

He loves to write poetry in English and Urdu.

Farhan did something very unconventional in Bollywood by singing all his songs himself for the movie Rock On!! (2008) as the movie featured him as a rockstar. Before this movie a very few other actors have done something similar but just for one song and that too experimentally, but Farhan by using his own voice corrected an age-old error which had become a norm of Hindi movies, i.e. the voice of the actor changing during songs because of a totally different voice of playback singer lending his/her voice in the song for the actor on screen.

He directed the music video for the 1998 hit song "Breathless" from the debut album of Shankar Mahadevan, which made him famous. Later on Farhan Akhtar and Shankar Mahadevan went on to collaborate in every movie Farhan directed, with Shankar composing the music for his films as the trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy (Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa).

Son of renowned Indian lyricist/poet Javed Akhtar and screenplay and story writer Honey Irani. Brother of Zoya Akhtar, cousin of Kabir Akhtar, and grandson of Jan Nissar Akhtar.

Farhan was ready with a powerful script for a film on the lines of a Hollywood war movie complete with a Hollywood cast. The film was titled Sid and was to have majority of the crew and cast member from the West. The script was ready and was supposedly a power packed action venture. The story is war-based, along the lines of Hollywood flick 300. Sid was to be directed by Farhan's best director these days Abhishek Kapoor who also directed his debut film Rock On! The story is by Ashok Kumar Banker, the author of Ramayana. He had earlier written Gods of War. Farhan insists that the film is neither based on God of Wars nor a sequel to Lakshya as perceived by many in the industry. It's a completely different film with a one-of-its kind story.

Former wife's name is Riya Jain.

Was approached for Rana Daggubati's role in Dum Maaro Dum but refused.

In 2008, he started directing a film titled "A Voice From The Sky". Set in Calcutta 1905, it was based on the invention of the telephone and centered around a young boy. It starred Akshaye Khanna. Later Saif Ali Khan had agreed to the film but for some unknown reason dropped out. Farhan was considering originally Irrfan Khan before Saif, but was advised to sign Saif due to commercial reasons. He later shelved the film and started Don 2.

Cousin is Hollywood producer-writer-director Kabir Akhtar. Kabir is the son of poet Salman Akhtar. Kabir also has a sister named Nishat who appeared on the Canadian talk show Camp Summit. Nishat Akhtar is a creative director at Instrument and an adjunct professor of design at Portland State University .

Cousin to Bollywood actress-director-choreographer Farhah Khan and Sajid Khan. Brother-in-law to director Shirish Kunder.

Step-grandson of Shaukat Azmi and Kaifi Azmi.

Nephew of actor-director Kamran Khan, who is the father of Farah and Sajid Khan.

Nephew of script writer K. K. Shukla, who was married to Farhan's aunt Daisy Irani.

Cousin Kabir Shukla (son of Daisy Irani) works for Zee Cinema. He is the creative director for promos that air.

Cousin to producer Ritu Shukla (Daisy Irani's daughter).

Nephew of child actors Sarosh Irani and Bunny.

Grandson of producer Mrs. P. N. Irani (Perin Noshir Irani), who produced the film Bachpan. Grandfather's name is Noshir Irani.

Nephew of actress Daisy Irani. Not to be confused with the same name Singapore TV producer and actress Daisy Irani (Subaiah). That Daisy Irani is the daughter of Gujarati actress Padmarani and theatre director Namdar Irani. Namdar was the paternal uncle of actress Aruna Irani.

Nephew of actress Mona Rajput, who is married to Farhan's uncle, actor Sarosh Irani.

In 2004, Ritu Parno Ghosh was planning to make a film with Amitabh Bachchan, Shabana Azmi and introduce Farhan Akhtar as a actor. It was about a father who outshines his loser son. The film was shelved for unknown reasons.

Starred in Aparna Sen's shelved film "Gulel", which was to star Ajay Devgan, Konkana Sen Sharma (who replaced Kareena Kapoor), Saif Ali Khan, Sushmita Sen (who replaced Bipasha Basu), and Urmila in a special appearance. This was in 2008. There was a story going around that Ranbir Kapoor and Farhan Akhtar had replaced Ajay and Saif in 2009.

Cousin Varsha ( Daughter of Daisy Irani) is married to actress Kumkum's nephew. director Hadi Ali Abrar.

Dating Shibani Danderkar,a popular TV hostess and singer.

Endorses German watch brand - A Lange.