Farhan Akhtar is all set to portray Bharat Ratna awardee and legendary sitar virtuoso Pandit Ravi Shankar in Sam Mendes` ambitious project, The Beatles- A Four-Film Cinematic Event, marking his Hollywood debut. The announcement has generated significant buzz among his fans as the project marks a major milestone in Farhan’s career. The actor recently reacted to a topical doodle celerating the milestone.
Farhan Akhtar reacts to topical about his Hollywood debut
Adding to the celebratory mood of the announcement, renowned dairy brand Amul India joined the excitement with its signature topical tribute. The brand released a witty illustrated creative, which featured Farhan sitting next to Pandit Ravi Shankar holding a sitar in his hand, along with Amul’s trademark punchline, “Sitar Turn for Farhan”
The dairy giant further wrote, “Amul Topical: Actor- director all set to make Hollywood debut in Beatles biopic as Ravi Shankar!”
Farhan Akhtar was moved by the gesture as he reshared the creative on his official Instagram handle and expressed gratitude to the team for the thoughtful tribute. “Aww thank you,” he wrote, tagging the brand followed by two red heart emojis.
Farhan Akhtar`s Hollywood debut
The upcoming film series is structured as four interconnected biopics, each narrated from the perspective of a different member of the iconic British band, The Beatles. The project is slated for a global theatrical release in April 2028.
Akhtar will step into the role of Pandit Ravi Shankar, whose influence on The Beatles, particularly through his close friendship with guitarist George Harrison, played a pivotal role in introducing Indian classical music to Western popular culture.
Shankar`s mentorship of Harrison led to the incorporation of the sitar and Indian musical elements into several Beatles tracks, creating a cross-cultural exchange that reshaped the band`s evolving sound during the late 1960s.
The ensemble cast features Paul Mescal who will portray Paul McCartney, while Harris Dickinson takes on the role of John Lennon. Barry Keoghan has been cast as Ringo Starr, and Joseph Quinn will essay George Harrison.
While Akhtar previously made a brief appearance as Waleed, in the Marvel series Ms. Marvel in 2022, this film represents his first major international screen role.
On the acting front, the actor has delivered outstanding performances in films such as Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Toofan, Wazir, Karthik Calling Karthik, and The Sky is Pink, among others. He was last seen in 120 Bahadur.
(With inputs from ANI)