After wowing us on the tracks as the Flying Sikh in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Farhan Akhtar is coming to Calcutta on Sunday to go back to Rock On!! mode as he takes the stage for 91.9 Friends FM Presents Farhan Live Rock On Concert, at Netaji Indoor Stadium at 6pm. t2 put forward a few questions to Farhan about music, friendship and the show.

Despite such flourishing careers as writer, director and actor, you still do music concerts. What’s the inspiration?

The music itself and sharing the joy of it with fans.

If you can go back to the decision of singing all the songs yourself in Rock On!!... how difficult was the call and how did it finally happen?

It felt like the right thing to do. So, in a sense the mind was made up and effort to get it right followed.

Have you ever trained formally in music — singing or instruments?

I had a music teacher for a couple of years in my early years and I think the ear to recognise pitch and the feel for rhythm has stuck since then. If possible, I’d like to learn all (instruments). It’s like being able to speak all languages.

Who have been your biggest musical inspirations?

The Beatles are a big influence. Also, Kishore Kumar, RD Burman and Shankar Mahadevan.

Whose concerts have you enjoyed most? Whose concert would you like to catch?

The best by far were Michael Jackson and Roger Waters. The biggest regret is that I never got to see Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Saab.

It’s going to be the Friendship Day concert in Calcutta for you. What does friendship mean to you?

It means extended family.

Are your best friends from the film industry, since so many of you grew up together?

They’re both from within and from outside the film world.

It’s been more than a decade but Dil Chahta Hai remains the definitive film about friendship. If you can look back objectively and tell us what was so special about that film?

If I had to say something, I’d probably say it was the characters speaking everyday spoken language and not what is thought of as film dialogue.

There are still debates among movie buffs on whether Dil Chahta Hai is a better buddy film or Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. Do you and your sister Zoya fight over this at home? Which of the two films do you think is more enduring?

That’s for time itself to decide. We made the films we wanted to make.

What have you lined up for the Calcutta concert? If you can give us a sneak peek...

It’s a selection of songs from the last 12 years of Excel (Entertainment, Farhan’s production house). And why come prepared with a song list? Let’s jam and have fun.

Farhan will be singing these three (among many other) numbers on sunday. make sure you sing along!

PICHHLE SAAT DINO MEIN (ROCK ON!!) Meri laundry ka ek bill/ ik aadhi padhi novel/ ek ladki ka phone number/ mere kaam ka ek paper/mere, taash se heart ka king/ mera, ik chaandi ka ring/ pichhle saat dino mein maine khoya/ kabhi khud pe hansa main,aur kabhi khud pe roya.Present mili ek ghadi/pyaari thi mujhe badi/Mary Jane ka ek packet/ meri denim ki jacket/ do one-day match ke passes/ mere naye naye sunglasses/pichhle saat dino mein maine khoya/ kabhi khud pe hansa main,aur kabhi khud pe roya.

TUM HO TOH (ROCK ON!!) Tum ho to gaata hai dil/ tum nahi to geet kahaan/ tum ho to hai sab haasil/ tum nahi to kya hai yahaan/ tum ho toh hai sapno ke jaisa haseen ek samaa. Jo tum ho toh/ yeh lagta hai/ ki mil gayee har khushi/ jo tum na ho/ yeh lagta hai/ ki har khushi mein hai kami/ tum ko hai mangti/ yeh zindagiiiiii. Tum ho toh/ raahein bhi hai/ tum nahi toh raste kahaan/ tum ho toh yahaan sabhi hai/ tum nahi to kaun yahaan.

SINDBAD THE SAILOR (ROCK ON!!) Sindbad the sailor jahaaz mein jab chala/ mere yaar sun lo sun lo/ dhoondh rahaa tha ek nayi duniya ka pataa/ mere yaar sun lo sun lo.
Woh anjaani raahon mein tha/ woh lehron ki baahon mein tha/ sab ne kahaa tha in samundaron mein jaana nahi/ mere yaar sun lo sun lo/ khwabon ke peeche jaake kuch bhi hai paana nahi/ mere yaar sun lo sun lo.

his musical inspirations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

his fave live acts