Farhan Akhtar started his career by working as an apprentice with cinematographer-director, Manmohan Singh at age 17, for films like Lamhe (1991); before going on to assist director, Pankaj Parashar in film Himalayputra (1997), followed by working in a television production house for three years, doing various jobs.

He made his writing and directorial debut in Hindi cinema with the 2001-hit, Dil Chahta Hai, produced by Excel Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., a production company he co-established along with Ritesh Sidwani in 1999.The movie told the story of three friends (played by Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna), recently graduated from college and dealing with issues of love and friendship. It was a critical and commercial success, especially popular among the younger generation. It earned quite a few nominations at various award shows, including for Best Screenplay, Direction and Film. It won that year’s National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.

Akhtar then moved onto his next project, Lakshya (2004), a movie about an aimless youngster finally setting a goal for himself, starring Hrithik Roshan and Preity Zinta. Though the movie did not do as well at the box-office, it won him much critical acclaim. The script of the movie was authored by his father Javed Akhtar.

He then directed a remake of the 1978 Amitabh Bachchan film, Don titled Don – The Chase Begins Again which starred Shahrukh Khan in the title role. The film released on 20 October 2006. Though the movie was critically hammered, it proved to be a great success at the box office, grossing over 50 crores, and being the fifth biggest hit of the year.In 2007 he produced the film Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. which performed fairly well at the box office.

In 2007, he directed, Positive, a 12-minute short film on HIV stigma and the need for family support for the patient. Shot in Mumbai, it was part of ‘AIDS JaaGo’ (AIDS Awake), a series of four short films, directed by Mira Nair, Santosh Sivan, Vishal Bhardwaj and Farhan Akhtar, in a joint initiative of Mira Nair’s Mirabai Films and voluntary organisations Avahan and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.The film stars, Boman Irani, Shabana Azmi and a debutant actor, Arjun Mathur.

In 2008, Akhtar made his acting debut in Rock On!!. It was critically acclaimed as well as a box office hit, doing exceptionally well particularly in the metros.He also appeared as the male lead in his sister Zoya’s directorial debut, Luck By Chance. His latest film is Kartik Calling Kartik. Two more movies are scheduled to release: Dhruv and Gulel.In 2011 Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is scheduled to release in which he co-stars with hrithik.

Akhtar also made his singing debut in Rock On!!, singing in most of the movie’s songs. He was even supposed to sing a song for Blue, which has music by A. R. Rahman. However this could not happen as Akhtar was shooting for Kartik Calling Karthik then and could not find the time.

He has appeared as a judge on a few shows on television, including the first season of the dance-reality show, Nach Baliye (2005), and the beauty pageant, Femina Miss India (in 2002). He also hosted a TV show on NDTV Imagine, called Oye! It’s Friday!.

Karan Shergil (Roshan) is a young man who has no actual goal in mind or plans for his future. He is just the part of the large section of aimless youth of our nation. His father is a businessman; his brother is a successful person living in America, but he is drifting. His girlfriend, Romi (Zinta), a student activist, tells him he needs a goal in life. When a friend announces he is going to join the Army, Karan applies for the Indian Military Academy and is enrolled in the Indian Military Academy despite dissent from his parents.

Karan’s first days at the IMA are a disaster. Because he is undisciplined, he is constantly punished for inattention. He leaves the academy without permission, sneaking over the wall at Last Post. However, the girl he has been pursuing, Romi, breaks off their relationship because he quit. Karan understnads the motive to live a self-respectful life. he returns to the IMA, takes his punishment, and becomes a focused, disciplined cadet leader, graduating as a cadet officer.

Lt. Karan is posted to the 3rd Battalion of the Punjab Regiment, commanded by Col. Sunil Damle (played by Amitabh Bachchan), and becomes a respected officer. From an immature teenager to a mature officer, he now gets to know the essence of his life or his goal – ‘Lakshya’. His journey towards his goal takes him along a path filled with dangers, challenges and difficulty with many lives at stake. Karan encounters Romi, who is a war correspondent, and their feelings for each other become apparent.

Colonel Damle is told by his Brigadier that 3 Punjab has 48 hours to achieve its goal, or it will be relieved. Karan is assigned to a team which will attempt to climb a tall cliff (mentioned at 800 feet at one point, 1000 feet in another) to flank the Pakistani sangars and regain the hill. On the night before the attack, Karan calls his father and the two are reconciled.

Karan then moves on to the hill limping to the top of the mountain, unpacking the Indian tricolor Akbar wanted to carry, and plants it on top of the hill, then fires a flare, to the relieved joy of Colonel Damle. He then returns back home to fulfill his next objective, marrying his girlfriend Romi after a successful self realisation.