Farhan Akhtar joins cast of upcoming ‘The Beatles’ biopic as sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar

Bollywood actor, director and producer Farhan Akhtar has joined the cast of the much-anticipated The Beatles — A Four-Film Cinematic Event, taking on the role of Ravi Shankar, the influential sitar maestro who helped shape The Beatles’ sound in the 1960s.

Farhan Akhtar Joins The Beatles Biopic Cast

The announcement was made this week by Sony Pictures, in conjunction with director Sam Mendes and production partners including Apple Corps Ltd., as filming continues in the United Kingdom.

In addition to Akhtar, the film’s expanding ensemble now includes British and international actors Lucy Boynton, Morfydd Clark and Harry Lawtey in key roles. Boynton will play Jane Asher, Clark will appear as Cynthia Lennon, and Lawtey will portray Stuart Sutcliffe — all figures closely linked with the band’s history.

The project marks the first time The Beatles themselves and Apple Corps have granted full life-story and music rights for a scripted film about the band’s rise and cultural impact, a creative milestone for any biographical production.

Farhan's Second Stint in Hollywood

Farhan Akhtar’s casting as Pandit Ravi Shankar has drawn widespread attention. Shankar was a central figure in bridging Indian classical music with Western popular culture, famously collaborating with George Harrison and influencing the sound of several Beatles tracks.

This casting choice not only highlights Farhan’s versatility as an actor but also represents a notable moment of Indian representation in a major global film.

Akhtar’s career spans many facets of Indian cinema. He rose to prominence with the critically acclaimed film ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ (2001) and has since become a respected actor and filmmaker, known for work in ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’, ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’ and the Marvel series ‘Ms. Marvel’.

Lucy Boynton, best known for her role in ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, brings further depth to the cast as Jane Asher, Paul McCartney’s girlfriend during The Beatles’ early fame. Morfydd Clark, acclaimed for her performance in Saint Maud and ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’, will portray John Lennon’s first wife Cynthia. Harry Lawtey, from HBO’s ‘Industry’, steps into the part of original Beatles member Stuart Sutcliffe.

Sony Pictures will distribute the films worldwide, with a planned theatrical window beginning in April 2028, making this a long-term cinematic event rather than a single release.

Farhan Akhtar's work front

While this international casting is a clear highlight, Farhan’s domestic career has also been in the spotlight — albeit for controversial reasons.

Farhan’s production house, Excel Entertainment, is reportedly locked in a financial dispute with leading Bollywood star Ranveer Singh over the stalled production of Don 3, a follow-up in the iconic action franchise Don. Excel has claimed that Singh’s exit from the project has cost the company significant money and is seeking compensation of approximately ₹40 crore (about £4 million), according to entertainment sources.

The dispute stems from Singh’s reported departure from the film after creative disagreements and delays, with both sides presenting contrasting accounts. Singh’s camp has described Excel as “unprofessional” and questioned the project’s preparation and script readiness, while Excel maintains that the losses justify compensation. Meetings involving the Producers Guild of India have taken place in an attempt to resolve the matter.

Ranveer Singh himself has publicly rejected the compensation claim, arguing he never received payment from the producers and citing industry precedent where actors move between projects without financial penalties.