Farhan Akhtar to play Pandit Ravi Shankar in Sam Mendes' Beatles saga

Farhan Akhtar is set for his Hollywood acting debut as Ravi Shankar in Sam Mendes' four-part cinematic event about The Beatles. The announcement coincides with ongoing developments surrounding the film Don 3.

Farhan Akhtar is set to make his Hollywood acting debut with a role that brings together Indian classical music and British rock history. The actor will portray legendary sitar maestro Ravi Shankar in director Sam Mendes’ ambitious four-part film project on The Beatles.

The announcement was made by Sony Pictures, which confirmed Akhtar’s casting in the high-profile international production.

Akhtar will essay the role of Ravi Shankar, whose association with George Harrison in the 1960s significantly influenced the band’s musical direction. Shankar introduced Harrison to Indian classical music and spirituality, shaping songs that incorporated sitar and Eastern musical elements, a collaboration that marked a defining cultural exchange in global music history.

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The film series will comprise four standalone features, each told from the perspective of one band member, chronicling The Beatles’ rise to global fame and their eventual breakup in 1970. The makers have secured full life story and music rights from the band, lending the project rare authenticity and scale. All four films are slated for theatrical release in April 2028.