Farhan Akhtar to play Pandit Ravi Shankar in Sam Mendes’ Beatles saga
Farhan Akhtar is set to make his Hollywood acting debut as Ravi Shankar in Sam Mendes’ four-part cinematic extravaganza about The Beatles. This announcement matches the ongoing developments regarding 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 play renowned sitar maestro Ravi Shankar in director Sam Mendes’ ambitious four-part film project the Beatles.
The announcement was made by Sony Pictures, confirming Akhtar’s casting in the high-profile international production.
Akhtar will play the role of Ravi Shankar, whose association with George Harrison in the 1960s significantly influenced the musical direction of the band. 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 consist of four standalone features, each told from the perspective of a band member, chronicling the Beatles’ rise to global fame and their eventual breakup in 1970. The producers secured the entire life story and musical rights from the band, giving the project a rare authenticity and scale. All four films are scheduled to release in theaters in April 2028.
The cast includes Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison.
The supporting cast included Lucy Boynton as Jane Asher, Morfydd Clark as Cynthia Lennon, Harry Lotte as Stuart Sutcliffe, Saoirse Ronan as Linda McCartney, Anna Sawai as Yoko Ono, Amy Lou Wood as Patty Boyd, Mia McKenna-Bruce as Maureen Starkey, James Norton as manager Brian Epstein, and producer Harry Lloyd as George Martin.
Akhtar was earlier seen in Marvel series Ms MarvelBut this is his most major international acting work to date.
This development has come to light at a time when Akhtar is in the news domestically regarding Don 3 amid reports of change in casting.
