Transition from director to actor not easy: Farhan Akhtar

Mumbai, Jan 24 (UNI) The transition from behind the camera to the front as an actor has not been an easy process for me, said Bollywood filmmaker Farhan Akhtar.

''As a director, there has to be a clarity with which you communicate with the cast and crew on the sets. But an actor has to deal with his internal confusion as to whether he is essaying the right emotions required of the character he is portraying. It is an intuitive process and even though it is not easy, I am comfortable in both roles. As a director, I am creating my own vision on celluloid whereas as an actor, I am being part of somebody else's vision,'' said Farhan while interacting with reporters on sidelines of a function where he was announced as a brand ambassador of the German watch 'A Lange&Sohne' last evening.

Farhan, who strode to fame with his debut film 'Dil Chahta Hai' few years ago, is making his debut as an actor in Abhishek Kapoor's 'Rock On'. He plays the lead vocalist of a band and the film spans ten years in the lives of the band members which includes Farhan himself, Arjun Rampal and Purab Kohli.

Farhan will also be seen playing the lead in sister Zoya Akhtar's debut directorial venture, which goes on floors in April.

To a question on whether he would give up direction if his acting career flourishes, Farhan replied, ''I am not quitting direction at any cost.'' Farhan said his directorial project will go on floors this October. ''It is tentatively titled 'Voice from the Sky' and is a Hindi movie,'' he said.

When asked about the much talked about sequel to 'Don', Farhan said story and screenplay have been completed. ''I am working on the dialogues. It will go on floors in the first quarter of 2009.

The cast will be the same with a new storyline,'' he informed.

Farhan also denied speculations that Deepika Padukone will feature in 'Don 2'.

He said there is no question of any controversy over title rights of 'Don 2'. ''When we bought the rights of the original film, we had made it clear to the producers that we are open to a sequel.

The story line is entirely different and hence I do not think there will be any issues over the title,''he added.

What made him sign as a brand ambassador of the German watch company 'A Lange &Sohne', he said he identified with the brand as a creative person and admitted that it was a limited edition and targeted at an exclusive market.

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