Farhan Akhtar Confesses Slipping Into Depression After Lakshya Debacle: Couldn’t Understand How...

Hrithik Roshan starrer Lakshya, a coming-of-age war drama, is among the cult classics, motivating youths across India to join the Indian Army. However, this was not the case when it released in theatres in 2004. The movie was a box office failure and this left a huge impact on director Farhan Akhtar. In a recent interview, the filmmaker and actor candidly shared the emotional turmoil he experienced after the movie underperformed at the box office.

Farhan Akhtar reveals it took him over a year to recover after Lakshya's box office failure

During his appearance at a podcast, Farhan recalled the days after Lakshya failed to resonate with the audience. The director shared he poured his heart and soul while making the movie. He immersed himself in the world of the Indian Army just to capture the essence and ethics of their lives and the challenges they face. Akhtar was "convinced" that in his entire life, he hadn't worked so hard the way he did for Lakshya.

Despite his dedication, Lakshya failed at the box office, plunging Akhtar into depression. "Mein itna depressed hua tha ki yaar kaise ho gaya? Itni mehnat maine ki, Dil Chahta Hai mein hardly mehnat ki thi," he continued. It took him around a year and a half to recover from the deep state of depression.

How did Farhan Akhtar recover from depression?

Akhtar sought solace in travel and took a trip to Dehradun with his friends where he visited the Indian Military Academy (IMA). During his visit, he found inspiration for his next project Don which was a massive hit at the box office.

What do we know about Lakshya?

Co-starring Preity Zinta, the movie was based on the 1999 Kargil War. It was about Karan Shergill, an aimless, lazy young man and the son of a wealthy businessman from Delhi, who joins the Indian Army and matures into a battlefield hero just as war breaks out.