Bollywood actor-director Farhan Akhtar marked his 50th birthday (January 9) with a joyous celebration surrounded by family and friends. Shabana Azmi, the seasoned actress, took to Instagram to share a heartfelt birthday post for her ‘betu (son).’ The midnight birthday festivities included Farhan’s sister Zoya Akhtar, parents Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani, wife Shibani Dandekar, and others.
Shabana captured the celebratory mood with an inside picture on Instagram, accompanied by a sweet message. She wrote, “Salgirah mubarak betu #FarhanAkhtar. Jeete raho khush raho bahut saara pyar (Happy birthday betu #FarhanAkhtar. Stay well, stay happy and lots of love).”
The intimate gathering also featured Shibani’s sisters Anusha, Apeksha, parents Sulabha and Shashidhar, Apeksha’s husband Abhishek Sharma, and Shabana’s brother and sister-in-law Baba Azmi and Tanvi Azmi.
Shabana has been known to share glimpses of her time with Farhan on Instagram, and last year, she travelled to the UK to attend Farhan’s daughter Shakya Akhtar’s graduation ceremony. Shabana posted pictures from their travel diaries, showcasing moments with Javed, Farhan, and Shibani enjoying Lebanese cuisine in London.
Recently, the Don director revisited the iconic Chapora Fort in Goa, marking 23 years since he shot a memorable scene from his directorial debut, Dil Chahta Hai. Sharing a picture from the fort, Farhan expressed the magic of returning to the location.
On the professional front, Farhan and Ritesh Sidhwani’s Excel Entertainment made headlines by officially announcing Don 3 with Ranveer Singh in the lead role. The film is reportedly set to hit theatres in 2025.