Abhay Deol claimed that they did not get the due credit for their performances in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara because the film eventually was seen as a love story of Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif. Sharing his point of view about the same, Farhan Akhtar shared that he entered the industry for being much more than a ‘star’. 

Bollywood actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar has finally reacted to Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara co-star Abhay Deol’s statement that the two actors were demoted to ‘supporting actor’ by an award show. While Abhay claimed that they did not get the due credit for their performance because the film eventually was seen as a love story of Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif. Sharing his point of view about the same, Farhan shared that he entered the industry for being much more than a ‘star’. He said that he doesn’t focus on these things much.

Talking at the India Today e-Conclave, Farhan Akhtar said, “You are constantly hearing about some rat race and everybody is fighting each other to some kind of spot which does not exist. I mean the fact is you have to believe in yourself, you have to work sincerely, work hard, how many magazine covers you will do, whether you came on the front page of a magazine, or the front page of a newspaper.”

He added, “If that is your larger interest, I really feel that you are in the wrong profession. You’re not here for that. Have you come here to be an actor, director, singer, music composer, or have you come here to be a reality star? Have you come here to be just, I don’t know, a star?”

Farhan stresses that external validation might lead to momentary satisfaction and would eventually lead to disappointment.

Earlier, Abhay Deol shared an Instagram post to call out the biasedness in awards shows. He wrote, “I would like to mention that almost all the award functions demoted me and Farhan from main leads, and nominated us as ‘supporting actors’. Hrithik and Katrina were nominated as ‘actors in a leading role’. So by the industry’s own logic, this was a film about a man and a woman falling in love, with the man supported by his friends for whatever decisions he takes.”

He further said, “There are many covert and overt ways in which people in the industry lobby against you. In this case it was shamelessly overt. I of course boycotted the awards but Farhan was ok with it.”

Zoya Akhtar directorial Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara earned much appreciation from critics and audiences alike. The film also starred Katrina Kaif and Kalki Koechlin.