Farhan Akhtar reveals delay of ‘Jee Le Zaraa’ was 'stressful'; Felt like wasting time, worried people doubted his directing skills

Farhan Akhtar, the renowned actor and director, eagerly awaits the success of his upcoming film ‘120 Bahadur’ at the box office. It has been quite a while since he last directed a movie; his most recent directorial work was ‘Don 2’ in 2011, starring Shah Rukh Khan. Since then, he has announced two new projects ‘Jee Le Zaraa’ and ‘Don 3’. While ‘Don 3’ is slated to begin production next year, ‘Jee Le Zaraa’ remains in a state of uncertainty. In a recent conversation, Farhan revealed that he spent over two years waiting for ‘Jee Le Zaraa’ to start filming, but the project never took off. He also mentioned that the movie is currently on hold indefinitely as he has shifted his focus to other ventures.

Mental health journey tied to film delays

During an appearance on the YouTube channel Unfiltered by Samdish, Farhan candidly discussed his mental health journey, linking it to the delays of his film ‘Jee Le Zaraa’ and the resulting impact on his confidence as a director. He expressed, “So my film Toofan was released in 2021, and right after that, I was set to direct a film called Jee Le Zara. It just kept getting delayed, and for those two years, I kept saying no to all other opportunities that came my way. I did that because when you have to direct you can only focus on that. If an acting role came, I told them, ‘No, I am soon going to be directing.’”

Casting and progress challenges

‘Jee Le Zaraa’, announced in 2021 with Priyanka Chopra, Alia Bhatt, and Katrina Kaif as its leads, has seen little progress since. Farhan shared that he kept his calendar clear, waiting for the shoot to begin, describing that time as “stressful.” He recalled, “The date for the film’s shooting just kept shifting ahead. It was such a stressful period because I thought that I was wasting time, and before I knew it, two and a half years had gone by.”

Personal insecurities and therapy

Akhtar said, “There are some personal insecurities as well. I started to feel that maybe people thought I wouldn’t be able to direct. It had been 12 years since I had directed a film, and maybe people were doubtful of my skill. When you sit with a therapist and you tell these things, you start realising where all these things are coming from. I didn’t want to say, ‘Let me move on from this film.'”

Reasons for delay and current status

The makers of ‘Jee Le Zaraa’, including Farhan Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar, and Reema Kagti, have cited various reasons for the film's delay since its announcement in 2021, with scheduling conflicts of the lead actors being a primary factor. Despite hopes expressed in May 2023 by Reema that filming would begin by the end of that year, the shoot has yet to commence.

Focus shifts to ‘Don 3’

Now, Farhan is set to direct ‘Don 3’, which stars Ranveer Singh in the lead role. He has an impressive directorial track record with acclaimed films like ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ and ‘Lakshya’ to his credit. The filming for ‘Don 3’ is slated to begin in 2026.





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