Farhan Akhtar to make Hollywood debut in Beatles biopic

While speculation continues around the casting of Don 3, actor-director Farhan Akhtar is turning his attention to a landmark global project.

The multi-hyphenate star is set to make his Hollywood debut in The Beatles: A Four-Film Cinematic Event, an ambitious biographical series helmed by Sam Mendes. Akhtar will portray legendary sitar maestro Ravi Shankar, whose friendship with George Harrison played a pivotal role in bridging Eastern spirituality and Western rock music during the late 1960s.

According to industry reports, the large-scale production is already underway in the United Kingdom and is slated for a global theatrical release in April 2028 under Sony Pictures. The project will unfold across four interconnected films, each recounting the rise and evolution of The Beatles from the perspective of one band member: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Harrison, and Ringo Starr.

The main cast features Harris Dickinson as Lennon, Paul Mescal as McCartney, Joseph Quinn as Harrison, and Barry Keoghan as Starr. Supporting roles include Lucy Boynton as Jane Asher, Morfydd Clark as Cynthia Lennon, Saoirse Ronan as Linda McCartney, Anna Sawai as Yoko Ono, and James Norton as Beatles manager Brian Epstein.

Mendes will produce the films alongside Pippa Harris and Julie Pastor under Neal Street Productions.