- Farhan Akhtar stars as sitar maestro Ravi Shankar in Sam Mendes' Beatles biopic series
- The Beatles - A Four Film Cinematic Event will release all four films theatrically in April 2028
- Lucy Boynton, Morfydd Clark, and Harry Lawtey also join the cast
Farhan Akhtar has recently been in the spotlight over casting speculations surrounding Don 3. Amid that buzz, the actor is now gearing up for his major Hollywood debut, starring in Oscar-winner Sam Mendes's upcoming biopic series on The Beatles. Akhtar has been cast as sitar maestro Ravi Shankar in The Beatles - A Four Film Cinematic Event, a large-scale project from Sony and Neal Street. Filming is currently underway in the UK, with all four films scheduled for a theatrical release in April 2028.
Details
Akhtar will portray Ravi Shankar, the globally renowned Indian classical musician whose work deeply influenced George Harrison and helped bring Indian instrumentation into several Beatles compositions.
Reacting to the announcement, Farhan's wife, Shibani Akhtar, posted on Instagram, "Here comes the sun. So proud of you @faroutakhtar always. New casting announced for the Beatles. A four film cinematic event directed by Sam Mendes. Farhan Akhtar will star as Ravi Shankar. Lucy Boynton as Jane Asher. Morfydd Clark will star as Cynthia ( Powell) Lennon. Harry Lawtey will star as Stuart Sutcliffe."
This marks Farhan's first major role in a Hollywood film. He has appeared in global projects before, including a brief role in the 2022 Disney+ series Ms Marvel.
More About The Beatles Movies
The newly announced cast also includes Harry Lawtey, Lucy Boynton, and Morfydd Clark.
Lawtey, known for HBO's Industry, will play Stuart Sutcliffe, often referred to as "the Fifth Beatle." Sutcliffe was the band's original bass guitarist before leaving in 1961 to pursue painting.
He gained attention for reportedly performing with his back to the audience - a claim later disputed by first drummer Pete Best. Sutcliffe also delivered a memorable rendition of Love Me Tender, which is said to have irritated Paul McCartney.
Boynton has been cast as Jane Asher, the British actress who was once engaged to McCartney and inspired several Beatles songs, including And I Love Her, We Can Work It Out, and For No One. Asher also accompanied the band to Rishikesh in 1968 for transcendental meditation sessions with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
Clark will portray Cynthia Lennon, John Lennon's first wife and mother of Julian Lennon. Their relationship began during their college years but later faltered due to Lennon's LSD use and his relationship with Yoko Ono, which Cynthia reportedly uncovered through letters.
Sam Mendes is creating four separate feature films, each told from the perspective of one Beatle - John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. This project marks the first time Apple Corps and The Beatles have granted full access to their life stories and music rights for a cinematic adaptation.
All four films are being directed by Mendes and produced by his Neal Street partners Pippa Harris and Julie Pastor, alongside Alexandra Derbyshire.
About Don 3 Casting Row
Farhan Akhtar's production house, Excel Entertainment, has reportedly sought hefty compensation from Ranveer Singh after his exit from Don 3. Sources claim that the filmmaker has demanded Rs 40 crore in damages. The movie, which was expected to go on floors in January 2026, had already entered advanced stages of pre-production.
Also Read: When Hrithik Roshan Supported Farhan Akhtar In Picking Shah Rukh Khan For Don Over Himself
