My singing in 'Rock On' makes the character real: Farhan Akhtar

New Delhi, Aug 26 (IANS) Director Farhan Akhtar, who makes his acting and singing debut with 'Rock On', says his crooning for the film was essential to make the character authentic.

'My director Abhishek Kapoor was very clear that whoever plays the lead singer of the band in the movie should sing the songs himself. If the character is about a singer and the songs are being dubbed then it looks a bit fake,' Farhan told IANS.

'It is the authenticity factor that comes in between. However, my singing worked really well in context to the movie,' he added.

Releasing Friday, the film narrates the story of four friends who put together a rock band but fail to make it a success. Years later, fate brings them back together to relive their cherished dream from where they had left off. Other actors in the film include Arjun Rampal, Shahana Goswami, Luke Kenny, Koel Puri and Prachi Desai.

Farhan, who has sung six out of nine songs in the film, said that him singing for the lead vocalist's character was their way of showing their sincerity towards the project.

'We have tried to bring a slight respect to the sincerity in our work from the audience's point of view by my singing,' said Farhan, who was here to promote the film.

The actor-director, who has made films like 'Dil Chahta Hai' and 'Lakshya', said he has been inclined towards music much before the film came along.

'I have been singing and playing the guitar for a while. This is for the first time that I have sung professionally and I had a great guide in the form of Shankar Mahadevan.

'Still it was not much of hard work because I had a certain amount of ability to sing and play the guitar in comparison to Arjun Rampal and Purab Kohli who come from a non-music background vis-a-vis Luke Kenny who still has a little hang of it,' he said.

As an actor, Farhan would be next seen in 'Luck by Chance' and 'The Fakir of Venice'. And as a director he will helm the shooting of 'Voice from the Sky' later this year.