Zoya Akhtar ropes in Javed, Shabana for 'Luck By Chance'

Mumbai, Aug 19 (IANS) Lyricist Javed Akhtar and wife Shabana Azmi are all set to make a special appearance in 'Luck By Chance', the film that son Farhan is producing and is daughter Zoya's directorial debut.

Not too many details are being divulged about their gesture of affection for their children. But it is known that the couple will appear as themselves.

'Yes, Shabana and my father are in the film. In fact everyone you know in the industry is going to be in 'Luck By Chance'. Everyone breezes in and breezes out in different parts of the film. But 'Luck By Chance' is not a spoof on the film industry. A lot of the film fraternity will recognise itself in the film,' Farhan told IANS.

He added: 'Zoya has completed the principal photography. It's turned out exactly the way we had imagined it. The film has me, Isha Sharvani and also Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia, though not as a pair. I do play one of the leads. But it's a menagerie of characters and activities. The structure is totally new.'

Said an industry source: 'Luck By Chance' is set in the film industry. And Farhan and Zoya asked all their friends, which means practically the whole industry, to do walk-on parts. Unlike 'Om Shanti Om', which got the stars in only for a song, this one has space all through for stars to walk in and out.'

After acting and singing in 'Rock on', Farhan says he doesn't get to lend his voice in the songs of 'Luck By Chance'.

'This one lends itself well to playback singing. I got to do a lot of singing in 'Rock On'. I'd say 'Luck By Chance' helped me open up as an actor. 'Rock On' was a role I could easily identify with, but I had to work a lot harder for my sister.'

Was it easy for Farhan Akhtar the director to take instructions from his sister?

'Very easy,' he quipped. 'I've been taking instructions from her all my life. I've always obeyed her. I just had to go from being her designated driver to a designated actor,' he laughed.

'Fortunately Zoya was always open to suggestions and there would be quite a lot of give and take on the sets.'