He is the Greek God that every girl dreams about and every guy wants to be. To the perfect chiselled body, add the expressive eyes, the unruly hair ever so impeccably worn and oodles of talent. Meet Hrithik Roshan, heartthrob of millions
When he entered the industry eleven years ago, he not only broke many records, but also many hearts. Many hearts who had fallen for both his looks – the simple boy next door, and the suave, bike riding expat who falls in love with the girl nursing a broken heart. Directed by his father Rakesh Roshan, Kaho Na Pyaar Hai did the trick for Hrithik Roshan. He may have come a long way since his debut, facing many highs and lows, both personally and professionally, but the one thing he has been consistent with is wow-ing his audience with his consistent performances.
Even in those movies which didn’t rank high at the box office, Hrithik has been commended for his performances. Be it the poignant lover on the brink of sacrificing love for friendship in Mujse Dosti Karoge or the poor dance teacher who marries immigrant women for money and in turn falls for a Mexican girl, he has always delivered even when the script has failed. He plays every role with equal ease and élan, whether he is playing a super hero (Krrish); a young student just coming of age to find his motive in life (Lakshya); a master conman who gives up the thrill for love (Dhoom 2); or the young Mughal prince who was forced to rule the country at a young age, who falls for his Hindu wife (Jodha Akbar). Fresh from the recent acclaim he received for Guzaarish and the fun he had on the sets of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Hrithik is just being his modest self when he says, “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara is one of those few movies where I am not playing a larger than life character, just a normal young man who comes up hard in life and works hard to be where he is.” Well said for an actor at a stage in his life and career where hits and misses do not matter anymore.
Very clear about the fact that he goes by instinct when choosing whether or not to do a film after reading the script, Hrithik is a person who listens to his heart. “Once I decide to do a movie, even my heart can’t stop me from doing it,” he says in a way that almost seems believable. That is the kind of dedication a director expects from his actors. Hrithik also takes his work very seriously. He sincerely believes that if an actor does not come prepared to play a certain character, he is doing a great deal of injustice, not only to the role, but also to his capability. That explains the fact that he spent an entire month in China to undergo martial arts training to perform his own stunts in Krrish; or the regular visits to real-life quadriplegics to sensitively understand their condition, lifestyle, dilemmas and problems so as to portray his character in the most realistic way possible in Guzaarish. So much so, that with his immense acting talent, he has even impressed the most methodical of all actors – Aamir Khan.
Taking over from Hrithik as the villain in Dhoom 3, the senior actor is reported to have gotten in touch with Hrithik to discuss a few things about his character. “Hrithik is one of the best looking actors we have. He is also a great actor. I want to take acting lessons from him,” Aamir was heard saying on a television show. Sources say that Aamir has given a lot of thought to the matter that he is replacing Hrithik as the villain in the series, and wants to live up to it. Needless to say, it speaks volumes for Hrithik’s talent.
What then is the secret of his success? The first thing that comes to mind is his humility, and his ready ability to give credit where it is due. The first testimony to this fact was the acknowledgement he gave to his acting guru Kishore Namit Kapoor while accepting his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor for Kaho Na Pyaar Hai way back in 2000. “I’m just a newcomer and holding this award in my hand scares the hell out of me. Nevertheless it will be a cherished memory since it is the outcome of a lot of hard work put in by many people. I have to thank my teacher Kishore Kapoor and his academy,” he said while accepting the award.
Eleven years on, and he’s still his humble self. When choreographer Ganesh Hegde roped in the super star to shake a leg alongside him and three other popular actresses, Hrithik happily agreed. Hrithik left such a mark on Hegde, that the choreographer was not only inspired by the actor’s technical expertise and his dancing ability, but also his dedication. His commitment towards work and sheer respect for fellow human beings impressed him the most. Narrating an incident that took place during his shoot with Hrithik, Hegde says, “The most important thing that I have learnt from Hrithik is that no matter how big you become, you can always extend a helping hand towards someone who needs it.”
While the media had already reported that the star did not charge a fee for the appearince, the choreographer went a step ahead and admitted to IBNLive that Hrithik in fact did not even accept money for his own entourage including his make-up and hair person. No wonder Hegde is in awe of the him. “The day I was shooting with Hrithik, he had a family function in the evening. In spite of getting calls all evening regarding the same, Hrithik actually stayed back till 3 am for the shoot and missed going to his function. It just shows his respect towards work and that’s how humble he is as a human being.”
On another note, getting along with the cast and crew of any movie is essential to survive and do well in this industry, according to Hrithik. He pauses to give an instance from his own experience. “Whenever I have a shooting schedule on location abroad, after about 10 to 15 days I start missing family a lot. I have to work harder to focus on work, since I am missing everyone so much. But on the sets of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, we got along so well, that I didn’t miss home! It was surprising, but true,” says the talented actor.
No wonder this bonding leads the actor to being an inspiration to his co-stars. Priyanka Chopra reminisces about her time shooting with Hrithik in Singapore for Krrish. “He inspired me to give my best. He’s all there. He’s so charged about his work. He has his character so beautifully worked out. He completely inspired me in Krrish.”
A great actor, a respecting professional, a model son, a loving father and a caring husband. A person couldn’t get any better as a human being!
Volume 1 Issue 5
