have been declared ‘hits’-- the magic box-office term which makes you first among equals.
Not that the rest have all been flops. So, what makes the industry bet on Hrithik Roshan as the superstar of Gen Next? Even when his movies have failed (Lakshya), he has received critical acclaim. There is a lot of moolah riding on the 30-year-old right now in terms of future projects. The best producers are still wooing him.
Is it just his looks or is it his talent? Or his ability to carry a film on his own shoulders and test the markets across the globe to give his investors a decent Return on Investment. The odds are that he is the only thoroughbred in the star-son Bollywood stable to take over the mantle of the Bollywood badshah from Shah Rukh Khan.
You are the only star of the second generation who has carried two films on your shoulders to that elusive ‘Superhit’ apart from Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gham. How important are the 'hit' and `misses' in an actor's career?
Very important. Contrary to what everyone may say, they are an acknowledgement of your work, of the choices you have made in your life. If the film works, you work. It is your bread and butter which guarantees your future. It shows you are on the right track.
Do hits and misses affect your price? Have you seen a fluctuation in your own asking price when your movies have fared badly? Did your dad pay you for your debut film KNPH?
Though a film’s success is determined by a whole lot of factors, an actor takes on a certain onus when he signs a film. His price ensures a certain ‘saleability’ apart from his talent. As for fluctuation, it depends on what your price is.
An actor must be intelligent enough to know the economics of a film and his price must be suitable to any and all kinds of films. If he/she has been realistic, then it shouldn’t affect him. In the three years of my career, I have not experienced any fluctuation in my price, that is because I have never charged unrealistically!
For KNPH, I discovered I was being paid at the end of the film, so I was more than pleased that I was paid and it was the maximum I could get at that time!
You are being heralded as the most bankable star of your generation to deliver box office success. How queasy does this get around release time?
This is giving one person too much importance. Though stars carry a certain onus, a film always works in its totality. Yet, choosing the right projects to endorse is crucial. I have been very lucky to have worked in films which have bee made by honest people, who have also been success-oriented.
A film is first and foremost the director’s vision and then the producer’s. I would give them the entire credit. On my part, my entire drive trickles down from my father, who is my inspiration and who never tires. He has taught me an important lesson, which has helped me in arriving where I am today. Success, he says is magical. As soon as you reach the peak of one mountain, you are at the bottom of another one, an experience which is magical.
Funnily, I have always felt queasy before the films which have gone onto be-come historical hits. Maybe I knew there was something really good in them. As for Lakshya, I have never got more acclaim for a role than for this one. It is a film which will be remembered. Besides, it has been my most satisfying role, a revelation, which got me closer to myself as an actor. It gave me a different perspective to life and opened my mind to a larger world.
Today, the revenue streams to recover your money on a movie have increased manifold. The global markets, DVDs, satellite rights, a producer can spread his risks. Do you feel it gives the movie a second chance, specially as some of the films fare better in the DVD market?
The multiple revenue streams help a producer to recover his investments, so monetarily for sure its good, but there are no second chances in this industry. You are judged by your box office success only. The rest is just consolation--where you can say ‘at least I recovered my money’. Only the box office ensures the viability of your next project!
Who according to you has been India’s most 'bankable’ star?
To answer that accurately, one would need to delve into years of box office records as there have been many stars in our industry who have been successful. Yet, off the cuff, if you consider recent times, it has to be Shah Rukh Khan. He has learnt from his flops, played his cards perfectly, made the right moves specially in the last three to four years and in spite of nearly being written off by the media several times, he has emerged as one of our most ‘bankable’ stars. Of course there are Salman and Aamir too and of course Mr Bachchan.