The worst is over. The best is yet to come. The mischief-mongers had a field day linking Hrithik Roshan to some outrageous anti-Nepal statements. During the week after his marriage when the unsavoury rumours gathered momentum and then died a quick death, Hrithik remained calm, though slightly baffled by the turn of events. With 3 films attaining varying degrees of success during the year 2000, Hrithik now looks forward to the coming year when he has Subhash Ghai's Yaadein with Kareena Kapoor, Vikram Bhatt's Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lagey with Amisha Patel and Na Tum Jaano Na Hum with Esha Deol, being readied for release. A quick update:
How did you celebrate your birthday on January 10?
Since all work has to come to a standstill for one day every week in Australia, I had the day off from shooting Vikram Bhatt's Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lagey in Sydney. So I relaxed. It felt good.
Now that you're out of one controversy, here's another. Why aren't you doing choreographer Farha Khan's directorial debut after saying yes?
Let me explain. Yes, I was supposed to do her film. She'd approached me before the release of Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai. I had heard just one line of the script and I loved it. I was sure I wanted to do it. It was ideal for me. After the release of Kaho Naa.. Pyaar Hai, she still had to find a producer. At that point of time I constantly kept telling her to please block my dates as I was about to sign three or four other films and we might have a date problem later. She told me to wait until the release of Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani so she could finalise Shah Rukh Khan as the producer. By the time things were sorted out, it was already July. I remember her coming to me when I was shooting the Coke ad. But to my embarrassment I just didn't have the dates she required. Dad has always advised me not to manipulate my dates. The only dates I've so far manipulated are....
Are your marriage dates?
(Laughs) No, no. The dates for my Dad's next film. I've given them to Sooraj Barjatya for his film. That was the only way I could do the film. I'd have loved to do Farha's film. I asked her whether she could wait. Of course, the final decision had to be hers. Poor thing, how long could she have waited? She waited so long to put the project together. But I'm glad it's Abhishek Bachchan who's doing Farha's film, and not someone else. He's a great friend. And it's damn good role. I regret missing out on the film. It would have been great fun working with Farha. I always love working with her. I also enjoy working with Shah Rukh Khan. So it would've been double fun.
Which will be your next release?
I'm not very sure. It could either be Mr Subhash Ghai's Yaadein or Vikram Bhatt's Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lagey. I really enjoy working with Vikram. Yaadein is special because it's Mr Ghai's film. His films are always special.
How's Kareena Kapoor as a co-star?
She's irritating as hell when the cameras are switched off. Suppose there's an emotional scene. I'd be working my head off to get into the mood, and she'd be laughing, joking and fooling around. But when she gives her shot it's perfect. Before the shot, I'm sure she's going to mess it up. But when she comes within camera range, she takes over the scene completely. She's done this repeatedly. Now I'm constantly on my toes (laughs). Our screen pairing is so hyped, we better be good.
With her kind of talent matching yours, things can hardly go wrong. But one's talent can only go as far as the scenes and lines that one gets. With both of you being the cynosure of all eyes, you're obviously going to be compared by everyone.
Oh no, no. Yaadein is her film actually. It's based on the girl's character. It's a father-daughter story. Even the entire climax is based on the two characters played by Jackie Shroff and Kareena.
I don't understand why you're being cast in anything less than the central roles.
Yes, I know what you mean. I mean, hello I've given a solo hit. Why are you doing this to me? Yes, I had signed all these films before Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai. But it's still very strange. Though I wasn't the central character in Fiza, it worked for me because my character was fully supported by the script. For me, Fiza worked as a film. Mission Kashmir had the same potential. But somehow it didn't work out. I don't think my character Altaf's mindset came through. About ten minutes of my role was edited out. But that's okay. The director always does what he thinks is best for his film.
But what your directors think to be the best for their work may not be the best for you as a star and actor.
Look, it isn't so much the length of my role that bothers me. What bothers me is when I've a small role and the film is sold as my film. Please don't make my face the biggest one in the banner if I'm not playing the central character. I don't want to name any film. But I think it's wrong to fool the audience by saying Hrithik Roshan is the hero, come and watch him. That's cheating. Ultimately, it boomerangs on me. People feel betrayed by me, and not the director or the publicist. Please be honest. Don't over-sell my name to the audience just because I'm saleable today. Tomorrow I might not be saleable. Right now, audiences go to see my films and then if I'm hardly there they're disappointed.
Now even in Sooraj Barjatya's Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon I believe Kareena Kapoor is the main character?
No, all three of us--Abhishek, Kareena and I--have our own roles. Again in Karan Johar's film, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, all of us Mr Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya aunty, Shah Rukh, Kareena and Kajol play such well-defined characters that no one in the audience will feel cheated. In Sooraj's film also the characters are very well defined. Kareena and I have lengthier roles. But Abhishek's special appearance is truly special. He has the best lines in the film.
But the title of Sooraj Barjatya's film suggests it's Kareena's film.
Yeah, in a sense, it is. Obviously, in a film about two boys and one girl, the girl is the central character. That's fine by me. That's the story. That's the film. As long as the script is clear-headed and it's projected in the right way, I don't care who gets the maximum footage.
But shouldn't producers be cashing in on the mass hysteria surrounding you and cast you in footage-hogging parts?
I don't agree with that. I don't believe in hogging footage. As long as the film is good and my presence is justified I'm happy.
What happened to the proposal to play Hamlet in Tarsem Singh's film?
He'd like to make the film at the end of 2001. I don't have dates till mid-2003. My father's film starts in the middle of 2002. Then I've got two more projects lined up which I can't talk about right now.
Big ones?
Yeah (laughs, embarrassed).
Would you be interested in doing films with non- mainstream directors like Kalpana Lajmi and Aparna Sen?
Yes, of course. I did Fiza for that very reason. I wanted to do something really different right after my debut film. I thought that would be the right decision. It was. I'm glad I did Fiza.
Of course. You'll be getting all the popular awards for Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai and critics' awards for Fiza.
Are you crazy? That's impossible. Have you seen Mohabbatein? That's Shah Rukh's best performance till date. You can't beat that.