Written by Souvik Chowdhury
If the success of 'Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai' didn't touch him at all, the spate of flops that followed didn't affect him either. Unbelievable it may sound, Hrithik Roshan is still the same, sweet poster-boy:
SIGN OF A STAR: Fans thronged the teenage icon for a dash of stardust.
OFF SCREEN: Hrithik Roshan is as `ordinary' as Duggu (his nickname), and as down-to-earth as, perhaps, "a quiet old shoe". Although not as tall as his on-screen avatar, Duggu towers over his peers in the charm, charisma and honesty departments. "The on-screen glamorous image of Hrithik Roshan is contributed by stylists and cameramen," he says.
Continuing his candid confessions, the unassuming poster-boy says on his iconic pin-up status, "I am certainly no celebrity who always deserves to be on stage and be heard by all. In fact, neither do I think I am worth all that, nor do I feel good about such kind of adulation."
Adulation and Hrithik are nonetheless, an inseparable equation to his fans, who cut across all borders of age, sex and State. A testimony to the above was apparent in Pantaloons Saturday last, when followers hysterically fell over Hrithik — clad in white — for a glimpse, an autograph or a photograph of one of Bollywood's most sought-after heroes. The proverbial lover-boy, with his hair cropped short, was in town to promote his latest release — Sooraj Barjatya's Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon that stars Kareena Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan, along with him.
"MPKDH has so far been the most fulfilling experience, ever since I started acting," says Hrithik as he adds, "And I have high hopes on that, especially because each of us in the crew has put in the best that was humanly possible." Equally high are his hopes on his home production — Koi Mil Gaya scheduled for release in August. "KMG, budgeted at Rs. 35 crore, is going to be India's first science-fiction musical," concurs the hero dubbed as the most successful debutante-ever in the Hindi film industry. Reluctant to divulge more on KMG, Hrithik says, "It will be an emotional bumpy ride to the moon and back. Wait and watch!"
The recent spate of flops has not discouraged him. "I am like a hero who rises with every fall," he beams with confidence. "I was made to believe that my sixth finger was lucky for me. Now, I believe hard work and dedication is what brings in luck," he adds, matter-of-factly. The B.Com student from Sydnhem College, Mumbai, recollects how as a child, he was meticulously kept away from the filmi duniya by his dad and uncles. "But, I knew I was born to be an actor."
POSTER BOY: Hrithik Roshan remains unaffected by the whims of Lady Luck
Fans of Hrithik may be surprised to know that until when Pyaar ki kashti, the first song for Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai was shot, he could not dance at all. "It was then I understood, acting in films is not as easy," Hrithik reminisces. Taking it up as a challenge, he not only mastered the steps in a few hours time, but also became Saroj Khan's all-time favourite. "I learnt my first lesson in films. The key to success is hard work."
"Now with enough lessons, I feel enough is enough," he says. What may come as a pleasant shock to many is that the pin-up heartthrob is planning retirement from "regular films" after Laksh, for which he is currently shooting.
"After that, I will only do those roles that excite the child within me — roles which are embarrassingly honest and close to my heart. I guess the change is essential to make a mark in movies, and moviegoers too expect the same."
Here's hoping Roshan Jr. has the right finger on the pulse of the moviegoer.