Source: Shailesh Kapoor
It doesn’t happen too often. Perhaps, that’s why it’s a fairytale. Hrithik Roshan is back.. Written off after a series of flops following a smashing debut with Kaho Naa Pyarr Hai, the Roshan kid returned with a bang with Koi Mil Gaya. With Lakshya, he asserts his status as one of the most talented and committed actors of the post-Amitabh era. For an actor whose career saw him receive more brickbats than anyone else’s, it’s a second life of sorts.
I have myself written about Hrithik about three times on this column before. Each time, it has been a new phase in his life. He has seen it all – the rejection, the acceptance, the adoration, the scath… Somewhere, it has helped him emerge a stronger, better person and actor.
In Lakshya, a well-made yet flawed film, Roshan lifts his role to new-found heights. Methodic and perfect to the finest detail, he is the only person you can imagine in the role of Lieutenant Colonel Karan Shergill. His class rubs off to the film. Be it the awesome Main aisa kyon hoon song, or the captivating war sequences, or the stunning rock-climbing efforts, it’s all done with state-of-the-art finesse.
That leads us to the next question: Is Hrithik Roshan set to become the next Aamir Khan? Perhaps. Like Aamir, there is intense preparation that goes into his performances. Like Aamir, he has avoided the bait of the moolah and started doing selected projects he’s convinced about. In fact, as of today, Hrithik doesn’t have a single film signed. He is waiting and watching. So is the world.
Yet, there are additional assets over Aamir. For starters, Hrithik’s dreamboat looks, combined with the ability to carry off intense scenes well, makes him a visually awesome product. He dances like a dream. Some of the most amazing dance performances in Bollywood’s all-time history can be associated with him – Ek pal ka jeena, Idhar chala and Main aisa kyon hoon.
When Hrithik started, he was a director’s actor. Bad direction in films like Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage and Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon saw him give loose performances. Somewhere during the making of Koi Mil Gaya, he evolved into a class performer in his own right. In Lakshya, some of the rather averagely directed and shot scenes are saved thanks to his ability to carry the scene on his shoulders.
That makes you believe his best his yet to come. If a Shah Rukh Khan is reaching the pinnacle of his success at the age of 38, Hrithik has a long way to go. Yet, the destination seems closer than ever before.