Hrithik Roshan and Abhishek Bachchan would be seen together for the first time in Rajshri Productions' Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon. Kareena Kapoor completes the third angle in this love triangle. Rajshri Productions' Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon spells the dream cast - Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan and Kareena Kapoor. For Hrithik and Abhishek, this is their first film together. Though the media has often pitted the two against each other, Hrithik Roshan insists there is absolutely no rivalry and that Abhishek is `one of the finest actors from my generation.'

For Hrithik, whose career has been on a downslide of late, it is important that MPKDH works. Donning a baseball cap to hide his new haircut, specifically designed for a forthcoming film, Hrithik faces questions on Sooraj Barjatya's Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon with panache.
 

What is your character in Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon?

I play Prem. He is out of this world. What makes him so special is that he has got a pure heart. He believes in goodness and loves like no other. At the same time he is clean hearted and shoots his mouth off. He has a bag that says `I am happy'. That's a constant reminder for him to live life happy. He takes the road less traveled by. He does things his way. That's why he's so special.
 

Love triangles are a commonly used formula in Hindi cinema. Isn't MPKDH typical in that sense?

It is anything but typical for the simple reason that the characters are not typical. When you are dealing with people who are different from what you have already seen, the story is bound to be different.
 

What according to you is Sooraj Barjatya's strong point?

Sooraj Barjatya's strong point is that he is completely honest with his work, and the people he works with. He has got no ego. You can't escape the kind of positivity he exudes when he enters a room. He is so nice that he draws you into his world.
 

Can you narrate an incident connected with the making of the film which has left an indelible impression on your mind?

It has to do with Mr Barjatya. When he called up to say that he wanted to narrate a script to me, he insisted that my entire family be present so that he could get a feedback from them. He is that honest with his work.
He arrived clutching his script in his hand and said, `Hrithik, if you like the script, we will work in this film. But if you don't, there is no problem, we will work again in the future. If you feel something is not fine, please tell me.' I was struck by his humility. The fact that he gave me so much of importance was unbelievable. After that my respect for him rose by a hundred fold.

This is the first time that you are working with Abhishek Bahchan. A little about that.

Well, Abhishek and me go back a long way. We have been friends since the second standard. I used to go to school in his van. We have been in touch on and off since then. I would say that he is one of the best co-stars that I have ever worked with. The amount of comfort that you feel with him is amazing. Apart from that I think he is one of the finest actors from my generation. His performance in Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon is one of his best till date. I have never seen him doing something so subtle, yet so strong.
 

The promos seem to highlight you much more than him. Do you think it's unfair to him?

That's not unfair. It's just because he is something special in the film and Mr Barjatya needs to keep it that way. If he happens to be the surprise packet of the film, then the attention would tend to shift to him. Will you be shortchanged in the process?If that happens, well and good. If something has been liked in the film, it's always good. So, if they appreciate Abhishek in the film, it's good for the film. And if it's good for the film, it's good for me. We all stand to gain from it.

In a film there should be no competition between actors. A film unit is like a family. If you appreciate the beauty of my house, my father is going to feel as special as me. Same way, if you like Abhishek or Kareena in the film, that compliments me as well.
 

Your pairing with Kareena did not work in Yaadein and Mujhse Dosti Karoge. Are you a bit sceptical this time round?

It all boils down to a very simple fact — a good film is appreciated, a bad film is not. When a film is appreciated,everything works. In Kaho Naa Pyar Hai my pairing with Amisha worked.Everybody thought this is the pair that works. But in Aap Mujhe Achhe Lagne Lage it didn't work. It's very simple. The film works, not the pairing. Not anything, but the film.

(LMN)