Source: Bollywood Life
By: Rashma Shetty
Hrithik Roshan talks about Kaabil, why it is one of the toughest roles and taking notes from Al Pacino film.
Hrithik Roshan loves challenges. He’s an actor who hasn’t let failure or a setback affect his strive for excellence. Right now he’s in the middle of promoting his biggest release in recent times – Kaabil. A film made with a lot of love. Hrithik reunites with his father Rakesh Roshan and uncle Rajesh Roshan who directed him in his blockbuster debut Kaho Naa.. Pyaar Hai. Despite the clash with another film, Hrithik is calm and unperturbed. His focus is on letting the film speak for itself and you can sense that beneath the calm is a volcano of excitement waiting to sense the audience reaction once the film is out for them to watch.
The actor opened up about the film in a candid interview with BollywoodLife and left us in awe with his down-to-earth attitude. No compliment or criticism affect HR, which is rare for any Bollywood star. The actor in another BollywoodLife interview had said that the Raees-Kaabil clash is “destiny” and even went on to say Shah Rukh Khan is a “friend”. Here watch Hrithik talk about Kaabil, why it is one of the toughest roles and taking notes from Al Pacino film. Here are the excerpts…
How are you feeling today?
I am feeling good. January is your lucky month, are you excited for Kaabil in the same way you were for Agneepath or then Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai? Yes, in a strange way I feel like I am reminded of my first film I don’t know why. Feels like life has come a full circle. I am feeling the same nervousness that I was feeling for my first film. I don’t know why, but it’s there. So I don’t know if it has got to do with January or the fact that it’s January and it is a Film Kraft film or the fact that it is a love story I have given so much to it. So a lot of things are contributing to this feeling of you know what I felt back in 2000. It’s been 17 years, and the fact that you still feel the same about it means that you genuinely appreciate the fact that you are living the dream of being an actor. Yes ofcourse. I have a lot of gratitude being accepted as an actor. It was something that used to scare me so much. I didn’t know… I consider myself the least qualified candidate to succeed as an actor. So for me to be sitting here and hear these words I feel special.
That statement will get your fans really angry…
I am glad and I am thankful to my fans because I have grown because of their constant feedback, love and support. That motivates me a lot. So I’m always thankful to them. I didn’t know that I was going to get any kind of success that I have and I feel good about that. I am glad I still feel the nervousness, because it means that I am still being able to give a lot of myself to something.
Talking about Kaabil, the movie is already a profitable venture. What are your thoughts?
It feels great. It feels you know that there is a business side to it and that also has to be looked into and you know lot of families depend on films and every project should be viable and should make money for everyone. It feels good that Kaabil has been built as a project that is economically viable and not just that but also a good product. I feel great that it has happened like this. it’s something that was not controlled by me so I can’t take credit for it but I feel good that I am a part of it, I got to learn that it can be done like this.
What was the toughest part about playing that character in Kaabil? You are also dancing like a blind man…
Well, I am not dancing like a blind man, I am dancing like my character, who is blind. So what he does is coming from his experiences in his life. In that regard it was tough, because not just me but the girl I am dancing and coordinating with is also blind. The choreography and concept needed a lot of work, so we really had to put our minds together and make something that will look entertaining yet very real, very logical. It is important or the whole sequence falls flat.
It is a Sanjay Gupta film, but every frame takes us to that Rakesh Roshan cinema. So how much of Rakesh Roshan was involved in making of Kaabil?
Dad was instrumental in making this (Kaabil) happen first of all and he has been there as a guide. A guide and somebody who we would all fall back upon for advice and guidance and feedback. Apart from that it is a Sanjay Gupta film. My dad says this thing himself and he said this to me personally when it was him and me that he is really proud and happy with how Sanjay has made this film. And he couldn’t have done even half of what Sanjay has done.
Guzaarish or Kaabil, which was tougher character according to you?
Both were tough and easy because both I felt passionate about. Kaabil was a little tougher because of the fact that playing blind requires a lot more skill. You have to you know really spend time in that prep to play blind.
I heard you had blindfolded yourself and walked around to prep for the role, tell us a little bit more about that.
I tried a lot of things. I blindfolded myself, so far I think I know the furniture of my house. if I close my eyes I can walk around and know how many steps it is from my sofa and table. I also tried to wear contacts, which were blurred I thought they would help in my expressions. But unfortunately I couldn’t, the contacts didn’t suit me, I just can’t wear them. It’s really funny I don’t know how people do that I think it’s the toughest thing to put that contact in your eyes. So I couldn’t manage and I had to work with my eyes and manage, tough but I had to.
Any blind character you kind of referred to that you had watched on screen earlier?
Only Al Pacino. I saw his film once and I got a lot of stuff from his film.
How have your kids reacted to Kaabil?
They have not yet seen it. They have seen promos and they think it’s a film that will do very well.
One song in particular that is rocking the charts is Saara Zamaana. If you had to put Yaarana, your favourite song, in a film…
Right now I don’t have another film. If I had, I would put it in Kaabil, but it will not suit the film. I love all the songs. I am a big fan of my chacha.
Your father said he would want to revisit Karan Arjun and he would want to cast you and Shah Rukh together. What are your thoughts? Would you like to do a Karan Arjun? Would you like to replace Salman and work with Shah Rukh Khan?
I would have to read the script.
If it is a Rakesh Roshan film it is a comfort zone for you, would that be a reason you’d like to pick this?
No, the comfort zone comes only when my dad and I both have liked the script. If he has liked something and I have not and I have liked something and he has not then there is no comfort there.