Source: Telegraph
Date: December 22, 2006
By Subhash K. Jha
After Dhoom 2, Hrithik has made a meal of the aphrodisiac called success.
Q . The 20-something chicks are screaming for you after Dhoom 2.
I’ve noticed. The response has been pretty aggressive. The roars and shrieks and the handshakes are all a compliment for my work. I don’t let them inflate my ego.
Q . A new phase has begun in your career with Krrish and Dhoom 2?
You think so? I’ve never had such responses before. I’m getting all kinds of feedback from every quarter. I believe Dhoom 2 is even bigger than Krrish. All of us are ecstatic. Uday and I’ve been together since Standard 2 in school. We feel we’re back in school and won a competition together. Abhishek, Uday and I are constantly calling each other for feedback. Thank God our childhood friendship never got lost in adult ambitions.
Q . You’ve the whole nation by their vitals.
Ha! That’s funny. I take that as an impetus and motivation to go to another level as an actor. I don’t let it tamper with my sense of self. I won’t think about things that hamper my growth. I’d rather not think of myself as invincible. I’d rather think about the next challenge which is Jodha-Akbar. Anything beyond that would be detrimental to my dreams as an actor. An actor’s downfall begins when he begins to take the adulation too seriously.
Q . Ashutosh Gowariker describes Dhoom 2 as a showreel for your abilities. Flattering thought?
He was being generous to an actor he loves so much. But I don’t think showreels work as movies. Even if Dhoom 2 is a fantasy caper there’s a thought, plot and emotion behind it, though it might not be immediately apparent. A showreel for my abilities? No way!
Q . What about all those exotic sports and stunts?
Agreed, they’re an attraction. But I think what worked for my character is that I played a cool guy for the first time. I did play one in the second half of Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai. But that’s it. Otherwise I was relegated to playing goody two-shoes…you know, the consummate do-gooder with a sweet smile on his face.
Q . We still think your best performance to date is in Arjun Sablok’s Na Tum Jaano Na Hum.
I need to look at that film again.
Q . How does it feel to have finally got there right at the top?
Great! But it’s futile to do mental gymnastics about my box-office position. These are numbers meant to only inflate your ego. I’m enjoying it, yes. It’s very important for me to understand that people are only trying to make me happy by calling me Rock Star and No. 1, or whatever.
Q . But there’s a growing feeling that you are No. 1.
I’d rather not waste my time thinking about this. I’ve done good work and Dhoom 2 worked. What made it work was that all of us in the film were on the same side. All of us — Abhishek, Ash, Uday, Bipasha and I — were trying to make the same film. That’s why we had such a happy ending.
Q . Would you say your superstardom was somewhat stymied by the spate of setbacks after Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai?
No. I think what happened with my career was for the best. I got to see the high and the low very early in my career. It gave me a clear and balanced perspective on how to go about my career.I also learnt not to take labels like ‘Superstar’ seriously. It’s very easy to start believing in the persona that’s created for you in the media. Once that happens, you are finished.
Q . Did the exuberant welcome and then the snide comments about being your dad’s resident hero after Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai caution you?
No, it completely freed me from people’s expectations. I started doing things that came from my my heart. I chose the path that came naturally to me. Doing my best for all my roles is my only option. If during the low phase I had tried to live up to the labels that were given to me after my debut I’d have never done a Koi…Mil Gaya where I played a mentally challenged character. I’d have been too conscious of cultivating an image to try so non-sexy and unheroic roles. For all practical purposes it was a wrong career move. Being an actor is all about exploring all the personalities that come your way.
Q . It’s about trying to be people who you are not?
Not really. I think every character I played, in Dhoom 2 or Yaadein or Na Tum Jaano Na Hum, had a bit of me. If I don’t connect with the character through my performances I’d end up hamming. Some unexplored, maybe unknown, side of your personality goes into every character. I’ve a bit of Rohit and Aryan in me. And yet they’re new people to me.
Q . Women find you sexy after Dhoom 2, we believe?
After the nerd and the innocent Koi…Mil Gaya and Krrish it’s very reassuring to know I’m capable of jumping from one end of the image spectrum to another. As an actor it’s very satisfying.
Q . People feel you’ve never looked better.
The entire credit for that should be given to the stylist Anaita who took charge of the film’s look. I can’t even begin to take credit for my look. Right from the conception stage Anaita led me into the look.
Q . It’s believed that good-looking people don’t make great actors.
I completely disagree with that. In fact, I believe good looks are about extraordinary acting. If you’re a good actor you’re bound to look good. It’s the strength, confidence and composure that lend character and good looks to an actor. All these qualities make you sexy.
Q . But a lot of ordinary looking actors are great actors!
The fact that they’re considered great actors makes them good looking. An actor may not be into gyming and slimming. He still has all the women lusting after him. How do you explain that? There’s a secret ingredient which you exude and radiate as an actor. That’s the quality that makes you sexy.
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Source: IndiaFM
Date: December 23, 2006
By Subhash K. Jha
Hrithik is fully enjoying his new sexy image after Dhoom 2. "I continue to get messages galore… I enjoy all of them, the sweet, the polite, and the graphic. I love them all. As it's going, Dhoom 2 will become the biggest hit ever! The collections are insane. Overseas, Mumbai and some other places it has already crossed the entire business of my other 2006 release of Krissh. I'm so glad it all worked out." A case has been filed in Indore against Hrithik and Aishwarya for their kissing sequence. But Hrithik is unfazed. "If I thought it was unnecessary or unbecoming I wouldn't have done it. It's all about moral perceptions. To someone with a backward mindset even holding hands in public is scandalous. In the west, kissing in public is absolutely normal. It's sad that we categorize anything physical as unbecoming." He refuses to believe there's a widespread outcry against the kiss. 'It's just one man (in Indore) who has objected. He doesn't represent any section of the people. He's a lawyer sitting in his office and enjoying every bit of the limelight. I believe he's so excited about a TV camera in his office. It's like a burst of glory in his life. I'm totally indifferent to this kind of behaviour. It's time for a change." Hrithik is optimistic about the future.
"The collective consciousness of society regarding moral values is evolving. I dream big movies. I dream beautiful visuals. For me the kissing scene in Dhoom 2 is one such visual. It's all about love. It's a moment when long-withheld love between my character and the girl he loves culminates in a kiss. It's a celebration of love when two people who love each other come together. It's a beautiful scene. It's one of the primary scenes driving forward the love story of Sunehri and my character Aryan." Hrithik admits he had never done a kissing scene before. "I did give it a lot of thought. There was enough reason and inspiration here to go ahead. I tried to make it as beautiful as possible. And I stand by it completely." So how does it feel to be called he new No 1? "Great! But it's futile to do mental gymnastics about my box-office position. These are numbers meant to only inflate your ego. I'm enjoying it, yes. It's very important for me to understand that people are only trying to make me happy by calling me Rock Star and No.1, or whatever. I'd rather not waste my time thinking about this. I've done good work and Dhoom 2 worked. What made it work was that all of us in the film were on the same side. All of us—Abhishek, Ash, Uday, Bipasha and I—were trying to make the same film. That's why we had such a happy ending."
Suddenly the 20-something generation is rooting for Hrithik . "Agreed, they're an attraction. But I think what worked for my character is that I played a cool guy for the first time. I did play one in the second-half of Kaho Na…Pyar Hai. But that's it. Otherwise I was relegated to playing goody two-shoes…you know, the consummate do-gooder with a sweet smile on his face. After the nerd and the innocent Koi …Mil Gaya and Krissh it's very re-assuring to know I'm capable of jumping from one end of the image-spectrum to another. As an actor it's very satisfying to be accepted in Dhoom 2. The entire credit for that should be given to the stylist Anaida who took charge of the film's look. I can't even begin to take credit for my look. Right from the conception stage Anaida led me into the look." So far it was believed good-looking people weren't capable of performing well. Hrithik has proved them wrong. "The fact that they're considered great actors makes them good looking. An actor may not be into gyming and slimming. He still has all the women lusting after him. How do you explain that? There's secret ingredient which you exude and radiate as an actor. That's the quality that makes you sexy."