Hrithik Roshan (; born 10 January 1974) is an Indian actor who works in
Hindi films
Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...
. He has portrayed a variety of characters and is known for his dancing skills. One of the highest-paid actors in India, he has won
many awards, including six
Filmfare Awards
The Filmfare Awards are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Hindi-language film industry of India.Al The Filmfare ceremony is one of the most famous film events in India. The awards were first introduced by th ...
, of which four were for
Best Actor. Starting from 2012, he has appeared in ''
Forbes India
''Forbes India'' is the Indian edition of ''Forbes'' which is managed by Reliance Industries-owned media conglomerate, Network 18.
History and profile
Since its founding in 2008, ''Forbes India'' has achieved a circulation of 50,000 copies and ma ...
''
Celebrity 100
Celebrity 100 is an annual list compiled and published by ''Forbes'' magazine since 1999, preceding by the ''Forbes'' Top 40 entertainers list. Until 2014, the rankings were made based on a complex combination of factors, including earnings, so ...
several times based on his income and popularity.
Roshan has frequently collaborated with his father,
Rakesh Roshan
Rakesh Roshan (born 6 September 1949) is an Indian film producer, director, screenwriter, and actor who works in Hindi films. He is the son of Indian music director Roshan and Indian Bengali singer Ira Roshan. He had appeared in 84 films throu ...
. He made brief appearances as a child actor in several films in the 1980s and later worked as an
assistant director
The role of an assistant director on a film includes tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, and maintaining order on the set. They also have to tak ...
on four of his father's films. His first leading role was in the box-office success ''
Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai'' (2000), for which he received several awards. Performances in the 2000 terrorism drama ''
Fiza
''Fiza'', also known as ''Fiza: In Search Of Her Brother'', is a 2000 Indian Hindi-language crime thriller film written and directed by Khalid Mohammed. It stars Karisma Kapoor as the eponymous lead, along with Hrithik Roshan as her terrorist ...
'' and the 2001 ensemble family drama ''
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...'' consolidated his reputation but were followed by several poorly received films.
The 2003 science fiction film ''
Koi... Mil Gaya'', for which Roshan won two Filmfare Awards, was a turning point in his film career; he later starred as the titular superhero in its sequels: ''
Krrish
''Krrish'' () is a 2006 Indian Hindi-language superhero film directed and produced by Rakesh Roshan. It stars Hrithik Roshan and Priyanka Chopra while Naseeruddin Shah, Rekha, Manini Mishra, Archana Puran Singh and Sharat Saxena feature in ...
'' (2006) and ''
Krrish 3
''Krrish 3'' is a 2013 Indian Hindi-language superhero film written, produced and directed by Rakesh Roshan, who wrote the screenplay with Honey Irani and Robin Bhatt. It is the third film in the ''Krrish'' series, following '' Koi... Mil Gaya ...
'' (2013). He earned praise for his portrayal of a thief in ''
Dhoom 2
''Dhoom 2'' (trans. Blast 2) is a 2006 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed by Sanjay Gadhvi and written by Vijay Krishna Acharya, based on a story by producer Aditya Chopra, who backed the film at an estimated budget of unde ...
'' (2006),
Mughal emperor
Akbar
Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar (25 October 1542 – 27 October 1605), popularly known as Akbar the Great ( fa, ), and also as Akbar I (), was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Hum ...
in ''
Jodhaa Akbar
''Jodhaa Akbar'' is a 2008 Indian Hindi-language historical drama, epic historical romantic drama film directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. It stars Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the titular roles. Set in the 16th centu ...
'' (2008) and a
quadriplegic
Tetraplegia, also known as quadriplegia, is defined as the dysfunction or loss of motor and/or sensory function in the cervical area of the spinal cord. A loss of motor function can present as either weakness or paralysis leading to partial or t ...
in ''
Guzaarish'' (2010). He achieved further commercial success by playing the lead in the 2011 drama ''
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
''Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara'' (), also abbreviated as ''ZNMD'', is a 2011 Indian Hindi-language buddy road comedy drama film directed by Zoya Akhtar and produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani under Excel Entertainment. The film features ...
'', the 2012 revenge drama ''
Agneepath'', the 2014 action thriller ''
Bang Bang!
''Bang Bang!'' is a 2014 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Siddharth Anand and written by Abbas Tyrewala, Sujoy Ghosh and Suresh Nair. Produced by Fox Star Studios, it is an official remake of the 2010 American satirical acti ...
'', the 2019 biopic ''
Super 30
Super 30 is an Indian educational program started in Patna, India under the banner of Ramanujan School of Mathematics. It was founded by Anand Kumar, a mathematics teacher, and Abhayanand, the former D.G.P of Bihar. The program selects 30 tale ...
'', and the 2019 action thriller ''
War
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
''; the lattermost ranks as his highest-grossing release.
Roshan has also performed on stage and debuted on television with the dance reality show ''
Just Dance'' (2011). As a judge on the latter, he became the highest-paid film star on Indian television at that time. He is involved with a number of humanitarian causes, endorses several brands and products and has launched his own clothing line. Roshan was married for fourteen years to
Sussanne Khan, with whom he has two children.
Early life and background
Roshan was born on 10 January 1974 in Bombay to a family prominent in Bollywood.
He is of Punjabi and Bengali descent on his paternal side. Hrithik's paternal grandmother
Ira Roshan
Ira Nagrath (died 22 January 2005), billed as Ira Roshan, was a Bengali singer and composer, wife of music director Roshan Lal Nagrath, and mother of music director Rajesh Roshan and actor Rakesh Roshan.
Career
As a young woman, Ira Moitra w ...
was a Bengali. His father, film director
Rakesh Roshan
Rakesh Roshan (born 6 September 1949) is an Indian film producer, director, screenwriter, and actor who works in Hindi films. He is the son of Indian music director Roshan and Indian Bengali singer Ira Roshan. He had appeared in 84 films throu ...
, is the son of music director
Roshanlal Nagrath; his mother, Pinky, is the daughter of producer and director
J. Om Prakash
Jay Om Prakash (24 January 1926 – 7 August 2019) was an Indian film producer and director. He directed films like ''Aap Ki Kasam'' (1974), ''Aakraman'', ''Aashiq Hoon Baharon Ka'', ''Aakhir Kyon?'' (1985) with Rajesh Khanna as the lead her ...
. His uncle,
Rajesh
Rajesh is a given name of Indian and Nepali origin.
Given name
* Rajesh (actor), South Indian actor
* Rajesh (Kannada actor), Kannada actor
* Rajesh Bishnoi, Indian cricketer
* Rajesh Chauhan, Indian cricketer
* Rajesh Gangwar, Indian social ...
, is a music composer.
Roshan has an older sister, Sunaina, and was educated at the
Bombay Scottish School
The Bombay Scottish School, Mahim (BSS or BSS Mahim), popularly known as Scottish, is a private, Christian co-educational day school located at Mahim West in Mumbai, India. The institution was established in 1847 by Scottish Christian missionar ...
. Roshan belongs to a
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
family, though he considers himself more spiritual than religious.
Roshan felt isolated as a child; he was born with
an extra thumb fused to the one on his right hand, which led some of his peers to avoid him. He has stammered since the age of six; this caused him problems at school, and he feigned injury and illness to avoid oral tests.
He was helped by daily speech therapy.
Roshan's grandfather, Prakash first brought him on-screen at the age of six in the film ''
Aasha'' (1980); he danced in a song enacted by
Jeetendra
Ravi Kapoor ( ; born 7 April 1942), known mononymously by his screen name Jeetendra, is an Indian actor who is known for his work in Hindi cinema. He also serves as the chairman of the Balaji Telefilms and Balaji Motion Pictures.
Early life ...
, for which Prakash paid him 100.
Roshan made uncredited appearances in various family film projects, including his father's production ''
Aap Ke Deewane
''Aap Ke Deewane'' () is a 1980 Indian Hindi-language romance film, produced by Vimal Kumar under the Film Krafts banner, presented by Rakesh Roshan and directed by Surendera Mohan. It stars Rishi Kapoor, Rakesh Roshan and Tina Munim, while J ...
'' (1980). In Prakash's ''
Aas Paas'' (1981), he appeared in the song "Shehar Main Charcha Hai". The actor's only speaking role during this period came when he was 12; he was seen as Govinda, the title character's adopted son, in Prakash's ''
Bhagwaan Dada'' (1986).
Roshan decided that he wanted to be a full-time actor, but his father insisted that he focus on his studies.
In his early 20s, he was diagnosed with
scoliosis
Scoliosis is a condition in which a person's spine has a sideways curve. The curve is usually "S"- or "C"-shaped over three dimensions. In some, the degree of curve is stable, while in others, it increases over time. Mild scoliosis does not t ...
that would not allow him to dance or perform stunts. Initially devastated,
he eventually decided to become an actor anyway. Around a year after the diagnosis, he took a chance by jogging on a beach when he was caught in a downpour. There was no pain, and becoming more confident, he was able to increase his pace with no adverse effects. Roshan sees this day as "the turning point of
islife."
Roshan attended
Sydenham College
Sydenham College of Economics is a college located in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. It is affiliated to the Dr. Homi Bhabha State University. The college offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in management. It was awarded a re-accreditat ...
, where he took part in dance and music festivals while studying, graduating in commerce.
Roshan assisted his father on four films—''
Khudgarz
Khudgarz () is a 1987 Indian Hindi-language action drama film, produced and directed by Rakesh Roshan under the Film Kraft banner. It stars Jeetendra, Shatrughan Sinha, Govinda, Bhanupriya, Amrita Singh and Neelam Kothari with music composed ...
'' (1987), ''
King Uncle
''King Uncle'' is a 1993 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Rakesh Roshan. The film stars Jackie Shroff, Shah Rukh Khan, and Anu Agarwal. Nagma, Paresh Rawal, Sushmita Mukherjee, Pooja Ruparel, Deven Verma appear in suppor ...
'' (1993), ''
Karan Arjun
''Karan Arjun'' is a 1995 Indian Hindi-language fantasy action film directed and produced by Rakesh Roshan, starring Raakhee, Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Mamta Kulkarni in lead roles. Amrish Puri portrays the main antagonist, while ...
'' (1995) and ''
Koyla
''Koyla'' ( Coal) is a 1997 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed, co-written and produced by Rakesh Roshan, which stars Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Amrish Puri in lead roles, while Johnny Lever, Ashok Saraf, Salim Ghouse, D ...
'' (1997)—while also sweeping the floor and making tea for the crew.
After pack-up, Roshan would enact
Shah Rukh Khan
Shah Rukh Khan (; born 2 November 1965), also known by the initialism SRK, is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. Referred to in the media as the " Baadshah of Bollywood", "King of Bollywood" ...
's scenes from ''Koyla'' and film himself to make a judgement about his performance as an actor.
While he assisted his father, he studied acting under
Kishore Namit Kapoor
Kishore Namit Kapoor (born 1949) is an Indian actor, author and acting teacher. He has trained some of the most prominent film and television actors of the Hindi industry including Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra, Kareena Kapoor, Ranveer Singh ...
.
Film career
2000–2002: Debut, success and setback
Roshan was originally scheduled to make his screen debut as a lead actor opposite
Preity Zinta
Preity G Zinta (pronounced ; born 31 January 1975) is an Indian actress and entrepreneur primarily known for her work in Hindi cinema, Hindi films. After graduating with degrees in English literature, English honours and criminal psychology, Z ...
in the cancelled film
Shekhar Kapur
Shekhar Kulbhushan Kapur (born 6 December 1945) is an Indian filmmaker and actor. Born into the Anand-Sahni family, Kapur is the recipient of several accolades, including a BAFTA Award, a National Film Award, a National Board of Review Award a ...
's ''Tara Rum Pum Pum''. Instead, he starred in his father's romantic drama ''
Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai'' (2000) opposite another debutante,
Ameesha Patel. Roshan played dual roles: Rohit, an aspiring singer brutally killed after witnessing a murder, and Raj, an
NRI
NRI or Nri may refer to :
* Kingdom of Nri, an Igbo kingdom that flourished between the 10th century and early 20th century
* National Radio Institute, a now defunct post-secondary vocational correspondence school
* National Resources Inventory
* N ...
who falls in love with Patel's character.
To prepare, he trained with the actor
Salman Khan
Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan (; 27 December 1965) is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. In a film career spanning over thirty years, Khan has received numerous awards, including two Nation ...
to bulk up physically, worked to improve his diction and took lessons in acting, singing, dancing, fencing and riding.
With global revenues of , ''Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai'' became one of the
highest-grossing Indian films of 2000.
His performance was acclaimed by critics;
Suggu Kanchana on
Rediff.com
Rediff.com (stylized as ''rediff.com'') is an Indian news, information, entertainment and shopping web portal. It was founded in 1996. It is headquartered in Mumbai, with offices in Bangalore, New Delhi and New York City.
, it had more than 300 e ...
wrote, "
oshan
Ashan ( fa, اشان, translit=Āshān and Oshān; also known as Āsān) is a village in Sarajuy-ye Gharbi Rural District, in the Central District of Maragheh County, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Repub ...
is good. The ease and style with which he dances, emotes, fights, makes one forget this is his debut film ... He seems to be the most promising among the recent lot of star sons we have been subjected to."
For the role, Roshan received Best Male Debut and Best Actor Awards at the annual
Filmfare Awards
The Filmfare Awards are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Hindi-language film industry of India.Al The Filmfare ceremony is one of the most famous film events in India. The awards were first introduced by th ...
,
IIFA Awards
The International Indian Film Academy Awards, popularly known as IIFA, is an annual awards ceremony for Bollywood. Produced by Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd, the winners of the awards are decided by fans, who vote online for th ...
, and
Zee Cine Awards
The Zee Cine Award (ZCA) is an Indian awards ceremony for the Hindi film industry. They were instituted in November 1997 to award "Excellence in cinema - the democratic way".
They were first held in Mumbai until 2004, when the ZCA went internat ...
. He became the first actor to win both Filmfare
Best Debut and
Best Actor awards the same year. The film established Roshan as a prominent actor in Bollywood. The actor found life hard after his overnight success, particularly the demands on his time.
In his second release,
Khalid Mohammed
Khalid Mohamed is an Indian journalist, editor, film critic, screenwriter and film director. He formerly worked for the '' Hindustan Times'' and was the lead editor for ''Filmfare'' magazine. He is the son of Hindi film actress Zubeida B ...
's crime drama ''
Fiza
''Fiza'', also known as ''Fiza: In Search Of Her Brother'', is a 2000 Indian Hindi-language crime thriller film written and directed by Khalid Mohammed. It stars Karisma Kapoor as the eponymous lead, along with Hrithik Roshan as her terrorist ...
'', Roshan played Amaan, an innocent Muslim boy who becomes a terrorist after the
1992–93 Bombay riots.
Roshan appeared in the film to expand his horizons as an actor.
Co-starring
Karisma Kapoor
Karisma Kapoor (born 25 June 1974) is an Indian actress, who works in Hindi films. A member of the Kapoor family, she is the recipient of several accolades, including a National Film Award and four Filmfare Awards.
Kapoor made her acting de ...
and
Jaya Bachchan
Jaya Bachchan (''Birth name, née'' Bhaduri; born 9 April 1948) is an Indian actress and politician. She is a member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from the Samajwadi Party, serving four terms since 2004. Known primarily for her work in Hindi ...
, ''Fiza'' was moderately successful at the box office, and Roshan's performance earned him a second nomination for Best Actor at the Filmfare ceremony.
Taran Adarsh
Taran Adarsh (born 13 June 1965) is an Indian film critic and trade analyst. He is best known for giving trade figures and box office updates on social media.
Career
Taran Adarsh started his journalism career at the age of 15 with ''Trade Gui ...
of
Bollywood Hungama
Bollywood Hungama (lit. "Bollywood Madness" in Hindi), previously known as IndiaFM (or IndiaFM.com), is a Bollywood entertainment website, owned by Hungama Digital Media Entertainment, which acquired the website in 2000.
The website provides ...
praised him as the production's prime asset, commending his "body language, his diction, his expressions,
ndhis overall persona." Roshan next appeared in
Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Vidhu Vinod Chopra (born 5 September 1952) is an Indian film director, producer, editor, screenwriter, lyricist and actor. His well-known films as director are ''Parinda'' (1988), '' 1942: A Love Story'' (1994). He is also known for producing ' ...
's action drama ''
Mission Kashmir
''Mission Kashmir'' is a 2000 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed and produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The film stars Sanjay Dutt, Hrithik Roshan, Jackie Shroff, Preity Zinta, and Sonali Kulkarni. It deals with terrorism and the tr ...
'' (2000) alongside
Sanjay Dutt
Sanjay Balraj Dutt (born 29 July 1959) is an Indian actor who primarily works in Hindi cinema. In a career spanning over four decades, Dutt has won several accolades and acted in over 100 films, ranging from romance to comedy genres, though u ...
, Preity Zinta, and
Jackie Shroff
Jaikishan Kakubhai Shroff (born 1 February 1957), popularly known as Jackie Shroff, is an Indian actor and former model. He has been in the Bollywood industry for over four decades, and , has appeared in over 220 films in 13 languages namely Hi ...
. Set in the valley of Kashmir during the
Indo-Pakistani conflicts, the film addressed the topics of terrorism and crime, and was a financial success.
Roshan was drawn to his complex role of a young man traumatised by the discovery that his adoptive father had been responsible for the death of his entire birth family.
In Adarsh's opinion, Roshan "brightens up the screen with his magnetic presence. His body language, coupled with his expressions, is sure to win him plaudits."
In 2001, Roshan appeared in two films, the first of which was
Subhash Ghai Subhash may refer to:
People
* Subhash Agarwal, Indian professional player and coach of English billiards and snooker
* Subhash Awchat (born 1960), Indian artist and author based in Mumbai
* Subhash Bapurao Wankhede (born 1963), Indian politician ...
's ''
Yaadein'', a romantic drama which paired him with
Kareena Kapoor
Kareena Kapoor Khan (; ''née'' Kapoor; born 21 September 1980) is an Indian actress who appears in Bollywood, Hindi films. She is the daughter of actors Randhir Kapoor and Babita, and the younger sister of actress Karisma Kapoor. Noted for pl ...
and reunited him with Shroff. Although highly anticipated, ''Yaadein'' was reviled by critics; in ''
The Hindu
''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It began as a weekly in 1878 and became a daily in 1889. It is one of the Indian newspapers of record and the secon ...
'',
Ziya Us Salam
Ziya Us Salam (born 1970) is an Indian author, literary critic, journalist and social commentator, who has worked for The Hindu Group since 2000. In addition to serving as the associate editor for magazine ''Frontline'', he also wrote several col ...
criticised the director for relying on Roshan's commercial appeal.
Roshan next had a supporting role in
Karan Johar
Karan Johar (born Rahul Kumar Johar; 25 May 1972), often informally referred to as KJo in the Hindi Film Industry, is an Indian filmmaker and television personality, who primarily works in Hindi cinema. He has launched the careers of several s ...
's ensemble melodrama ''
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...'' alongside
Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan (; born as Amitabh Shrivastav; 11 October 1942) is an Indian actor, film producer, television host, occasional playback singer and former politician known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of the most succe ...
, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan,
Kajol
Kajol Devgan (née Mukherjee; born 5 August 1974), known mononymously as Kajol, is an Indian actress. Described in the media as one of the most successful actresses of Hindi cinema, she is the recipient of numerous accolades, including six F ...
and Kareena Kapoor. He was cast as Rohan Raichand—the younger son of Bachchan's character who plots to reunite him with his adopted son (played by Khan)—after Johar had watched a
rough cut
In filmmaking, the rough cut is the second of three stages of offline editing. The term originates from the early days of filmmaking when film stock was physically cut and reassembled, but is still used to describe projects that are recorded and ...
of ''Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai''. ''Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...'' finished as India's highest-grossing film of the year, and among the most successful Bollywood films in the overseas market, earning worldwide.
Writing for Rediff.com, Anjum N described Roshan as "the surprise scene-stealer", praising him for holding his own against the established actors.
Roshan received a nomination for the
Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor
The Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor is given by ''Filmfare'' as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise a male actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role. Although the awards star ...
for his performance.
In 2002
Vikram Bhatt
Vikram Bhatt (born 27 January 1969) is an Indian director, producer, screenwriter and actor. He is best known for directing the Raaz (film series), ''Raaz'' film series, an Indian horror series produced by Mahesh Bhatt and Mukesh Bhatt and for d ...
's romance ''
Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage
Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage () is a 2002 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama directed by Vikram Bhatt, starring Hrithik Roshan and Ameesha Patel. Upon release, it was a critical disaster, receiving overwhelmingly negative reviews. Notably, t ...
'' reunited him with Ameesha Patel but failed at the box office, as did Arjun Sablok's romance ''
Na Tum Jaano Na Hum
''Na Tum Jaano Na Hum'' () is a 2002 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film starring Saif Ali Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Esha Deol. This is the first film where Roshan and Khan act together. The film was directed by Arjun Sablok and produced ...
'' (2002), in which he co-starred with
Saif Ali Khan
Saif Ali Khan (; born Sajid Ali Khan Pataudi; 16 August 1970) is an Indian actor and film producer who works in Hindi films. Part of the Pataudi family, he is the son of actress Sharmila Tagore and cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi.
Khan ma ...
and
Esha Deol
Esha Deol Takhtani (born 2 November 1981) is an Indian actress and model who predominantly appears in Hindi films. The daughter of actor-politicians Dharmendra and Hema Malini, Deol made her debut in ''Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe'' (2002), which ea ...
. The latter film was named after a song of the same name from his debut film
Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai. Roshan's final role that year was in a
Yash Raj Films
Yash Raj Films (YRF) is an Indian film production and distribution company founded by veteran filmmaker Yash Chopra in 1970. It mainly produces and distributes Hindi and Punjabi films. The company has grown to be one of the largest film studios ...
production, the high-profile ''
Mujhse Dosti Karoge!
''Mujhse Dosti Karoge!'' () is a 2002 Indian Hindi-language coming-of-age romance comedy film directed by Kunal Kohli and produced by Yash Chopra for his banner, Yash Raj Films. The film stars Rani Mukherji, Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor ...
'' co-starring
Rani Mukerji
Rani Mukerji (pronounced ; born 21 March 1978) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films. Noted for her versatility, she is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Rani Mukerji, multiple accolades, including seven Filmf ...
and Kareena Kapoor. The romantic comedy was heavily promoted before its release and made money internationally, though not in India.
In another commercial failure,
Sooraj R. Barjatya's ''
Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon
''Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon'' (English: ''I am crazy about Prem''), is a 2003 Indian Hindi-language romantic comedy drama film by Sooraj Barjatya and produced by Rajshri Productions. The film is a remake of the 1976 film ''Chitchor'' and features ...
'', Roshan was cast alongside Kareena Kapoor for the fourth time, and
Abhishek Bachchan
Abhishek Bachchan (born 5 February 1976) is an Indian actor and film producer known for his work in Hindi films. Part of the Bachchan family, he is the son of actors Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan and the grandson of poet Harivansh Rai Bach ...
. The press labelled Roshan a "one-trick pony" and suggested that the failure of these films would end his career.
2003–2008: Revival and awards success
Roshan's career began to revive with a starring role in ''
Koi... Mil Gaya'' (2003).
The film, directed and produced by his father, centers on his character Rohit Mehra, a
developmentally disabled
Developmental disability is a diverse group of chronic conditions, comprising mental or physical impairments that arise before adulthood. Developmental disabilities cause individuals living with them many difficulties in certain areas of life, espe ...
young man, who comes in contact with an extraterrestrial being—a role that required him to lose nearly . Roshan recalls the experience of starring in the film fondly: "I could live my childhood
gain
Gain or GAIN may refer to:
Science and technology
* Gain (electronics), an electronics and signal processing term
* Antenna gain
* Gain (laser), the amplification involved in laser emission
* Gain (projection screens)
* Information gain in de ...
I could eat as many chocolates as I wanted. I became a baby and everybody was so caring towards me."
In the book ''Film Sequels'',
Carolyn Jess-Cooke
Carolyn Jess-Cooke (born 26 August 1978 in Belfast, Northern Ireland) is a poet and novelist from Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Early life
Carolyn Jess-Cooke was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1978. She was educated at The Queen's University ...
drew similarities between the character and
Forrest Gump
''Forrest Gump'' is a 1994 American comedy-drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Eric Roth. It is based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom and stars Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Mykelti Williamson and ...
, portrayed by
Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Ha ...
in
the titular film, but this idea was dismissed by Roshan.
Film critics were polarised on their view of the film—some of them negatively compared its storyline to the 1982 Hollywood release ''
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial''—but were unanimous in their praise for Roshan.
In a 2010 retrospective of the Top 80 Iconic Performances of Bollywood, ''
Filmfare
''Filmfare'' is an Indian English language, English-language fortnightly magazine published by Worldwide Media. Acknowledged as one of Indian most popular entertainment magazines, it publishes pieces involving news, interviews, photos, videos, r ...
'' noted "how flesh and blood Hrithik's act is. Simply because he believes he is the part. Watch him laugh, cry or bond with his remote controlled alien friend and note his nuanced turn."
A Rediff.com critic agreed that Roshan was "the turbojet that propels the film to the realm of the extraordinary." ''Koi... Mil Gaya'' was one of the most popular Bollywood films of the year, earning worldwide and Roshan won both Filmfare Awards for Best Actor and
Best Actor (Critics).
The following year, Roshan collaborated with Amitabh Bachchan and Preity Zinta on
Farhan Akhtar
Farhan Akhtar (born 9 January 1974) is an Indian actor, director, screenwriter, playback singer, producer, and television host who works in Hindi films. Born in Mumbai to screenwriters Javed Akhtar and Honey Irani, he grew up under the influen ...
's ''
Lakshya'' (2004), a fictionalised
coming-of-age story In genre studies, a coming-of-age story is a genre of literature, theatre, film, and video game that focuses on the growth of a protagonist from childhood to adulthood, or "coming of age". Coming-of-age stories tend to emphasize dialogue or internal ...
set against events from the 1999
Kargil War
The Kargil War, also known as the Kargil conflict, was fought between India and Pakistan from May to July 1999 in the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere along the Line of Control (LoC). In India, the conflict is also referr ...
. He also featured in the
item number
In Indian cinema, an item number or item song is a musical number inserted into a film that may or may not have any relevance to the plot. The term is commonly used within Indian films (Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, Punjabi, and Be ...
"
Main Aisa Kyun Hoon
"Main Aisa Kyun Hoon" () is a single from the 2004 Indian film '' Lakshya'' composed by the trio Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy, featuring lyrics by Javed Akhtar, Vocals by Shaan and choreographed by Prabhu Deva.
Music
Farhan and the trio jammed toget ...
" (choreographed by
Prabhu Deva
Prabhu Deva (born 3 April 1973) is an Indian dance choreographer, film director, producer and actor who has worked predominantly in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada language films. In a career spanning 32 years, he has performed and designed a ...
) which proved popular with audiences. Roshan found it "one of the most challenging films" of his career at the time and said it made him respect soldiers.
Although trade journalists expected the film to do well commercially,
it failed to attract a wide audience. Over the years, it has attained a
cult
In modern English, ''cult'' is usually a pejorative term for a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. This ...
status in India.
For the film, Roshan earned Best Actor nominations at the Filmfare and
Zee Cine ceremony.
Manish Gajjar of the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
praised Roshan's versatility and his transformation from a carefree youth to a determined and courageous soldier. Reviewing the film in 2016, Tatsam Mukherjee of ''
'' described his performance as career-best, highlighting his scene before the climax.
Roshan was not seen on screen again until 2006, with three new releases, including a cameo at the end of the year in the romance ''
''.
''. A follow-up to his family's production ''Koi... Mil Gaya'', it saw him play dual roles—the title superhero and his character from the original film. Before production, Roshan travelled to China to train with
for the cable work that would be needed to make his character fly.
Among the several injuries he sustained during production, Roshan tore the hamstring in his right leg and broke his thumb and toe. ''Krrish'' became the third-highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2006 with a worldwide revenue of .
and the International Indian Film Academy Awards.
'' considered Roshan a prime asset of the film, noting that he "pulls off the pic's wilder absurdities with considerable panache."
For his role as an enigmatic master thief in ''
and Abhishek Bachchan—Roshan won his third Filmfare Award for Best Actor.
called him "the heart, the soul, and the spirit of the film", and praised his stunts, concluding that he "holds the film together and even manages to take your attention away from its many flaws".
Bored by playing the "good guy", Roshan was excited to play an anti-hero who lacks heroic attributes, for the first time.
, Roshan lost for the role; he also learnt skateboarding, snow boarding, rollerblading and sand surfing.
With earnings of , ''Dhoom 2'' became the highest grossing Indian film at that time, a distinction that was held for two years.
'', he made a cameo alongside several Bollywood stars.
(played by Rai). Gowariker believed Roshan possessed the regal bearing and physique required to play the role of a king. For the role, Roshan learned sword-fighting and horse-riding, and also took