Sunday, August 31, 2003		In The Spotlight

“I’m not talented, just hard-working”

The magic has worked again. Rakesh and Hrithik Roshan are gunning for the stars after the huge success of Koi Mil Gaya. Such has been the response that some critics are prophesising that the film will even surpass the popularity of Kaho Na Pyar Hai. In a relaxed and upbeat mood, Hrithik discusses his journey from the troughs of failure to the peak of success in a chat with Avinash Kalla.

I am satisfied and relieved, all the hard work, experimentation and the risks have paid off. I am glad that the audiences accepted me in the role of an autistic, which is by no stretch of imagination a regular hero role. This has confirmed my belief that cinemagoers appreciate a good film, irrespective of the fact that the story is offbeat.

There are no secrets as such. All I can say is that dad gets the best out of me. Though he never treats me like a star, at the same time he never takes me for granted. Here he described the character to me and left it to me to give the right touches and nuances. Once I had understood the character I gave it my all. Dad knows that I am not a talented actor but a hard-working guy, that’s why he gives me complete freedom.

Does that mean that the other filmmakers don’t understand you well enough and this is the reason for the series of duds that you delivered after KNPH?

No, I never said that. In fact, things changed drastically after KNPH became such a huge hit. It altered the whole perspective filmmakers had about me. They thought my name could sell anything even if the storyline and direction were poor. A lot of my films flopped and I was labeled as a one-film wonder after KNPH. After Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, I became a two-film wonder. Now you guys are sure to call me a three-film wonder!

Let’s talk straight, film by film and I’ll tell you my side of the story. Fiza was released after KNPH and was successful. Fiza gave me the recognition as an actor. Then came Mission Kashmir which I signed the film before KNPH was released. After KNPH became a hit, my character was altered and I was made to do all those Matrix-kind of stunts. That affected the original concept of the film.

In Subhash Ghai’s Yaadien, we were all puppets on the sets and thus things didn’t work out. Then came Aap Mujhe Achhe Lagne Lage. It bombed as it was not a good film. K3G was a smash hit but it would be unfair to give the credit of its success to any single person. Na Tum Jano Na Hum was a very good subject, but I feel that it came 10 years too late. The next film, Mujh Se Dosti Karoge took the audiences for granted and we paid the price.

I wouldn’t call Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon a flop, as it is still in the theatres.

In Koi Mil Gaya, I feel I have given the best performance till date. The success of this film has opened a door for our filmmakers to experiment with newer and unexplored subjects. We have proved that if you do your work well with all sincerity then the audience will approve it.

I value both success and failure. I have learnt from mistakes I made and feel I am a better actor and a human being now.

Frankly, I haven’t had the time to let success turn my head. The last few years have gone like a flash.

During those days I would keep telling myself that I had the guts to face all kinds of adversity. There’s an old English saying that the finest of steel has to go through the hottest of fire. Now that I am through all that fire, I feel wonderful and absolutely on top of the world.

Lakshya is still in the making and I am not in a position to reveal anything except that it’s the story of a young man Karan Shergill who is dubbed as a wastrel. I am shooting in Ladakh for Lakshya till December. Then I seriously plan to take a break and go for a holiday, I haven’t taken a single holiday in the past five years...Maybe I’ll learn the guitar.

Discovering Hrithik, the consummate actor!

A child trapped in an adolescent’s body who is different and agonises over being excluded from the mainstream and is not able to keep pace with his peer group. An alien who gets left behind when a UFO lands and the manner in which both the boy (who is also an alien in a sense) and the alien bond, so much so that the alien infuses the boy with energy to make him almost superhuman. The anguish of the mother who has to single-handed rear such a child and the manner in which friendship, loyalty and true love (yes, that much-hyped but still relevant emotion) can transcend any barrier: Rakesh Roshan manages to weave all strands into a compelling, multilayered narrative. The story has a universal appeal as form and content merge to produce a gripping tale well told.

With consummate skill, Hrithik manages to depict the anguish of an autistic child. By turns, mocked, pitied or berated, the pain of such a child can be felt either by the parents or those who are afflicted themselves. It goes to the credit of director Rakesh Roshan that he manages to depict the silent suffering with a rare degree of authenticity. The internal world of such a child is counterpoised against the harsh reality of the external social world. The latter refuses to accept such an individual and relegates him to the periphery of social life. In this well-enacted, excellently directed movie, Hrithik essays the challenging role brilliantly in a nuanced manner, with a rare depth and maturity.

His body language, the haunted look in his eyes as he beseeches Lord Krishna to make him like others of his age leave an indelible impact. The awkward, stiff and contorted gestures, the stilted speech and a puppet-like gait reveal how he has worked hard to hone his acting skill like a seasoned artiste and craftsman. As Rohit, he manages to bring a lump to the viewers’ throat with the poignancy of his anguished look and unshed tears when confronted by insensitivity and apathy.

Strangely, the manner in which the aptly named alien, Jadoo, comes and infuses the autistic Rohit with energy and makes him normal, does not stretch the limits of credibility. It neither jars nor strikes one as incongruous. For this, full marks to the acting and directing prowess of the father-son duo who have worked to create a classic. The manner in which Rohit discovers his inner strength and by becoming responsible for another (in this case the safety of Jadoo) also finds a reservoir of strength and autonomy from within is the rites of passage from childhood to adulthood. From a prank-playing schoolboy, socially gauche and emotionally naive, to a boy who demonstrates and exults in his physical prowess, Rohit comes alive.

Besides weaving a multilayered narrative, the viewers are forced to question the parametres and definitions of what is normal and what is abnormal behaviour. If the autistic Rohit is not normal, there is nothing deviant about his adherence to the time-tested values of loyalty, sincerity and friendship. On the other hand, "normal" people like Raj might be intelligent, powerful as well as heroic but they derive their power and strength by mocking people who are disadvantaged or weaker than themselves. Some food for introspection!

Even as adults, we can not help rejoicing when the till-now-battered (physically as well as emotionally) Rohit gives back as good as he gets. With childish glee, we want to applaud as he thrashes his tormentors. Whatever the technical sophistication and exorbitant special effects, victory of good over evil and revenge of the underdog will never cease to fascinate and Roshan uses it deftly by giving myriad tones of colour and greys to a narrative that could have easily slipped into cliches.

Sensitively portrayed and beautifully etched is the relationship between the exuberant and vivacious Nisha (Preity Zinta), who empathises with Rohit and befriends him. She emotes with finesse and her character rings true, no over-the-top declarations of sympathy but just a warm, humane concern for a friend. From friendship and camaraderie to physical attraction and finally to love that transcends all. The evolution of their equation is parallel to the transition of Hrithik from a child at the receiving end to an adult who is proactive. It will not be an exaggeration to say that the viewers will find Hrithik the consummate, sensitive actor in Koi Mil Gaya. — Aruti Nayar