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Monday January 8, 03:30 PM An
interview with Hrithik Roshan
By IndiaFM News Bureau
 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 my work. I don't let them inflate my ego.
A new phase has begun in your career with Krissh
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 Krissh. 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
constantly calling each other for feedback. Thank God
our childhood friendship never got lost in adult
ambitions.
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.
Ashutosh Gowariker describes Dhoom 2 as a show-reel
for your abilities. Flattering thought?
He was being generous to an actor he loves so much.
But I don't think show-reels 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 show-reel for my abilities? No way!
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
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.
I still think your best performance to date is in
Arjun Sablok's Na Tum Jano Na Hum.
You keep saying that. I need to look at that film
again.
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.
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.
Would you say your superstardom was somewhat
stymied by the spate of setback after Kaho Na...Pyar
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.
Did the exuberant welcome and then the snide
comments about being your dad's resident hero after
Kaho Na...Pyar 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 the labels that were
given to my 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. For all practical
purposes it was a wrong career move. Being an actor is
all about exploring all the personalities that come
your way.
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 Jano 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.
I believe women find you sexy after Dhoom 2
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.
People feel you've never looked better.
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.
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.
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 secret
ingredient which you exude and radiate as an actor.
That's the quality that makes you sexy.
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