Hrithik Roshan turns 46: From Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai to War, a look at his journey in Bollywood
As Hrithik Roshan celebrates his birthday today, here is a look at his journey in Bollywood.
Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan turns 46 today and social media is full of wishes. From playing the role of Rohit in his debut film Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai to Kabir in War, he has come a long way and has been entertaining us for two decades.
On the Greek God’s birthday, here’s a look at his journey in Bollywood.
The Beginning
Hrithik’s career had a flying start with Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai emerging a superhit. The film, starring Ameesha Patel as the female lead, did wonders at the box office and became the highest grosser of the year. That Hrithik had the courage to try a double role in his first film - Rohit and Raj - itself deserves a mention. The new actor with his green eyes, sharp features and fine acting skills intrigued us all. That year, Hrithik swept the debutante as well as Best Actor Award for Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai.
For his second film, Fiza, Hrithik played the role of a terrorist, which was in sharp contrast to his debut. While we saw him singing and dancing with the lead actress in Kaho Naa.., in Fiza there were guns blazing, betrayal, tragedy and death.
His next films, Mission Kashmir and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham saw him play contrasting characters again and were superhits as well.
The Fall
Hrithik has had his share of failures as well. Yaadein, that released in 2001, turned out to be a major disappointment at the box office. The Subhash Ghai directorial was criticised heavily for its script and extremely slow narrative. Despite casting Hrithik and Kareena Kapoor in the lead, there wasn’t anything that could save the film from sinking.
Hrithik’s Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage and Na Tum Jaano Na Hum turned out to be clichéd love stories offering nothing new while Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon invited heavy criticism and was a complete disaster.
After a series of flops, many believed that the actor’s career was over.
The Revival
It was in August 2003, that Hrithik stunned us all as Rohit Mehra in Koi...Mil Gaya, directed by his father, Rakesh Roshan. This was the first time that he played the role of a differently-abled person and left an impression with his voice modulations, intense expressions and fantastic body language.
The film starred Preity Zinta as the female lead and Rekha played Rohit’s mother. Its next two installments, Krrish & Krrish 3 went on to become blockbusters as well.
After Koi...Mil Gaya, Roshan played an army officer in Lakshaya and brought a stoic seriousness alive on-screen that we usually associate with Army men. The film didn’t do well at the box office, but it remains one of his finest performances till date, much like Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Guzaarish in which he played a quadriplegic patient.
Yes, there have been several bad choices through his career, Mohenjo Daro and Kites are fine examples, but that neither made Hrithik’s fans leaving his side nor did it make the actor give up.
The actor has played several glamorous roles, and he did it with finesse. Be it the dashing thief in Dhoom 2, a ruthless (but handsome), money-minded banker in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara or the dapper undercover agent Rajveer Nanda in Bang Bang, his flawless muscles, and hypnotising green eyes pulled crowd to the theatres.
But, is he just a glamorous actor? Certainly not. With movies like Jodhaa Akbar, Agneepath and the recently released Super 30 (in which he is seen sporting a non-glamorous role), Hrithik proved that he is more than just eye-candy.
His latest, War turned out to be a huge box office success and was the highest-grossing Indian film of 2019. Full of high-octane action sequences, exotic locations and two foot-tapping songs that were tailormade for Hrithik, the dancer, the film turned out to be an out-and-out entertainer.
As our collective first crush turns 46, we hope he never stops experimenting - with every Lakshya, may there be a Dhoom 2, with every Super 30, may there be a War.
Happy birthday, Duggu!
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