Hrithik's Flying Kites

Hrithik’s Kites

This 36-year-old stunner has done a range of movies -- from sci-fi to superhero, from action to comedy, and from historical to motivational narratives. The blatant actor has yet again walked out of his safety zone to darn an all-new avatar --- the new-age romantic. The heart of Bollywood, Hrithik Roshan sports a new look and new character for his upcoming film Kites for which he’s all praises and positive. An upclose.

Your fans wish to see more of you. It’s been two-and-a-half years since Jodha Akbar.

I accept that I do very few films. You could say that I can’t multi-task. I get fully absorbed in the film that I am doing no matter how long it takes for it to hit the screens. I got this inspiration from the Tinkle comic books that I used to read as a child. It used to advocate that one should stick to one thing at a time to be successful and happy in life. This philosophy helps me remain grounded and focused to this day. Also, I feel that instead of boring the audience with nonsensical films in a row, it’s better to come up with just one film in a year but that should be worth the long wait.

Tell us about Kites.

It is a film about an Indian man’s affair with a Latin woman and their predicament as they don’t understand each other’s language. The film is being made in both Hindi and English. The English version of Kites has been presented and reworked by well-known Hollywood director Brett Ratner. All in all, it’s an honest film and my first complete romantic love story.

Why do you call it an honest film?

Well, nothing in the film, neither dialogues nor moments are made-up or fabricated so as to make audience jump with joy, clap, cry or laugh. It’s a very simple straightforward love story, something that would happen in real life. And following that thread whatever fell into place has made the film what it is.

You are the newest actor singer in the industry.

(Coyly) I never thought I would become one. I wasn’t too sure how I would perform in my debut as a singer. However, my uncle Rajesh Roshan and director Anurag Basu were confident that I would do a good job for I hail from the family of musicians.

So, how did you tune up your vocal chords?

Oh! Singing that one song took me many sleepless days and nights. I had asked for two months time, they gave me two weeks. Hence, I would start with sa re ga ma, right from the time I would wake up to brushing my teeth to taking the shower. I always sang with hand movements trying to reach the highest scale and the lowest note. However, when the actual recording time came, I had butterflies in my stomach. I got them to switch off all the lights in the studio because I was getting too distracted and conscious. Only when the whole studio was blacked out, did every note fall into place, or at least I felt that way (laughs).

You met with many accidents during the film’s shooting.

Yes. I hurt my knees while doing a dangerous car stunt in Las Vegas and later injured my arm while shooting in Filmistan Studio in Mumbai. Others were minor bruises.

How positive are you about the success of your film?

I never take up a project that I don’t believe in. More than the film’s budget or star cast, it’s the storyline and director that I pitch for. Kites has a perfect script and an excellent director. Also, Barbara has done a fairly good job and I have put in my heart and soul in the movie. As mentioned before, Kites is a very honest film. That was the brief that my father and Anurag Basu gave to the entire team while making Kites. We do not want to be within our comfort zone influenced by manipulative commercial thinking. I trust our efforts and sincerity more than marketing initiatives. Hence, I see no reason why my film won’t be appreciated by people.

Did you fly kites as a young boy?

Yes, I remember papa used to teach me. We used to live on the 13th floor of a building. I was too small and used to wonder that the kites seems so light but when it's flying, it's really hard...

How was it working with Barbara?

Barbara is simply superb. A fine actor and humble human being. Another reward for working on this film is finding a Mexican friend – genuine and considerate.

Much has been said about your alleged affair with co-star Barbara.

A certain section of the media needs to understand the difference between sincere journalism and despicable sensationalism. Journalists are widely trusted and respected by the public. A huge responsibility falls on their shoulders. I wish they realise this before it’s too late. Had my wife and children not been as understanding, I know not what this Instigation and provocation would have led to.

Do you think that India now has the means to make films that can stand their own on a global platform?

Sure we do. We have the expertise and also the required budget for the same now. It’s about time we started thinking of such novel ideas for we have no constraints now. Take films like Scarface or Once Upon A Time In America, for instance. Nobody breaks into a song. So, we too should let go of the safety nets.

But you have yourself sung for your latest movie.

Like I said before, it’s an honest film. The guy wanted to sing at a given point, and Anurag was very sure it had to be actually me. Good singing, bad singing, it didn’t matter. But the singing had to be from the heart.

Having reached the pinnacle of success today, where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

I can only see myself doing quality films till my last breath.   

Did you always want to become the best in the industry.

See, when one aspires to become an actor, every one visualises himself as being the top slot. This is the motivation that helps one enter films. However, once you start working, it is the journey you begin to enjoy, not the destination. Audience reaction is my access point to growth. They have loved me for 10 years and I feel truly blessed.

What next and… when?

Guzaarish in November this year. This is yet another film very close to my heart for I play a paraplegic, wheelchair-using patient suffering from impairments of the motor and sensory functions of the lower limbs. The film’s directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and casts Aishwarya Rai opposite me. She plays a married nurse who falls in l9ove with this patient.

BOLD & Beautiful

No need to wait for a Hrithik Roshan or Akshay Kumar starrer movie if you want to enjoy some breathtaking stunts and action. Evidently, Bollywood actresses don’t want to just dance around trees or sing in the rain any longer. With an aim to add some substance to their role, our sexy sirens now intend to do some action-oriented roles. Glamorous action if we may call it…

We caught Bipasha performing some awesome stunts in Race and Dhoom II and Aishwarya Rai swinging the sword in the historical epic Jodhaa-Akbar, not to forget her action-oriented role in Dhoom II. Koena is playing a superwoman in Karna.

“It’s only after doing it that I realised how exciting doing action is,” Aishwarya Rai Bachchan says. Besides Jodhaa Akbar in which she wielded the sword, the charming beauty also did several stunts for the Hollywood film, The Last Legion. “Now that I have got a good taste of it, I just can’t wait to do action stunts again and again. It is truly thrilling to do sword fights or for that matter jumping off from a cliff.”

We had a dialogue with some actresses who have recently taken up action-oriented roles:

• Priyanka Chopra for Drona

Ex-Miss World Priyanka Chopra now seems to be pining for a new title — Bollywood’s Action Diva. She harks back to the comic book heroine of yore in Goldie Behl’s Drona, a la Uma Thurman in Kill Bill. Priyanka learnt a special strain of the martial arts for her role in the action drama. “I had learnt some kung fu for Don. But this is different. It is a full-on action movie for me, with kicks and somersaults galore. I quite enjoyed the cuts and bruises. I did,” says Priyanka beaming bright.

She adds, “Before the shooting I took training for Gatka, which is a focused form of fighting from Punjab. A trainer was called from Ludhiana for the film to assist me during the shooting of Drona. It was a phenomenal experience learning this special art.”

Priyanka agrees that her Drona-look and body language are unlike anything she has done before. Grapevine has it that she decided to do all the action sequence on her own despite doctor’s warning. While performing the stunts, she even ended up hurting her leg again. “If we can pull off dramas, comedies - then why can’t we do action films?” she justifies, when asked why drove her into action movies.

• Neha Dhupia for Singh is Kinng

Neha Dhupia has been commended for her stunts by critics in this mega-hit. As per the actress, performing the stunts never frightened or upset her. “It’s no big deal, really,” she says, “People thought they were breathtaking stunts but I just took a deep breath and did them. I had to be on a yacht, sailing and beating up bad boys, and then I had to step out of a limousine and shoot them down. All this was easy, except that I had to do it wearing a gown!”

All we would say is, well done!

• Deepika Padukone for Chandni Chowk to China

Famous badminton player’s daughter Deepika Padukone might not be a sportsperson herself but she does have that spirit. Quite new to tinseltown, the actress wants to prove her mettle in all genres, including action.

“For Chandni Chowk to China, I have learned jujitsu – it’s a form of martial arts which is very famous in China. During the shoot I had started learning it and special trainers had come from China to teach this form of martial arts.”

Quite impressed with her co-actor in the film, Ajay Devgan says, “Heroines are as strong as heroes. Deepika is all set to give a heady rush of adrenaline to audiences with action scenes in Nikhil Advani’s Chandni Chowk To China opposite Akshay Kumar.” Deepika asserts that the trend of more heroines taking up action roles itself shows that with the evolution of the Hindi film industry, women are getting to do more in films than just dance around trees.

You have a point, lady.

• Jiah Khan for Ghajini

Ghajini’s shooting getting stalled right now doesn’t stop this young performer from grinning. Jiah Khan is quite ecstatic about the stunts she has done so far for the film. She purportedly has as threatening stunts in the movie as Aamir. Ask her about the movie and prompt comes the reply, “I am really sorry. I am not allowed to talk about the film. But yes, you will find me doing a lot of action in Ghajini. What else do you think I had to lose my weight for?” She adds, “For the first time I have done stunts and it was great fun. From day one I started practice. It has been really exciting and working in this film is definitely the most special phase of my life so far.”

Action In Vogue

Many Bollywood heroines seem to have been inspired to take up action. Even a newcomer like Shruti Hasan is doing action sequences in the film Luck starring Imran Khan and Sanjay Dutt.

As per cute Ayesha Takia, she has already worked in most genres and now wants to prove herself as an action star. “Action movies are all set to make a comeback. And I would be more than happy to be a part of it,” says she. Probably, she wants to dodge out of her cutie pie image.

Commenting on the trend, Amrita Rao said, “I would love to do an action flick. In fact I find myself fortunate that I entered the film industry during a phase when actresses are doing so much and have longer terms.”

But some commentators feel that Bollywood actresses are being forced to experiment with the action genre as films are still written keeping the hero in mind. In fact, even films like Chak De India and Bheja Fry did not have a leading lady.

“We are in an era when the role of the conventional Hindi leading lady is fast getting marginalised,” says Bollywood historian Derek Bose. He adds, “Today, it is either a comedy or an action flick that can assure you a box-office draw. If an actress has to find employment she has to choose between the two.”

Fearless Nadia

Hunterwali, Pahadi Kanya, Miss Frontier Mail, Lutaru Lalna, Punjab Mail, Diamond Queen, Bombaiwali, Jungle Princess and Hunterwali ki Beti used to run houseful. In the 1930s and 40s, Bollywood heroines did not have important roles in action films. Thanks to Mary Evans, the supposed first stunt-woman of Hindi cinema — who was popularly known as the Fearless Nadia. Mary’s odd roles and stunts made her quite popular with the audiences.

Riding a horse with a whip in hand, fencing with villains atop running trains, swinging from chandeliers and doing stunts without resorting to stuntmen — Mary Evans gave a new look to Indian cinema, hurling the myth of the docile heroine into air.

She undoubtedly had gets out of the ordinary and did believe in what she did. As she once said, “I walk my own road. And I can never get lost on my path. Acting is beyond dancing around the trees and singing to the moon, fully-clad in a sari.”

A theatre artiste and an actress who had worked in foreign films, Nadia entered the Hindi film industry in 1933 by debuting in Wadia Movietone’s Lal-e-Yaman. Two years later, she donned tight pants, high boots, a revealing shirt and a whip in her hand to become synonymous with the title of her movie Hunterwali.

Whatever be the reason, the good thing is that Bollywood has now finally started thinking out of the box. Indian heroine will no more be a coy and faint-hearted doe-eyed beauty (that we were quite bored of seeing), but a bold and beautiful charmer who is now a rescuer and no more the rescued.

Shilpi Shukla