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.

Riteish Deshmukh - interview

The Innate Comedian

He’s like the guy next door. His smile is infectious and screen presence too enchanting. Most often than not, his cute facial expressions and not his dialogues do the acting for him. Every second shot of this endearing actor makes audience burst into peals of laughter. A favourite of one and all, Riteish Deshmukh talks about his recent films, his love for other genres and his upcoming educational institution and much more with Shilpi Shukla.

After Rann and Aladin you seem to have returned to your favourite genre – comedy.

Well, it is the other way round. Audience likes me best in the genre. I am comfortable in all genres but the audience seem to be most comfortable seeing me doing comedy. The audience remember me in comic roles as these films did well at the box-office while my performances in serious films were forgotten because the movies tanked. It wasn't like I was doing too bad in the films which belonged to non-comedy genres. Maybe if a Rann or an Aladin would have worked, it would have been a different story altogether.

What about your recent releases?

Jaane Kahan Se Aayi Hai and Housefull are completely different from each other because while the former is a romantic film, Housefull is an out and out comedy. Both the films are very close to my heart though. Comedy in Housefull is completely whacked out. It is over the top where things would be really on your face at one moment and then suddenly, the next scene would be far more subtle. There is a fine balance. On the other hand Jaane Kahaan Se Aayi Hai follows a romcom mood throughout. It is extremely youthful though the subtlety element is prevalent right through its duration. With JKSAH, I’m just getting back to where I started. It’s just that I have much more confidence now.

How did you take Rann’s poor business rating?  

Rann not doing well is ironical because whoever saw the movie liked it. The trouble though was that not many bothered to check it out at theaters. Till date people send me messages on Twitter that they happened to check out the movie on DVD and they loved it. My question to them is that 'Why didn't you see it in theaters? I wasn’t sure if people would take me seriously, after having watched me in so many comedies. But audiences loved me. I truly believe that it was the marketing aspect where Rann could have done a lot better. Probably we were unable to create that kind of urgency amongst people that would have enticed them enough to go and see the film in theatres.
 
How has your cine-journey been so far?

Terrific, I would say. God has been graceful and people from the industry have been very supportive. I had never thought I would get so much love from the audience, that too not because of my father’s political standing but because of my own mettle.

Not many know that you are an architect as well.

Many are taken by surprise when I reveal that I am a qualified architect. I studied architecture at the Kamala Raheja School of Architecture and have been designing alongside acting. My architecture firm Evolutions in partnership with another firm has designed a multiplex in Aurangabad and my hometown Latur in Maharashtra. There are a couple of things happening with the architectural firm which includes designing concept villas for a holiday home in Alibaug. That’s almost complete. Now, I am in the process of setting up a state-of-the art educational institution in Latur.

An educational instution?

Yes indeed. Education has always been a priority for me and it's important to have schools with good facilities where education is imparted in a newer and different system. My dad and brother run educational trusts in different villages but I want to build an educational infrastructure in Latur, which is as good as or better than the ones in Mumbai. We should start the school by next year.

You refused to kiss Jacqueline Fernandes, despite being asked to do so by director Milap Zaveri.
I don't like kissing in films. I have been asked to kiss in many of my films but have always refused. I am a very shy person and kissing is too intimate and personal an act for me to do in front of millions of eyes. I am not comfortable doing it. I can't be detached while kissing someone on screen. But I am not a prude. I would cringe to see myself kissing on screen but if others do it, I'm fine. I didn't kiss and finally we ended up shooting a cuter scene which expresses our romance much more than a kiss would have. I stand justified!

How was it working with director Milap? 

We share a good camaraderie. I hadn't done a romantic film after Tujhe Meri Kasam and was waiting for that right script to come my way. In between, I got stuck with comedies and like it happens, you get typecast easily if your movie works. That's what happened to me as well. The reason for accepting the film was simple. Its story worked for me. And now when I look back, I am genuinely happy that Milap decided to make a love story and offered me the role. Milap is a romantic at heart and even brought out the romantic in me.

Are there more sex comedies on the way?

When I did Masti, people appreciated me. Then, Kya Kool Hain Hum and Heyy Babyy happened. But the other day, some kids came up to me and said, “We aren’t allowed to watch your films.” That’s when I decided not to do films that can’t be viewed by an entire family.

Today, people call your dad Vilasrao Deshmukh (Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises) 'Riteish Deshmukh's father' more than they call you his son. How does that make you feel?
I don't know how to react. I can't weigh both to see which is more important to me as I am not in contention with him to prove who is more famous. I am very happy and proud to be his son. My head rises with pride when I'm called his son. But I hope I have emerged out of his shadow. The shadow is so big that it takes a while to come out of it. I know there are certain responsibilities I have to be aware of and things I am not supposed to do. I abide by that. In social situations, I perform on autopilot. The decorum has to be maintained.