Hrithik Roshan (pronounced [r?θ?k ro???n];[1] born 10 January 1974) is an Indian actor who works in Hindi films. He has portrayed a variety of characters and is known for his dancing skills. One of the highest-paid actors in India, he has won many awards, including six Filmfare awards, four for Best Actor and one each for Best Debut and Best Actor (Critics). Starting from 2012, he has appeared in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 several times based on his income and popularity.
Roshan has frequently collaborated with his father, Rakesh Roshan. He made brief appearances as a child actor in several films in the 1980s and later worked as an assistant director on four of his father's films. His first leading role was in the box-office success Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000), for which he received several awards. Performances in the 2000 terrorism drama Fiza and the 2001 ensemble melodrama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... consolidated his reputation but were followed by several poorly received films.
The 2003 science fiction film Koi... Mil Gaya, for which Roshan won two Filmfare Awards, was a turning point in his film career; he also appeared in its sequels: Krrish (2006) and Krrish 3 (2013). He earned praise for his portrayal of a thief in Dhoom 2 (2006), Mughal emperor Akbar in Jodhaa Akbar (2008) and a quadriplegic in Guzaarish (2010). He achieved further commercial success by playing the lead in the 2011 drama Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, the 2012 revenge drama film Agneepath, the 2014 action thriller Bang Bang!, the 2019 biopic Super 30, and the 2019 action thriller War, which ranks as his highest-grossing release.
Roshan has also performed on stage and debuted on television with the dance reality show Just Dance (2011). As a judge on the latter, he became the highest-paid film star on Indian television at that time. He is involved with a number of humanitarian causes, endorses several brands and products and has launched his own clothing line. Roshan was married for fourteen years to Sussanne Khan, with whom he has two children.
Main article: Hrithik Roshan filmography
Roshan was originally scheduled to make his screen debut as a lead actor opposite Preity Zinta in the cancelled film Shekhar Kapur's Tara Rum Pum Pum.[24] Instead, he starred in his father's romantic drama Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000) opposite another debutante, Ameesha Patel. Roshan played dual roles: Rohit, an aspiring singer brutally killed after witnessing a murder, and Raj, an NRI who falls in love with Patel's character.[25] To prepare, he trained with the actor Salman Khan to bulk up physically,[26] worked to improve his diction and took lessons in acting, singing, dancing, fencing and riding.[27] With global revenues of ?800 million (US$10 million),[28] Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai became one of the highest-grossing Indian films of 2000.[29] His performance was acclaimed by critics;[21][30] Suggu Kanchana on Rediff.com wrote, "[Roshan] is good. The ease and style with which he dances, emotes, fights, makes one forget this is his debut film ... He seems to be the most promising among the recent lot of star sons we have been subjected to."[25] For the role, Roshan received Best Male Debut and Best Actor Awards at the annual Filmfare Awards, IIFA Awards, and Zee Cine Awards.[31] He became the first actor to win both Filmfare Best Debut and Best Actor awards the same year.[32] The film established Roshan as a prominent actor in Bollywood.[33] The actor found life hard after his overnight success, particularly the demands on his time.[34]
In his second release, Khalid Mohammed's crime drama Fiza, Roshan played Amaan, an innocent Muslim boy who becomes a terrorist after the 1992–93 Bombay riots.[34] Roshan appeared in the film to expand his horizons as an actor.[35] Co-starring Karisma Kapoor and Jaya Bachchan, Fiza was moderately successful at the box office,[36] and Roshan's performance earned him a second nomination for Best Actor at the Filmfare ceremony.[37] Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama praised him as the production's prime asset, commending his "body language, his diction, his expressions, [and] his overall persona."[38] Roshan next appeared in Vidhu Vinod Chopra's action drama Mission Kashmir (2000) alongside Sanjay Dutt, Preity Zinta, and Jackie Shroff. Set in the valley of Kashmir during the Indo-Pakistani conflicts, the film addressed the topics of terrorism and crime, and was a financial success.[29] Roshan was drawn to his complex role of a young man traumatised by the discovery that his adoptive father had been responsible for the death of his entire birth family.[35] In Adarsh's opinion, Roshan "brightens up the screen with his magnetic presence. His body language, coupled with his expressions, is sure to win him plaudits."[39]
Roshan at an event for Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001)—his biggest commercial success to that point[40]
In 2001, Roshan appeared in two films, the first of which was Subhash Ghai's Yaadein, a romantic drama which paired him with Kareena Kapoor and reunited him with Shroff. Although highly anticipated, Yaadein was reviled by critics; in The Hindu, Ziya Us Salam criticised the director for relying on Roshan's commercial appeal.[41][42] Roshan next had a supporting role in Karan Johar's ensemble melodrama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... alongside Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Kareena Kapoor. He was cast as Rohan Raichand—the younger son of Bachchan's character who plots to reunite him with his adopted son (played by Khan)—after Johar had watched a rough cut of Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai.[43] Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... finished as India's highest-grossing film of the year,[44] and among the most successful Bollywood films in the overseas market, earning ?1.36 billion (US$18 million) worldwide.[45] Writing for Rediff.com, Anjum N described Roshan as "the surprise scene-stealer", praising him for holding his own against the established actors.[46] Roshan received a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance.[37]
In 2002 Vikram Bhatt's romance Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage reunited him with Ameesha Patel but failed at the box office, as did Arjun Sablok's romance Na Tum Jaano Na Hum (2002), in which he co-starred with Saif Ali Khan and Esha Deol.[47] Roshan's final role that year was in a Yash Raj Films production, the high-profile Mujhse Dosti Karoge! co-starring Rani Mukerji and Kareena Kapoor. The romantic drama was heavily promoted before its release and made money internationally, though not in India.[48][49] In another commercial failure, Sooraj R. Barjatya's Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon, Roshan was cast alongside Kareena Kapoor for the fourth time, and Abhishek Bachchan. The press labelled Roshan a "one-trick pony" and suggested that the failure of these films would end his career.[41][50]
Roshan's career began to revive with a starring role in Koi... Mil Gaya (2003).[21][51] The film, directed and produced by his father, centers on his character Rohit Mehra, a developmentally disabled young man, who comes in contact with an extraterrestrial being—a role that required him to lose nearly 8 kilograms (18 lb). Roshan recalls the experience of starring in the film fondly: "I could live my childhood [again]. I could eat as many chocolates as I wanted. I became a baby and everybody was so caring towards me."[52] In the book Film Sequels, Carolyn Jess-Cooke drew similarities between the character and Forrest Gump, portrayed by Tom Hanks in the titular film, but this idea was dismissed by Roshan.[52][53] Film critics were polarised on their view of the film—some of them negatively compared its storyline to the 1982 Hollywood release E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial—but were unanimous in their praise for Roshan.[18][54] In a 2010 retrospective of the Top 80 Iconic Performances of Bollywood, Filmfare noted "how flesh and blood Hrithik's act is. Simply because he believes he is the part. Watch him laugh, cry or bond with his remote controlled alien friend and note his nuanced turn."[55] A Rediff.com critic agreed that Roshan was "the turbojet that propels the film to the realm of the extraordinary."[56] Koi... Mil Gaya was one of the most popular Bollywood films of the year, earning ?823.3 million (US$11 million) worldwide and Roshan won both Filmfare Awards for Best Actor and Best Actor (Critics).[37][57]
"I am glad I have the intelligence to understand what is happening to me. If I allow myself to get affected by all this hype, I'll stunt my growth as an actor and be damned for life. I know that I still have a long way to go before I can even aspire to equal the achievements of any of the superstars. I know I am good at my job, and I am sure I will be damn good one day but right now, I also know how bad I can be."
—Roshan on his position as a popular Bollywood actor[8]
The following year, Roshan collaborated with Amitabh Bachchan and Preity Zinta on Farhan Akhtar's Lakshya (2004), a fictionalised coming-of-age story set against events from the 1999 Kargil War. He also featured in the item number "Main Aisa Kyun Hoon" (choreographed by Prabhu Deva) which proved popular with audiences.[58] Roshan found it "one of the most challenging films" of his career at the time and said it made him respect soldiers.[59] Although trade journalists expected the film to do well commercially,[59] it failed to attract a wide audience. Over the years, it has attained a cult status in India.[60] For the film, Roshan earned Best Actor nominations at the Filmfare and Zee Cine ceremony.[37][61] Manish Gajjar of the BBC praised Roshan's versatility and his transformation from a carefree youth to a determined and courageous soldier.[62] Reviewing the film in 2016, Tatsam Mukherjee of India Today described his performance as career-best, highlighting his scene before the climax.[60]
Roshan was not seen on screen again until 2006, with three new releases, including a cameo at the end of the year in the romance I See You.[63] He co-starred with Naseeruddin Shah and Priyanka Chopra in his father's superhero production Krrish. A follow-up to his family's production Koi... Mil Gaya, it saw him play dual roles—the title superhero and his character from the original film. Before production, Roshan travelled to China to train with Tony Ching for the cable work that would be needed to make his character fly.[64] Among the several injuries he sustained during production, Roshan tore the hamstring in his right leg and broke his thumb and toe.[65] Krrish became the third-highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2006 with a worldwide revenue of ?1.26 billion (US$17 million).[66] It garnered him Best Actor awards at the 2007 Screen and the International Indian Film Academy Awards.[37] Ronnie Scheib of Variety considered Roshan a prime asset of the film, noting that he "pulls off the pic's wilder absurdities with considerable panache."[67]
For his role as an enigmatic master thief in Dhoom 2 (2006)—an action sequel co-starring Aishwarya Rai, Bipasha Basu and Abhishek Bachchan—Roshan won his third Filmfare Award for Best Actor.[37] The film critic Rajeev Masand called him "the heart, the soul, and the spirit of the film", and praised his stunts, concluding that he "holds the film together and even manages to take your attention away from its many flaws".[68] Bored by playing the "good guy", Roshan was excited to play an anti-hero who lacks heroic attributes, for the first time.[64] At the request of the film's producer Aditya Chopra, Roshan lost 12 pounds (5.4 kg) for the role;[69] he also learnt skateboarding, snow boarding, rollerblading and sand surfing.[70][71] With earnings of ?1.5 billion (US$20 million), Dhoom 2 became the highest grossing Indian film at that time, a distinction that was held for two years.[72] In the 2007 melodrama Om Shanti Om, he made a cameo alongside several Bollywood stars.[63]
In 2008, Roshan was cast in Ashutosh Gowariker's Jodhaa Akbar, a partly fictionalised account of a marriage of convenience between the Mughal emperor Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar (played by Roshan) and the Rajput princess Jodha Bai (played by Rai). Gowariker believed Roshan possessed the regal bearing and physique required to play the role of a king.[73] For the role, Roshan learned sword-fighting and horse-riding, and also took Urdu lessons.[74][75] Jodhaa Akbar earned ?1.2 billion (US$16 million) worldwide.[72] Roshan's performance earned him his fourth Filmfare Best Actor Award.[37] Critics were generally appreciative of Roshan's performance.[18] Raja Sen of Rediff.com thought that Roshan "proves a very good Akbar. There are times when his inflection seems too modern, but the actor gives the performance his all, slipping into the skin of the character and staying there."[76] Roshan ended 2008 with an appearance in the popular item number "Krazzy 4" from the film of same name.[77]
Roshan has performed on stage, appeared on television, and launched a clothing line. His first tour (Heartthrobs: Live in Concert (2002) with Kareena Kapoor, Karisma Kapoor, Arjun Rampal and Aftab Shivdasani) was successful in the United States and Canada.[133][134] At the end of that year, he danced on stage with Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt, Kareena Kapoor, Rani Mukerji and Shah Rukh Khan at Kings Park Stadium in Durban, South Africa in the show Now or Never.[135] In 2011, Roshan served as a judge alongside Farah Khan and Vaibhavi Merchant for the dance competition reality show, Just Dance. He became the highest-paid film star on Indian television after he was paid ?20 million (US$260,000) per episode. The show ran from June to October 2011.[136] In November 2013, Roshan launched his clothing line, the casual wear brand HRx.[137]
Roshan at Ira Khan's charity football match in 2014
Roshan is vocal about his childhood stammer.[138] He actively supports the Dilkhush Special School for mentally challenged children in Mumbai.[139] In 2008, he donated ?2 million (US$26,000) to the Nanavati Hospital for the treatment of stammering children.[12] Roshan set up a charity foundation in 2009 that aims to work for handicapped people.[140] He donates roughly ?700,000 (US$9,200) for charity every month,[141] and believes that people should publicise their philanthropic work to set an example for others.[139] In 2013, he took part in a festivity at Ghatkopar, whose proceeds went to an NGO supporting tribal girls suffering from malnutrition and starvation.[142] Also that year, he donated ?2.5 million (US$33,000) to help the victims of the 2013 North India floods.[143]
Alongside other Bollywood stars, Roshan played a football match for charity organised by Aamir Khan's daughter, Ira, in 2014.[144] The following year, he appeared with Sonam Kapoor in the music video for "Dheere Dheere", whose profits were donated to charity.[145] Later that year, Roshan became the Indian brand ambassador for UNICEF and the Global Goals campaign's World's Largest Lesson that aims to educate children in over 100 countries about the Sustainable Development Goals.[146] In 2016, Roshan and other Bollywood actors made donations for building homes for families affected by the 2015 South Indian floods.[147]
Following his debut film, Roshan signed on for endorsement deals with Coca-Cola, Tamarind and Hero Honda, all for three years and for at least ?30 million (US$390,000).[41] As of 2010, he is celebrity endorser for such brands and products as Provogue, Parle Hide and Seek, Reliance Communications and Hero Honda and recently roshan has completed six years with Rado.[148][149]The Times of India reported that Roshan received ?12 million (US$160,000) to ?15 million (US$200,000) for each endorsement, making him one of the highest-paid male celebrity endorsers.[150] In 2016, Duff & Phelps estimated his brand value to be US$34.1 million, the eighth highest of Indian celebrities.[151] In 2017, Roshan was signed as the brand ambassador of a Health and wellness startup Cure.fit and is touted as one of the largest endorsement deal signed by an Indian startup.[152]