From acting to direction, Rakesh Roshan has experimented with his roles in the film industry. “I do not have an ego. I debuted as a hero in Ghar Ghar Ki Kahani and when I didn’t do very well as the main lead, I turned to comic roles and then negative ones too. Bollywood is a race and if you stop, you might disappear. I don’t believe in rat races, but my passion for work does allow me to stop,” says Rakesh.
About venturing into direction he says, “Even as a director, I experimented with my films — Khudgarz, Kishan Kanhaiya, Karan Arjun and Khoon Bhari Maang were all different from each other and were made at a time when producers only wanted to take up ‘hit’ subjects.” But things turned around for him completely when he launched his son Hrithik in the year 2000 with Kaho Na Pyaar Hai. It was an unprecedented hit. “It wasn’t planned that way. Neither Hrithik nor I ever felt the need to be number one. We don’t believe in the number game,” he asserts.
About his latest offering he says, “I had decided not to make Krrish 3. When I sat down to script the first draft, nothing was getting finalised. But after a year, Hrithik came up to me and said, ‘Papa you have to take it up as a challenge and do it.’ And everything fell in place in the next three months.”
The toughest part about the film? “The make-up was a Herculean task,” says Rakesh who had hired international makeup artistes for the film. “Not that I don’t trust Indian artistes, but international ones understand the requirements better and have all the material one needs. Shooting the father and son sequences at the same time wasn’t an easy task. We would shoot the father’s part first and continued the son’s part the next day. Just putting the makeup on and taking it off would take a few hours,” he says.
Rakesh admits that Indian audiences need a certain amount of drama. “The villain’s role is also shaped emotionally. I have shown why this villain has so much hatred in his heart. All other characters have been given animal-like qualities — like an ant, which despite its size can carry 50 times its weight or a chameleon (Kangana’s role) that can change its colour,” he says adding, “When I saw Kangana for the first time in her attire, I thought that half my job was done. She matched my vision for the role completely. Vivek has done an excellent job too.”
The film was shot in Hyderabad. “We recreated the streets of Mumbai in Ramoji Film City. I gorged on Hyderabadi biryani a lot. Though I did not get a chance to tour the city much, I was very touched by the honesty and helpful nature of the locals there.” Since the film’s trailer has hit the Internet, the comparison between Indian and Western superhero films has been inevitable for Rakesh. He admits, “Indian cinema is changing for the better, but it is far from being at par with international films. If we keep trying, we’ll be there in the next 10 years.”
The proud father cannot help but praise his superstar son. “Hrithik looks the part as soon as he appears on screen — be it the romantic hero in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai or the emperor in Jodha Akbar. Even in Krrish 3, he looks like a super hero. When all producers/directors want to work with him, why shouldn’t I? I am proud of his humility and sincerity.”
But Hrithik is not his only pillar of strength. His wife Pinky plays a major role too. “Whether we’ve had a bad day or good day, she will always welcome me with a smile. It makes me want to carry on. During Kaho Na..., I had to sell my car for just `1.5 lakhs. She supported me through it. She would either walk down to a place or hire an auto rickshaw. Her support allowed me to stick to my passion and continue my work. She is my strength,” says the director who believes in a traditional joint family system. “But we also believe in giving each member their own space. Every person thinks differently and we cannot force our ideas or thoughts on anyone. Everyone’s free to do what they want. Suzanne has adjusted beautifully in our home. I don’t interfere with Hrithik’s family at home,” he concludes.