Hrithik Roshan on family, his current equation with ex-wife Sussanne Khan and the ‘do or die’ situation that is the release of his new home production
Meena Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 18, 2017)

Kaabil is days away from its release and you’ve been involved in the post-production as well, besides promotions. Shouldn’t that be left to others?
For me, this is exhilarating. It is a bit of a door-die situation. I love the process of filmmaking, acting is just one part of it. I want to be involved in every aspect of the process because it gives me a high. People are not aware of how the nuances of sound and visuals can influence your subconscious. I have just started learning all that myself.

Actor, filmmaker, superstar— which role do you relate to the most?
Superstar is a label that has been lovingly bestowed upon me and I’m grateful for that. I consider myself an actor whose journey started 17 years ago. And in these years, I feel that I have just scratched the surface.

Are you saying there have been no important films, no milestones?
For me, a milestone is a film in which I have shown a leap in my art. I consider Koi... Mil Gaya, Lakshya, Dhoom 2, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Kaabil important in that sense. I have noticed a paradigm shift in my method as an actor while working on these films. It was almost as if another person was doing them as I observed from the outside. And then, that person became me. You experiment. You take that leap of faith. All of us actors have certain mannerisms down pat — the way we turn, say a particular line, so on and so forth. When you let go of that crutch and discover something new, that’s when you are pushing the envelope.

Your father (Rakesh Roshan) said that all actors are horses on a race-track, galloping to their best capacity and that one can’t assign first, second and third spots to them.
Filmmaking and acting can’t be manipulated and sold as per the demand of the market. It’s like painting. Every painter has his own style. S H Raza and M F Husain never did the same thing. Husain never changed his style because he thought another painter’s style worked better. If an artist changes their style according to his perception of what might work better, that is manipulation.

You mean the box office supports good films?
Numbers cannot be manipulated. You have to just give your best. That is what I did in Koi... Mil Gaya and that is what I have done in Kaabil and the films I mentioned earlier. The box office helps you recalibrate yourself. Again, it is an internal process. I might have been praised a lot for a film like Guzaarish but at the box office it didn’t reflect in numbers. You learn from that, saying yes, the film was good but the economics went wrong somewhere. Then you recalibrate to see to it that the budget is different for such films. Box office has no impact on the creative process but yes it can influence your internal direction. For instance, if you are praised for a film that doesn’t do well at the box office, something has gone wrong somewhere.

You have been a single father for three years now.
All fathers are amazing. It is natural love. I enjoy spending time with (sons) Hrehaan and Hridhaan. I am only doing something I love. I get along with them. I realise that with the three of us, it is not about fathers and sons. It is about three individuals who enjoy each other’s company. My sons are gifted with characters that I admire. It is a privilege and honour that I have been given the opportunity to help them grow and to guide them. I see it as a service. I am in service of the world; I am in service of my kids. When I love, I am in service of that love.

What have you learnt being around them?
I think the ability to challenge time. Earlier, I thought it was not possible to do too many things in a day. The moment I changed my attitude from, “It is not possible,” to “Let’s see”, my life changed. I can pack in so much in a day now. Many of the successful people have learnt to do it.

You also seem to be in-sync with your other relationships — with your parents, ex-wife Sussanne Khan.
I haven’t analysed my equation with my parents but I would say that we are far more connected now than ever before. I make it a point to take them, my sister (Sunaina), niece and chachi (composer uncle Rajesh Roshan’s wife) out for lunch every alternate Sunday. I recently took mom (Pinky Roshan), my aunt and niece to Courchevel on a skiing holiday. We are surrounded by eight to nine important people in our lives. They could be family or friends. And I don’t take these people for granted. I want to be a part of their lives. When you are seeking peace, you have to take out the time to take a step towards it.

How would you describe your relationship with Sussanne today? She was present at your birthday celebration.
My relationship with Sussanne is peaceful. We are loving parents and friends to each other. I need all my equations to be harmonious. If I feel that I am not contributing to a person’s growth or vice versa, the whole exercise is pointless.

Your friends Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, with whom you’ve successfully collaborated on Lakshya and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, are standing on the opposite side of the room today as their Raees gears up to clash with Kaabil.
Every situation offers you two choices. One is to get upset and the other is to stay calm. Getting upset is not going to change anything, then why do it? The more fascinating thing to do is to take it like a man and be graceful about it. That is more fun.

But the man in Kaabil is an angry man? He is seeking revenge?
My character in the film is angry but I can’t be angry at people in real life. People have to be forgiven because they don’t know what they’re doing.

All your recent photo shoots have you flaunting six packs, which is in stark contrast of your character in Kaabil…
There is so much talk about the “Greek-God chiseled look” but Rohit, my character in Kaabil, is not that sharp-looking. He’s a visually-impaired, slightly out-of-shape guy and I didn’t want audiences to be disappointed when they came to the theatre and see me in a toned look. I wanted Rohit to look different from everything else I have played before. He is plump, vulnerable and sweet.