Hrithik Roshan’s fans have a unanimous grouse — that they don’t see him on screen as frequently as they’d like to. But the actor doesn’t believe in rushing his projects; instead, methodically prepping for each role. His next, Fighter, is no exception. mid-day has learnt that Roshan underwent simulator training to convincingly play a fighter pilot in director Siddharth Anand’s aerial action thriller that is currently in the making.

The movie, also starring Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor, traces the protagonist’s journey from being a young cadet to becoming India’s best fighter pilot. Insiders say that considering a chunk of the movie depicts Roshan handling fighter jets, the actor learnt the basics of the mechanism involved in flying one.

“He began his training last November at the Tezpur Airbase in Assam, before kicking off the first schedule. Hrithik chose to practise on a simulator in the airbase, learning about the automated process, the buttons and their functions to be able to confidently present himself on screen. With the three schedules so far having been shot intermittently, he has utilised the time to practice and brush up on his knowledge,” says a source. 

The actor’s thorough prep for roles is well-known. While he learnt sword fighting and horse-riding for Jodhaa Akbar (2008), he enrolled in a course of scuba diving for Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011). This time, his prep extended to other aspects of the role as well.

“While visiting the airbase in Assam and the Indian Air Force Academy in Dundigal, Hrithik spent time with the pilots and cadets to observe their demeanour and disciplined attitude. In Fighter, a scene sees his character in the boxing ring. He trained for days to get his stance right for the sequence,” adds the source.

The January 2024 release marks Roshan’s third collaboration with the director after Bang Bang (2014) and War (2019).