By locking people up in their houses, the ongoing pandemic, caused by a rogue virus on the loose, has provided the perfect backdrop for every superhero film. While the world tries to contain the outspread by wearing masks, Bollywood filmmakers had the foresight to conjure up an army of masked men even before calamity struck. And now, as theatres across the country open up, and Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman: 1984 turns Santa for a cash-strapped business on Christmas, Bollywood’s heroes also gear up to rescue an entertainment-starved audience of its misery. Take a look at these caped crusaders you can expect to meet on screen…

After displaying strength, valour, and perpetually high josh as an army officer, Vicky Kaushal is being promoted to a mythological superhero blessed with immortality in the modern world by his Uri: The Surgical Strike director Aditya Dhar. Wonder who he will be warring with this time around in The Immortal Ashwatthama

Solar-powered Jaadu’s blessings have brought Rohit’s superhero son Krrish a long way, and he is set to return with the fourth instalment of the franchise. A source, who may or may not be an alien, reports that the script has been finalised and the father-son duo of Hrithik and Rakesh Roshan are currently working on pre-production with an international studio to ensure a visual effects extravaganza

Katrina Kaif is suiting up to claim her position as Bollywood’s first superwoman in Super Soldier. Ali Abbas Zafar has locked the script and hopes to shoot across the UAE, Poland, and Georgia, apart from Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where he will be filming the story of her origins

After facing the wrath of the ladies in films like Pyaar Ka Punchnama, Pati, Patni Aur Woh, and Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, Kartik Aaryan has finally found his calling. The actor has come on board Vasan Bala’s adaptation of the comic book character Phantom. The wonderful people of Bangalla, the fictional country from where the Ghost Who Walks operates, are in for some inspirational monologues and lots of action

Sanjay Gupta is adapting the novel Rakshak—that has a vigilante fighting injustice at a time when the world is coming to an endwith the promise of spinning it into a franchise. Buzz is, he has John Abraham on his wishlist and the actor wishes it too

He’s played a larger-than-life hero so many times on screen that Ajay Devgn’s super villain turn is much-awaited in debutant director Shiv Rawail’s next, which will also serve as Ahan Panday’s launch vehicle. After Shivaay and Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, the film, which is being planned as a trilogy, is sure to be a VFX delight

After turning Kat into a superheroine, Ali will move on to Mr India. The filmmaker, who is looking at Ranveer Singh for the titular role, has already clarified that his film is neither a remake nor a sequel to the 1987 cult movie, but rather a fresh script that’s a blend of superpowers and sci-fi

Scientists may have discovered the God particle but they’re yet to unravel the mystery that is Shiva’s light-emitting hands. In their defense, they are yet to be presented with evidence in the form of Ayan Mukerji’s Brahmastra, which was announced in 2014, and features Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Amitabh Bachchan, Mouni Roy, and Nagarjuna. Ranbir finds his match in baddie Mouni who emits black-fire, as they battle it out. 

Actor is contemplating a quick film with comic undertones and an action-thriller before he begins working on Krrish 4
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 6, 2020)

Mirror (April 9) was the first to report that through the lockdown, Hrithik Roshan has been working on the script and prep of the fourth installment of his superhero franchise, Krrish. The actor has been collaborating with writers, international visual effects studios and stunt teams with his filmmaker-father Rakesh Roshan. Ever since, there have been speculations about how Krrish 4 will be Hrithik’s next. However, Mirror has learnt that the actor is looking for a ‘fun’ film and juggling between three-four exciting scripts that have come his way, before he returns to his blue-tinted alien, Jaadu, 17 years after Koi... Mil Gaya. When quizzed on the subject, the actor had cryptically told Mirror (May 22), “Yes, the world can do with some Jaadu now.”

“Hrithik has been reading a lot of scripts and is currently inclined towards one with comic undertones as this is a genre he hasn’t explored before. He doesn’t want to do back-to-back action films and is looking to balance out his slate with a quickie between War and Krrish 4,” revealed a source, adding that the actor is also in talks for an action-thriller that could play out on the digital platform in an endeavour to diversify his portfolio. “He would like to complete both before moving to Krrish in the last quarter of 2021. He will finalise his commitments before the year ends.” The actor also has a sequel to War in the pipeline, but that will only happen after the release of Siddharth Anand’s next with Shah Rukh Khan. “The idea is to take it forward as a franchise, and there is still time before Siddharth starts working on it. It is definitely on the cards,” the source added.

Apart from the two films, Hrithik is also formulating plans for his production house, which includes both outsourcing content and developing some in-house. “There is a story of a common man, an underdog, which has him hooked and he would like to produce it. He, however, won’t be acting in this film which is expected to go on the floors by mid-next year. He is happy with the way the script is shaping up,” the source signed off.

Rakesh Roshan develops Krrish 4 script during the lockdown, Hrithik Roshan to reunite with Jadoo in film about intergalactic travel
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; July 8, 2020)

Seven years since Krrish 3 (2013), Hrithik Roshan is gearing up to don the superhero cape again. Work on Krrish 4 had been put on hold when Rakesh Roshan was diagnosed with throat cancer last year, but now, the filmmaker has utilised the lockdown to develop a worthy script. In the fourth instalment, India's favourite superhero will apparently travel in time to bring back his scientist father Rohit Mehra, and his trusted extra-terrestrial friend, Jadoo.

While Roshan was exploring several concepts in the past months, a trade source reveals that the idea of intergalactic travel appealed to Hrithik. "As soon as they finalised the idea, Rakesh ji began the pre-production work with Rajesh Roshan taking over the music department."

"Given the movie's ambitious theme, the director has entrusted Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies with the visual effects. He intends to introduce an army of super villains who will battle the hero and has hired a Hollywood designer to give a distinct look to each baddie," says the source.

Like the previous two outings, the fourth instalment will see Hrithik in a double role — as Krrish, and his father, Rohit Mehra. With Mehra's character shown as being killed in the earlier edition, the story will focus on the protagonist's efforts to bring his dad back from the dead. "Rohit is integral to the story as he is the only person who can contact Jadoo. Rakesh ji has designed the script cleverly to incorporate the much loved alien from Koi Mil Gaya [2003]. While the cast is yet to be determined, Priyanka Chopra is not expected to reprise her role," says the source, adding that the sci-fi movie may go on floors in January 2021.

When mid-day reached out to Roshan to confirm the development, the filmmaker said, "We are still working on the script."

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 23, 2020)

The Jadoo started with Koi… Mil Gaya in 2003. With a mentally challenged boy and his friendship with a blue-tinted alien who arrived six years before James Cameron’s Avatar, Rakesh Roshan rewrote box-office history. And encouraged by the success of this film, he took another leap of faith… Unveiled on June 23, 2006, Krrish took off from where Koi… Mil Gaya had ended, with Rohit and Nisha’s son inheriting his father’s super powers that enable him to scale mountains and fly through the air to streak past a stallion. Seven years later, when working on the post-production of Krrish 3, Rakesh ji confided that his actor-son Hrithik had actually run with the horse for his introduction scene. “It took us a day-and-a-half to shoot. I have to thank Tony (action director Tony Ching Siu Tung) for making Hrithik fly believably,” he smiled. For his son, who had grown up emulating superheroes, the film was a dream come true.

However, the bigger challenge was the scene in Singapore, where Hrithik leaps with the fountain spray, 20 floors up. “That shot called for perfect timing. Hrithik sitting on the fountain head had to jump as soon as the jet sprouted. But either the water was slow or Hrithik missed his cue. It took us all day to get that shot,” Rakesh ji recounted, revealing that they’d discarded 50-60 masks before settling for the one Krrish picks up when a fire breaks out in the circus to hide his identity. Then, with his coat flaring like a cape, he walks into the flames to pull off daring rescues.

While daredevil action sequences and mind-boggling visual effects are a part of every superhero film, this one being mainstream Bollywood, it was left to Rakesh ji’s brother and Hrithik’s uncle Rajesh Roshan to weave songs into the narrative. The composer admits it wasn’t easy, but because the story had a strong emotional core and his brother has always inspired him while giving him a free hand, he could come up with the romantic “Aao Sunaun Pyaar Ki Ek Kahani” with Shreya Ghoshal and Sonu Niigam. The duo also collaborated on another starry-eyed Hrithik-Priyanka Chopra duet, “Koi Tumsa Nahin”, while Shreya frolicked musically with Udit Narayan to “Chori Chori Chupke Chupke.”

The romance even crossed borders, with Rajesh ji roping in Pakistani singer Rafaqat Ali Khan—son of Nazakat Ali Khan, the nephew of Ustad Salamat Ali Khan and the cousin of Shafaqat Ali Khan—and Alka Yagnik for “Main Hoon Woh Asmaan.” On the surface a happy song, it had deeper emotions simmering beneath, evident in lines like “Paas mere tu ho na agar toh kitna tadapta hai mera dil, main hoon teri nazar, mera intezaar tu, ho kar bhi hum judaa hote judaa nahi”. “The pain of loss makes a song unforgettable,” Rajesh ji asserts.

Kunal Ganjawala’s “Dil Na Diya”, which plays out in the Big Top before the fire breaks out, amidst music, dance and bobbing hearts, also has some profound lines by Javed Akhtar: “Tune chand pe bhi jamaye kadam, dariya mein bhi ghar hai banaya, tere jadoo ne ek rote huye insaan ko hai hasna sikhaya”. The melody continued in Krrish 3 seven years later, pitting the superhero against super villain Kaal, whose henchman, a shape-shifting female mutant, Kaya, loses her heart to Krrish and tries to seduce him with the dreamy, “Dil Tu Hi Bataa”.

“We opted for Alisha Chinai and the little-known Assamese singer, Zubeen Garg, over bigger names and worked on the song continuously for two months. At one point, we got stuck with the lyrics. One day, while Rakesh ji, Sameer (lyricist) and I were brainstorming, Duggu (Hrithik) walked in and came up with the words, ‘The heart always beats, but why is it that I didn’t hear these beats till now.’ He spoke in English, but Sameer ji picked them up and presented us with 'Dil Tu Hi Bata, Kahan Tha Chhupa, Kyun Aaj Suni, Teri Dhadkan Pehli Baar'. The rest is musical history,” Rajesh ji narrates, admitting that he was waiting to see what his brother would do with the song. “When I saw how beautifully he’d picturised it, I had tears in my eyes.”

Seven years have passed since Krrish 3. Rakesh ji has locked the script of Krrish 4. Once the Coronavirus pandemic is behind us, superhero Hrithik will fly again. And Rajesh ji will find more heart-to-heart connections.

The blue-hued alien, introduced 16 years ago, returning to the actor’s superhero franchise with the fourth installment
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 22, 2020)

Rakesh Roshan’s 2003 directorial Koi… Mil Gaya, fronted by Hrithik Roshan, revolved around the differently-abled Rohit Mehra and his bond with an alien, whom he fondly called Jadoo. When Jadoo left earth in the film’s climax, he gifted Rohit superpowers, which, three years later, the hero passed on to his son, Krishna, in India’s first superhero franchise, Krrish. The Roshans completed their successful superhero trilogy with Krrish 3 in 2013, with Hrithik as Krrish and Rohit coincidentally fighting a deadly virus.

In the last seven years, there has been a lot of talk about Krrish 4. Hrithik had confirmed the same to Mirror (Decembr 26, 2019) but refused to divulge details, adding that “it’s best that I speak about it at the right time.”

On Wednesday, reacting to a tweet by Pranjal Jani, which was appended with a GIF of the extra-terrestrial creature, and when asked if he had called the aliens by mistake again, Hrtihik said, “Wasn’t a mistake. It’s time.” His cryptic choice of words has revived speculation around Krrish 4.

Now, Mirror has learnt that the makers are planning to get Jadoo back to earth after 16 years with the next installment of the superhero franchise, which is in pre-production. “Rakesh ji and Hrithik, with their team of writers, have been brain-storming on how to take Krrish forward and have finally locked an idea. Jadoo has strong recall value and they felt that with Rohit Mehra dying in Krrish 3, it’d be the right time to introduce Krrish to the alien who gifted him his special powers,” revealed a source close to the development.

All through the lockdown, the Roshans have been working on the script with their writers, with the idea of kicking off the film at the earliest, following the huge leap in technology. “They have been discussing the film’s scale, visuals and other technical aspects with experts in the West,” added the source. When Mirror reached out to Hrithik about Jadoo’s potential return, he said cryptically, “Yes, the world can do with some Jaadu now.”

While Krrish 4 is the frontrunner in Hrithik’s upcoming line-up, the actor has also been reading several other scripts in the last two months, with the aim to finalise his slate for the next two years. “Multiple announcements will follow once normalcy returns. He is in the process of locking films for his production, too. Hrithik is determined to make sure that the magic of cinema never runs dry,” the source signed off.

Here’s what the actor’s day looks like, with reading, playing indoor games, working out in the home gym and yes, learning to play the piano
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 9, 2020)

On March 25, Hrithik Roshan shared a personal note about co-parenting on Instagram, announcing that his ex-wife, Sussanne Khan, had temporarily moved in with him so that their children are not disconnected indefinitely from either of them during the lockdown brought on by the Coronavirus pandemic. Even after their divorce, on November 1, 2014, that followed almost a year of separation, the former couple has remained close friends and co-parent sons Hrehaan and Hridhaan.

Like the entire country, the actor, too, is in lockdown with family at his Juhu apartment. “Hrithik has been reading a lot—from self-help books and daily news to fiction. Right now, he is reading The 4-Hour Workweek. He was always inclined towards learning the piano and is using this time to develop the hobby,” revealed a source close to the actor. Hrithik is also following a rigorous workout routine on a daily basis. “He works out twice a day, once early in the morning and again in the evening, with his kids. He is spending extra time in his house gym, stretching, doing yoga and cardio, along with regular weight-training,” the source added. Evenings are reserved for board games. Hrithik loves chess and plays with his sons. “Movie screenings with the kids and being with his dog, Zane, also form a part of his routine.”

The 46-year-old actor, who completed 20 years in the industry in January this year, was seen last year on the big screen with Super 30, the biopic of maths whiz Anand Kumar, and the action-thriller War. Ever since, all eyes are on his 25th film. “Hrithik is in the process of finalising his slate of releases. He has been reading a lot of scripts in the last six months and has liked some ideas. He is in constant touch with the directors and writers, who are developing them, over the phone,” the source shared.

Apart from his acting assignments, Hrithik also plans to get into film production and has been reading scripts for that, too. While interacting with Mirror earlier (December 26, 2019), he had said, “The idea is to produce content-driven films, triumph of life stories, something that can leave an impact on the audience.”

He is also over-seeing the prep of his superhero franchise, Krrish 4, which is currently being scripted. “There has been a huge leap in technology since the release of Krrish 3 in 2013. And Rakeshji (his filmmaker-father Rakesh Roshan) and he are constantly discussing the scale, visuals and other aspects of film. It should hopefully take off next year,” the source added.

Mirror had earlier reported that Hrithik Roshan’s tour to the US had got cancelled owing to the pandemic. It will be rescheduled for a future date once people get back to their normal lives. Meanwhile, Hrithik was one of the first Bollywood actors to come to the aid of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. He extended support to BMC staff working round the block to contain the virus spread on March 26. To ensure the safety of the most fundamental caretakers of the city and society, he also procured N95 and FFP3 masks. Hrithik has also tied up with an NGO to facilitate 1.2 lakh nutritious cooked meals to old age homes, daily wage labourers, and low income groups across India. He continues to be in touch with government officials and NGOs, keeping a close eye on the needs of the ones suffering on ground.

Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; February 29, 2020)

In her 13 years in Bollywood, right from Om Shanti Om (2007) to Padmaavat (2018), Deepika Padukone’s choice of films has reflected her clarity of mind. The 34-year-old takes her time, often pausing while answering questions, but one can rest assured that she won’t mince any words. With a busy 2020 ahead, including a remake of Hollywood film, The Intern (2015), which she’s also producing, and a yet-untitled Shakun Batra film, the actor talks to us about Bollywood’s evolution. Excerpts:

A lot has changed since you made your debut — especially with more female-fronted films being made, and female actors turning producers. Is the difference very stark now?
It is... But my very first film, Om Shanti Om, was with a female director (Farah Khan). We have come a long way, at least in terms of the roles being written for women. Also, there are more female technicians. I think that’s also a function of women now being more comfortable with choosing this as a profession. More women want to be independent… and then there’s the broadening of the understanding of the film industry. There was a lot of stigma earlier as far as the film industry was concerned, specifically regarding women. There were all kinds of perceptions about the safety of women in this field. A lot of things have evolved and changed. Women are confident of following their hearts. I know so many women who have given up big corporate jobs to become writers and work in creative fields. There’s a lot more open-mindedness today. The kind of roles, even from an actor’s perspective… the roles I am being offered today vis-à-vis 10 years ago, definitely things have changed.

At a press conference recently, you were told ‘Ranveer sir bhi ek tarah se producer hain kyunki ghar ka paisa laga hua hai’, implying that the films you produce are then your ‘home productions’. You had to clarify ‘Mere khud ke paise hain’.
I do understand there are several things to it — one is to, at an event like that, look for a sensational headline. The other thing is the deep-rooted understanding that a woman can be, or rather cannot be financially independent! Or a woman is always dependent on her male, whether it’s her father, partner or husband! To be able to do certain jobs that for years we have always understood or assumed only a man can do… I think there were multiple layers to that question. There is that thing of maybe their own understanding, maybe of the fact that women cannot be financially independent. Without meaning it, it ended up being a very layered question.

You are doing the remake of a Hollywood film. But after xXx: The Return of Xander Cage (2017)  you didn’t take up films in the West. Are you looking for more Hollywood projects?
I don’t look or evaluate films as Indian or international, but as a medium where I can express myself. If that opportunity is out of India, great. If that is out of the United States or another part of the world, I am happy to explore that too. For me, it’s always been content. I did Xander Cage because it was an extremely powerful, strong character to play. Eventually, it’s about the character and role, and of course, the film. It’s not like I’m actively seeking something in Hollywood. Whether India or any other part in the world, great content is what I seek.

There are rumours that you are going to star in Krrish 4?
That’s news to me! I haven’t heard that one before. Having said that, Hrithik (Roshan) is amazing and talented. As an actor, I would want to collaborate with him.

Sanjay Gupta, whose plate is full with a gangster flick, a superhero vigilante series and a heist thriller post his under-production city saga
Hiren Kotwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 13, 2020)

Sanjay Gupta has an unscheduled break in the shoot of his next, the John Abraham-Emraan Hashmi fronted period gangster flick Mumbai Saga, which he is also producing with Bhushan Kumar. John tore an arm ligament and has been advised eight weeks rest. “He didn’t tell us about the injury and dived into an action sequence, in the process, aggravating it. The last two-week shoot has a lot of stunts so, we will resume after he’s completely recovered, sometime next month,” informs the director.

Quiz him on the relevance of the subject of his upcoming June outing and Sanjay points out that not many know what made Mumbai the city it is today. And that makes for a compelling story, based on true events, which he promises will makes you go, ‘Oh my God!’ The film is set in the 1980s and he admits filming in real locations, with all the heat and dust, and an ensemble cast of 11 principal actors, can be tough. “I’m also reinventing my style, working with people I haven’t worked before. My DOP, Shikhar Bhatnagar, is a debutant with a fresh perspective on the era and it’s also my first with action directors Anbu-Arivu. Having experimented with the genre before, I wanted a new palette,” he explains.

Sanjay also points out that one hasn’t seen a good gangster film since Shootout At Wadala and Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai. Meanwhile, buzz is he’s planning a third Shootout with Ekta Kapoor. Will it be in Byculla or Bangkok? Confirming that they have started scripting it, he adds it’s more about the gang wars of Mumbai. “We want to expand the Shootout universe while not being particular to any one place. Lokhandwala is known, but Wadala was unfamiliar to a cinegoer in Bhopal. Calling it ‘Shooutout At Byculla’ will limit its reach by making it Mumbai-centric. We want the next Shootout to be a pan-India film as the story is really powerful,” he reasons.

Sanjay has also acquired the rights to a graphic novel, Rakshak, and is planning a superhero vigilante series. Interestingly, he was introduced to the novel while working on Krrish 4. “I met a writer, Shamik Dasgupta, whom Hrithik (Roshan) got on board and who told me that he’s been a fan of my movies since Aatish. He gave me a series of novels asking for my feedback on them,” recalls Sanjay.

He put the books in his study and forgot about them for a year-and-half. Then, one day, when I was filming Mumbai Saga, Shamik dropped by. There, John asked me if I have read Rakshak and I promised I would. When I read it, I was blown away; this was what I’d been wanting, to create my franchise,” he exults. “The protagonist is a vigilante superhero, in the space of Batman and Daredevil. It’s very different from anything in our industry today. But a vigilante superhero who corrects the wrongs in our society is relevant to the times we’re living in now. Rakshak may seem escapist, but it’s set in the real world. Shamik has incorporated real life incidents into his stories.”

And is there a spin-off to Kaante on his mind too, even though the six protagonists shoot each other at the end of the 2002 adaptation of Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs? “I have another script with the spirit of Kaante, about six Indians who pull off the ultimate heist. I’m calling it Khote Sikkey,” he smiles.

If speculation is to be believed, he’s also helming Krrish 4. Suddenly, Sanjay turns evasive, saying carefully, “All I can say for now is that I’m a part of the writing team. Other than that, whatever is to be communicated on the film will be done by Rakesh ji (Roshan) since Krissh is his franchise.”

Hrithik Roshan on his 20-year acting career, looking for more than ‘blowing up cars and fistfights’ in action films and earning a solid year at the box office
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 26, 2019)

By his own admission, it’s been a while since he had such a successful year. “I have worked hard for it,” says Hrithik Roshan, who caps off 2019 with two screen turns—Math wiz Anand Kumar in Super 30 and rogue agent Kabir in War. Excerpts from an interaction:

What was it like juggling Kabir and Anand Kumar in the same year?
I didn’t have to juggle at all, because I like to immerse myself in the character till one film is over. It was great to be a part of films that make me feel the best as I am a restless person and get bored easily. For me, it has always been a pattern of jumping from one extreme to the other. The fact that I can do a Kabir right after Anand Kumar ignites me.

Does the success of Super 30 give you the confidence to be more unconventional in your choice of roles?
The decision to do a film has little to do with the success of films in that zone but more to do with how I feel about the character. I only agree to do things I can’t say no to.

Many believe that you should be doing more action films than you have so far.
I am dependent on the kind of scripts and directors who approach me. After Kaabil, I was looking to do an action film. In fact, I met the entire industry and encouraged a lot of people to write an actioner for me. I waited for a year for something impactful in that space, but it was Super 30 that struck a chord. That decided my fate for the next one year. People think I am deciding these things, but they aren’t really in my control.

What do you look for in the script of an action film?
I look for intelligence; the general approach is important. The story cannot be just about bravado but also about a flawed character. There has to be a contrast because usually, action films are all about the hero being pitted against the villain and that’s not enough. I don’t mind doing an ensemble or a two-hero film, but it needs to be intelligently written. Blowing up cars and fist-fights aren’t action for me. It should emanate from the protagonist’s attitude.

What’s happening with Krrish 4?
The film is underway but it’s best that I speak at the right time; once I begin work on the film.

Can we expect an update on the film next year?
Fingers crossed.

What do you think has made Krrish a successful franchise?
It wasn’t a pretentious superhero film; the logics were right. The genesis of superhero films in India requires a prequel and then to be taken forward into the template. In my head, Krrish became a superhero in Krrish 3. Koi Mil Gaya was a backstory with Rohit; Krrish was a personal story though, by the end, you feel that the character could be a superhero but in Krrish 3, he became one. The three films have established a solid foundation for the franchise. Any such series needs that because we are building the character from scratch.

It has been over two years since you announced a film. When can we expect one?
As soon as I find a script that I can’t say no to (smiles). I have never restricted myself to any genre, though the advice I get is to do more action films now. It’s not in my hands; it’s really about the script.

Super 30 came a year-and-a-half after Kaabil, your last release. Are you looking to shorten that gap?
The number of films is irrelevant because if I get three exciting films in a year, I will do all of them but if I get one in two years, there will be just one release. I will never not do a film that I love.

You have spoken about Hollywood offers in the past. Anything happening on that front?
Not really, but I am open to working there. I haven’t found anything, either in Bollywood or Hollywood.

Would you explore a feel-good film in the Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara space again?
I’d love to. I hope someone will write something like that for me.

We don’t see you often at Bollywood parties anymore…
I love spending time with my kids (sons Hrehaan and Hridhaan). Not that I don’t like being at parties, I enjoy being with friends, too. Perhaps I have been busy with films. It’s time to catch up with friends at their parties now.

Buzz is, you will be producing films, too, now...
Yes, my production house is actively looking for good content and my team and I have been reading a lot of scripts. I may not act in these films or maybe I’ll do a small part, but the idea is to produce content-driven films, triumph-of-life stories or something that can leave an impact on the audience.

This was your 20th year in the industry. Did you expect your journey to lead to stardom?
It’s a gift that I am nothing but grateful for. I have realised that stardom is a huge responsibility that requires a lot of skill to bear, otherwise it becomes a burden. I feel I have gotten better at handling it with every year but it’s not easy. I think of myself as someone who is shy. I am here to act, so there is a bit of awkwardness while putting the star jacket on. I am getting used to it.

Any regrets?
I don’t regret anything because everything happens for the best and has got me to the point where I am today. I worked in two films from different genres in the 20th year of my career, both of which are big successes. What more could I ask for?