Criticism is as welcome as compliments: Hrithik

He has just completed shooting for a soap ad which demanded "more action," he says, "than Dhoom 2." Next, he will be in a movie with the Mexican hottie Barbara Mori, and he's just a few weeks away from becoming daddy the second-time-around. Hrithik Roshan quote, unquote by Roshmila Bhattacharya


So how's the knee?
Getting better.


Good enough for Dhoom 3?
(Laughs) Good enough for Krrish 3. I'm done with Dhoom. There's still time for Krrish 3.


It'll be Kites next, right?
Yes, but it's too early to talk about that one.


Okay, so let's talk about Barbara Mori, the Mexican star who has been signed on for Kites. She says she has seen several of your films. What about vice versa?
I've seen one of her films.. and stuff on the YouTube. Dad, Anurag (Basu) and I loved her. (Grins) Obviously, since we found her.


It's said that you were upset with Ahmed Khan for not giving enough time to the song-and-dance number. So you have choreographed the moves yourself.
Look, as it has turned out, Ganesh Acharya has choreographed the song and he's done a fantastic job. Yes, there were times when Ganesh would explain a move to me and I'd do a step my way. But I'm an actor, not a choreographer.


Isn't such a number mainly a crowd pulling gimmick?
Well, the idea is to bring in more crowds but if you're saying it was an afterthought, then the answer is no. The number was always a part of the script. But I was recuperating from my knee problems and couldn't shoot. So dad approached Shah Rukh who went out of his way to do the song. Shah Rukh Khan's item number in Krazzy 4 is playing on TV.. Mine will be on air soon. And it'll be very different from Shah Rukh's.


The number by SRK and then by you were both shot at Yash Raj studio even though reportedly your father (Rakesh Roshan) was stopped from exploring the premises?
What nonsense, it's silly to even talk about this! Do you think any studio would deny access to one of the top producers of the country? A studio's objective is to earn money.. how will it do that by turning prospective clients away? Dad and Yash uncle (Yash Chopra) go back a long way, they're really close.


Weren't you supposed to be in Aditya Chopra's Rab ne Bana di Jodi?
No.

Okay, have you been approached for any other Yash Raj film of late?
Not so far.


Now you're modelling for a soap. For decades soap commercials have been associated with divas. So why step into a woman's world?
Oh, the transition happened decades ago. I'd watch my favourite heroes riding on horseback, exuding confidence, energy and drive for soap commercials.

Remember Vinod Khanna in the Cinthol ad years ago? I'm happy to be associated with the brand, more so because the Godrejs have been family friends.

In terms of action, the Cinthol ad was bigger than Dhoom 2. It instilled an anger and determination in me to get it perfect, whether I was rock climbing or zooming on a bike.

It had to be better than anything I'd done before because I identify with the catch-line completely.

Unstoppable, that's you?
Yeah, as long as there's life, one should carry on no matter what the ups and downs.

In eight years you've seen the highs and the lows. Where do you see yourself at this stage in your career?
For me success is not measured by career prospects. It means being free to be myself, lead the life the way I want to, without adapting to social norms or worrying about creating the wrong impression. (Smiles) In that respect, I'd say I'm very successful.. though success is a relative term.

You've played so many unreal film characters. There must be times when you start believing you're a superhero?
It takes a lot of sweat, blood and time to infuse life and dignity to these characters. Once the job is done, it's easy for me to bounce back to being myself. (Laughs) I'm like this spring.. stretch and recoil.

Yes, after Koi... Mil Gaya when I got back to being myself I was a lot sharper and smarter. And after all the hectic activity in Dhoom, I just wanted to laze around and gobble chocolates.

I'm so different from the characters I portray that when I watch myself on screen, I look on in disbelief and wonder if that's really me.

And after Akbar?
(Laughs) I was Akbar for so long that the lines got a little blurred.

The reactions to Jodhaa Akbar have been mixed.
That's understandable given the genre, the magnitude and the fact that the film was not playing to the gallery. It was one man's vision. Even for mainstream films like Krrish and Dhoom 2, there's been one person out of 10 who didn't like the movies. For me criticism is as welcome as the compliments because they help me learn where we could have done better.

What about the feedback to your performance?
It's overwhelming. (Smiles) When Sairaji (Saira Banu) called to invite me over to her home because Dilip uncle (Dilip Kumar) wanted to give me a hug, that was bigger for me than the Oscars.

I'm thankful to Ashutosh for believing I could pull off the role when I was so unsure myself. The film was banned in certain states like Rajasthan, UP and MP following protests though the ban was lifted after a couple of weeks. No one should have the right to ban a film after the Censor Board has passed it. But the sad truth is that in our country there are so many different sections that are difficult to control.

If someone decides to go on the offensive for personal gratification or to be on national TV, how do you stop him? It's the filmmakers who stand to lose. Jodhaa Akbar would have been a much bigger hit had it not been for these bans. It's high time we grew up.

How's your sister Sunaina? There's been a lot written about her illness?
She's fine. Looking at her you won't even think she has cough and cold. That's how strong she is.

She must be excited about having another niece or nephew in less than a month?
We're all very excited. Everyone's hunting for names.

What's Rehaan's reaction?
(Smiles) At the moment my son is trying to understand the concept of birth. He points to his mother's stomach and says, "Baby."

Since Rehaan looks like you, are you now hoping for a daughter who's a mirror image of her mother?
Rehaan looks like Sussanne. As for a daughter, why think of something over which you have no control?