Hrithik Roshan

The explosion of an unexpected phenomenon

Hrithik Roshan spent much of his childhood in front of the mirror practicing how to pronounce words that got stuck on his palate. He suffered from a severe stutter that isolated him from other kids and forced him to undergo endless speech therapy sessions. But that initial difficulty shaped an iron discipline that he would later apply on the sets in Mumbai.

In 2000, his father Rakesh Roshan decided to launch him into stardom with Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai. The impact was so massive that police had to step in at movie theaters to control the crowds. That young man with striking light eyes and impossible dance moves received more than 30,000 marriage proposals in just a few weeks. It was a baptism of fire that nearly ended his career before it began, due to the suffocating media pressure.

And audiences responded with a frenzy at the box office.

That initial success became a trap of expectations. Over the next two years, he piled up several box-office failures, and the specialized press labeled him a one-hit wonder. But Roshan did not give up, and in 2003 he changed his physical approach to play a young man with an intellectual disability in Koi... Mil Gaya. That low-budget science fiction film earned him the respect of critics who had until then seen only a handsome face in him.

Rebuilding the hero

The actor then decided that his body would be his main work tool. In 2006 he shot Krrish and became India's first functional superhero, with a physical preparation that bordered on the reckless. But the cost was high, because his back injuries became chronic. Doctors told him he would not be able to dance or film action scenes again due to a herniated disc and knee problems.

Roshan ignored medical warnings.

In 2008, he starred in Jodhaa Akbar under the direction of Ashutosh Gowariker. The shoot was grueling, lasting months in the desert, where he had to handle elephants and heavy armor while coping with constant pain. The film grossed 1,120 million rupees worldwide. That result confirmed that his name could carry large-budget historical productions without relying on simple commercial formulas.

His personal life was turned upside down in 2014 when he announced his divorce from Sussanne Khan after fourteen years of marriage. Instead of hiding from the scandal, he focused on projects that demanded a radical transformation. In 2019, he set aside his leading-man image to play mathematician Anand Kumar in Super 30. He appeared on screen with darkened skin and several extra pounds to move away from the Greek god label that had been attached to him early in his career.

Nobody gave him a chance at that point.

The era of technical action

The year 2019 was pivotal for understanding his current position in the industry. He made War, which became the highest-grossing Indian film of that year. His acting duel with Tiger Shroff involved a showcase of combat choreography filmed on locations in Italy and Australia. Roshan insisted that the risky scenes be shot without stunt doubles whenever safety allowed, to preserve the visual tension.

In 2022, he took on the challenge of remaking Vikram Vedha. He played a ruthless gangster, a sharp contrast to his usual polished image. But the market was changing, and the film did not reach expected numbers in the domestic market despite good reviews. It was a reminder that in Mumbai cinema, even the biggest names are not guaranteed success every release Friday.

In 2024, he released Fighter, playing a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force. The production had a budget of 2,500 million rupees and used advanced motion-capture technology for the aerial battles. For 2025, he is scheduled to shoot War 2 under the direction of Ayan Mukerji. His contract stipulates six months of training before principal photography begins on international locations.