SAT EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH HRITHIK ROSHAN
By Neeraj Nanda
Hrithik Roshan’s latest movie ‘Kaabil’ is making waves on the box office. Directed by Sanjay Gupta, it has Yami Gautam as the leading lady with music by his father Rajesh Roshan. The 150 minutes’ movie in Hindi has English subtitles.
The blind leading pair fall in love, get married and a terrible tragedy strikes. Then the fire of vengeance is unstoppable. I caught up from Melbourne with Hrithik Roshan from Mumbai on the What’s App and he answered my questions about Kaabil, which he calls his best reviewed film.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q: How was it playing a blind hero. Was it challenging?
A: Challenging, yes. It has a beautiful challenging script which leads to passion making it easy to act in the movie.
Q: Hrithik, while shooting actually the eyes can see but you posed as if they can’t. How did you manage that?
A: It was difficult. I practiced at home. I Blind folded myself and walked in the house. I did it every day.
Q: So, when you were practicing did you also fall down?
A: Yes, I did. Those who fall, learn to get up.
Q: Despite being a blind character, you gave a confident positive message, but Yami taking her own life gives a rather negative message. What do you say?
A: No, once you see the film you realise that our weakness can sometimes overcome us. We are all quite fragile. Adversity becomes tough. Yami comes from a small town and what happens is the reality. Rohan (Hrithik) then gives the message that the situation can be overcome. That is the brightness of Kaabil.
Q: How was it working with Yami?
A: The best co-star, I have worked in my life. She is simple and does not focus on herself. Instead, her focus is the entire movie.
Q: What is the message for blind couples who cannot see the movie?
A: In fact, the message is from the blind to all of us – don’t be afraid of darkness in your life. We all have some kind of darkness and the blind show us we can have the same potential as they have to fight darkness.
Q: In one scene you speak in Amitabh Bachchan’s voice. How could you manage it?
A: Practice led to that. Dubbing people say if you control your vocal cord muscle then you can utter anyone’s voice. I was able to do it.
Q: ‘Andha’ and ‘Andhi’ words used in the film. Aren’t they rude words?
A: These are labels. If I am blind and have lost my wife also blind, then I have to say I am ‘Andha’ and my wife is ‘Andhi’. There are no substitute words.
Q: Do you agree despite the love-rape-revenge theme this is a message film?
A: No, it is not. This is a beautiful entertaining movie. A unique concept film. In the cinema hall there was so much clapping after every dialogue. I enjoyed every bit of this film after my first movie ‘Kaho Na Pyaar Hi”. This is my life’s big success and the best reviewed film.
