Hrithik Roshan is a Bollywood sensation famous for his dancing and being one of India’s top paid actors. Roshan has been in over two dozen films, which might leave fans wondering about his first movie.
Hrithik Roshan’s first credited appearance is Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai. Roshan appeared alongside his father, Rakesh Roshan, who also wrote and directed the Bollywood hit. The movie became the top Bollywood movie of the year 2000.
Read more below to find out about Hrithik Roshan and his rise to the top of Bollywood.
A Brief Lesson in Bollywood
Hindi cinema, nicknamed “Bollywood” as a nod to its stateside counterpart Hollywood and referencing its Bombay roots, is the most popular and largest producer of films in India. To the surprise of many, Indian cinema actually produces the highest number of films annually, outranking Hollywood in number of films and tickets sold consistently.
Much like Hollywood’s A-list, Bollywood has its own set of elite stars, producers and directors. Bollywood films are often known for their musical and dance numbers, in a genre known as masala films.
There are many prominent Bollywood families, with multiple generations becoming actors, directors or producers in the film industry.
Bollywood Royalty
Unlike other stars who started with humble beginnings, Hrithik Roshan was born into Bollywood royalty. His father, mother and both sets of grandparents all had ties to the Bollywood industry.
The young Roshan felt ostracized at school because he was born with an extra thumb. Though it’s something he eventually came to terms with, the youngster shied away from his peers and instead spent a lot of time around the family business.
From a young age Hrithik began making uncredited appearances in his father’s films. After getting his first line of dialogue in a film at age 12, he decided he wanted to become an actor, but his father wanted him to finish out his education first.
Health Woes and Continuing Education
Shortly after graduation, Roshan was diagnosed with scoliosis, meaning he would not be able to dance or perform stunts, both of which would prevent him from working consistently in Bollywood. Not to be deterred, Hrithik’s passion for acting took hold and he forged ahead despite his diagnosis.
Roshan began jogging and persevered against the pain of his scoliosis. As he grew more confident in his physicality, he also attended college and earned a degree in commerce.
Box Office Blowout and a Guinness World Record
Having fulfilled his father’s wishes to finish his education, Roshan was free to pursue acting full-time after graduation. His father cast him in a dual role in Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai, with Roshan playing an aspiring musician and also that of a billionaire in the film.
Roshan became an overnight superstar with the success of the movie, which became the highest-grossing film of the year. The film was so successful that it ended up in The Guinness World Records for having the highest number of awards won by a film ever.
One film role after another followed, and though all were not box office successes, Hrithik Roshan’s star power continued to climb. The actor has worked consistently in film, tv, stage and he launched his own clothing line since his debut.
You can watch Hrithik Roshan discuss his career and Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai in the YouTube video below.
Personal Life and Legacy
Roshan was married to interior designer Sussanne Khan for over a decade, but the couple ultimately divorced. Despite the failure of their marriage, Roshan and Khan remain close and happily co-parent their children together.
Hrithik Roshan might have been born to a prominent film family, but he worked hard for his superstar status in Bollywood. There is no doubt that his first movie Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai, had the biggest impact on his career and will probably always be his defining role.