Hrithik Roshan

Hrithik Roshan is a prominent Indian actor and producer working in Hindi cinema.

Often called a "millennial superstar," he is recognized for his diverse character portrayals and exceptional dancing abilities. Roshan is among the highest-paid actors in India. His commercial success is reflected in his frequent appearances on the Forbes India Celebrity 100 list. He has earned numerous accolades, including six Filmfare Awards. Notably, he won four of these for Best Actor.

Roshan was born Hritik Rakesh Nagrath on 10 January 1974, in Bombay, Maharashtra. He comes from a family deeply rooted in the film industry. His father, Rakesh Roshan, is a well-known film director. His mother, Pinkie, is the daughter of director and producer J. Om Prakash. His paternal grandmother, Ira Nagrath, was a professional singer. His paternal grandfather, Roshanlal Nagrath, served as a music director. These connections provided a foundation for his eventual career in cinema.

His journey to stardom involved overcoming significant personal challenges. As a child, Roshan dealt with a stammer that began at age six. He used daily speech therapy to improve his fluency. He also faced social isolation because he was born with an extra thumb fused to his right hand. Later, he was diagnosed with scoliosis, a condition affecting the spine. This diagnosis initially suggested he could not perform stunts or dance. However, a turning point occurred when he jogged on a beach during a rainstorm. He experienced no pain during this activity, which gave him the confidence to pursue acting.

Before becoming a lead actor, Roshan gained experience through various roles. He appeared as a child actor in several films during the 1980s. He also served as an assistant director on four of his father's films. These roles included working on Khudgarz, King Uncle, Karan Arjun, and Koyla. During this time, he performed tasks like sweeping floors and making tea for the crew. He also studied acting under Kishore Namit Kapoor. To refine his skills, he would film himself enacting scenes to judge his own performances.

Roshan made his breakthrough leading role in the year 2000. He starred in the romantic drama Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai, directed by his father. In this film, he played dual roles: Rohit and Raj. The movie was a massive box-office success, earning significant global revenues. For this performance, he became the only actor to win both Filmfare and IIFA awards for Best Debut and Best Actor for the same film.

Following this, he appeared in films like Fiza and Mission Kashmir to explore more complex characters.

His career saw a major revival with the 2003 science fiction film Koi... Mil Gaya.

In this production, he played Rohit Mehra, a developmentally disabled man who meets an extraterrestrial being. To prepare for the role, Roshan lost nearly 10 kilograms. The film was a critical and commercial success, earning him two Filmfare Awards. This role led to his portrayal of the superhero Krrish in the 2006 sequel Krrish and the 2013 sequel Krrish 3. He has since moved into various genres, including action films like War and Fighter.

Beyond his acting roles, Roshan has expanded his presence in the entertainment industry. He debuted on television as a judge on the dance reality show Just Dance in 2011. At that time, he became the highest-paid film star on Indian television.

He is also involved in humanitarian causes and endorses various products. Additionally, he has launched his own clothing line. His career demonstrates a transition from a child actor and assistant to a leading figure in global cinema.