Hrithik Roshan explains why he loves problems!

Hrithik Roshan’s an emotional person. But he quickly admits, “I don’t show it. I don’t know how to do it.” As we sit down for a candid chat in his bachelor pad, Hrithik is raring to go. Here, he talks about his choices in films, discusses parenthood and the controversies in his life among other things. Read on...

When you play a specially-abled person, does it become more of an added responsibility to not make it caricaturish?

It becomes a responsibility not just to not offend them, but to bring out the truth of their world. I think, especially with Kaabil, we all felt the need to do so. When we were researching, we got to know that we are actually blind to their world. It became very necessary in my head that we have to play it in the correct way. Everything in the film was tweaked to make sure that there’s no sympathetic look or feel around either of these two characters.

You get involved with all your characters. Is it difficult for you to get out of that state of mind once it is over?

I used to feel sad earlier. When you are playing a character like the ones I did in Koi Mil Gaya or Kaabil, you are thinking about the thoughts and life of the character constantly.  When that character goes way, you miss it. Earlier, I would feel sad especially when that journey would come to an end. But I have now learnt that this is life. You have to keep looking and creating your own fun, your variety and the only way you can do that is by letting go and moving on to the next. That’s what it is about.

As an actor, is it constantly on your mind to not repeat yourself?

In the recent past, it’s impossible for me to not think like that. Because I don’t like repetition. Repetition is the only thing that frustrates me. That’s why if you see my films, I am more of an extremist. I will do this and then I will do that — and I jump from one extreme to another. I love variety, I get bored very easily and I am very restless. So, there have to be different spices and takes to films I do, each time.

As an actor, are you extremely objective about your films?

(Cuts in) I am very objective with life, yeah! I am extremely emotional, but I am also very objective.

Do you have an instinct about which of your films will click?

Once I see my first copy, I know. Or at least I pretty much know where I stand.

Does that change anything in the last leg of promotions?

No, not at all! I will give my best even during my worst. I don’t believe in the idea of shrugging it off just because you have a feeling that it might not work as well as your other films. That’s not the right thing to do. To your film, to your makers and to yourself.

As a producer, are you creatively involved in the finances of a film as well?

The economics of a film is very, very important. Especially today. I am not hands-on, but I make sure I am completely aware, especially when it’s a FilmKraft film.

Your last film Mohenjo Daro didn’t do well and you are extremely emotional about that. How do you deal with failure or heartbreak?

I enjoy them! (smiles) The only two ways to grow in life is when you are proven you are wrong or when you’ve made a mistake. When the results come and you are shown that something you did was wrong, that is the truth. That is the breaking away of illusion, which is why they call it disillusionment. So that is actually good as you can recalibrate yourself and you need to have the humility to allow yourself to be broken and you have to have the courage to remake yourself. And I have both, so I have no fear. I can deal with both failure and triumph and still be okay.

When controversies happen — especially like the one concerning you and Kangana — do you feel staying silent goes against you?

No. When you have something to say that can contribute to people, can add to their lives, you say it. When you don’t have something that is going to add something to people’s lives, you don’t say it.

You have been separated for over two years now. Has the relationship with Sussanne become easier now?

It was always easy. We have always maintained peace. We are wonderful parents to our kids and we are friends. I don’t think I can ever have any other equation with a friend or family or with someone who is not peaceful. I am not the kind of the man who blames or complains about someone. I am responsible for everything in my life because my choices have got me to this chair where I’m sitting right now. Whether I have said yes or no, the choices have always been mine.

How have these incidents in the past two years altered you as a person?

In a good way. It can never be in a bad way. I have learned something from every single episode of my life. See, I am a problem solver. So I love problems. (Smiles) They stimulate me. I really enjoy and get curious to see what I am going to learn through anything. Am I going to learn something about myself? Am I going to learn something about the person or how the world is? It’s going to show me something and there’s definitely something that can add to my life. It stimulates me and it’s like a gym for my mind. I go to the gym and build my body. How? With heavy weights! So when your mind lifts heavy weights, it’s getting stronger and building character. That’s what is primary in my life.

Do your sons know that their dad is a huge superstar?

Yeah! They know it and they absorb it. They understand it. My kids are not complainers. I think they get that from me. They don’t complain, they reason it out and then choose the best way to react to it. I have always embedded this in their mind that ‘This is what your father does and sometimes you will be surrounded by commotion, people might get a little aggressive or seem like it. But you need to know that it’s all love. You don’t need to fear it or run away from it. Yes, you keep yourself safe like you would when you’re playing with friends. You might fall and that might happen here, too. And that’s okay because you are tough guys’.

SRK said that when his kids were young, he would tell them the stories of his films. Do you take your kids’ reaction to your scripts, too?

Yeah, yeah, I tell them the story. I told them the story of Mohenjo Daro, of Kaabil. They ask great questions and give me good insights.

But do their reactions help you decide which film to pick?

I have never chosen a film like that. At the same time, I am inclined to making a film that they’ll be very proud of.

How different is your equation with your kids from what you had with your dad when you were young?

Oh, it’s different, but it’s same in one regard. My father did the best he could do to provide for us and teach us right from wrong. And I am doing that with my kids. But yes, I have the luxury to be able to spend time with them and not be struggling to make ends meet, which is what my dad was doing when we were kids. So he could not afford us time or luxuries. I can, so I am doing that. He did his best and I am doing my best.