Differently abled characters helped Hrithik Roshan discover his abilities

Actor Hrithik Roshan has effectively portrayed every character with extreme dedication. Be it a superhero, a ruler, a person with disability, a thief, he has done it all.

But, for Hrithik, playing differently abled characters has had a bigger influence on his life as he had to fight his own personal limitations. His roles in movies like ‘Koi… Mil Gaya’, ‘Guzaarish’ and ‘Kaabil’, all had completely different storylines but they all saw him portray a character fighting a certain disability.

The recently released ‘Kaabil’ which saw him play a visually-impaired man clicked at the box office, but for him only box office success is not everything. Here’s what he says, “I am really glad that the film has done well but as actors we also look for something more permanent than box office success. I was going through a difficult time in my life when i was shooting for ‘Kaabil’. I needed to fight my own limitations in order to play this character.”

Also, be it Rohit in ‘Koi Mil Gaya’, Ellen Mascarenhas in ‘Guzaarish’ and Rohan Bhatnagar in ‘Kaabil’, each of these characters were emotionally intelligent. Adds Hrithik, “Perhaps I connect with these characters at some level. It must be some sort of coincidence that I have played these characters but in each of my performances my directors helped me a lot. I have had my own struggles with my physical self. I did stammer as a kid and I am aware how socially awkward and debilitating it can get.”

His performance in the January release ‘Kaabil’ is said to be one of his finest till date. Here’s what he has to say, “Kaabil was a different experience for me personally. Perhaps more than the accolades and the box office success what will remain with me is an invaluable understanding. I perhaps realized for the first time that the phrase differently abled is not a polite word for disabled people. They are ACTUALLY differently abled. I didn’t play Rohan Bhatnagar as a disabled guy, I played a guy who believes in himself. My way of seeing them has changed forever.”

Well said, Hrithik!

Prajakta Ajgaonkar

Passionate about writing, and a Bollywood lover, she is all that is sweet and endearing! She desires to put her best foot forward in everything that she does and loves to help anyone who’s in need.