Hrithik no longer needs my films!

By Subhash K Jha

It's official. Rakesh Roshan's third super- hero film will have another major leading man besides Hrithik.

"This time the anti-hero will be as powerful as the hero," explains Rakesh Roshan. "See, Krissh saw the birth of the super-hero. Now we'll see the super-hero combating other forces."

In that sense this would be the first Rakesh Roshan film since Karan Arjun to star a superstar in addition to Hrithik.

That isn't the only unique career plan that the director is formulating. Rakesh Roshan is currently immersed in the task of creating his first production for an outside director.

"Our first production which I won't direct is a comedy that my assistant Raja Sen will direct. It's a comedy called Krazy 4 (don't miss the 'k'!) with four main characters.

The four principal characters are played by Irrfan Khan, Arshad Warsi, Rajpal Yadav and Suresh Menon. Diya Mirza plays the female lead. Raja Sen has been with me for the last three years and assisted me in three films.

Since I'm working on the third super-hero film I let him do this script. We'll finish Raja's film before I start mine. Any film that comes from my banner has to be equally competent. "

Krissh 3 is now progressing on the script stage. "I can't focus on more than one project at a time, Maybe that's my weakness. We're working on the script. The story has to be just right. The plot has to be inspiring.

I've to get that gut feeling that the plot is right. The special effects aren't the main thing. The plot is. Until I'm happy with that I won't start Krissh 3.

Let's face it, we can't match Spiderman 3 in budget. But if they give ten action scenes I'll do two with equal finesse. We've to out-do them in content and count on Indian audiences being more interested in Hrithik than Tobey Maguire."

Rakesh Roshan agrees Dhoom 2 and Krissh have taken Hrithik far ahead of the competition. "Luckily he had a big success outside the home production. So now people have stopped saying he's workable only with me.

Of course well always work together. No director understands him better than me, and he knows it. Our three films together have built a track record for ourselves. I've just seen some photographs of Jodha-Akbar. Hrithik is looking terrific."

At home grand-son Hrehaan keeps Rakesh Roshan busy. "Nothing gives me more pleasure than watching Hrithik and Hrehaan playing together. And since I've no movie on the floors right now I've all the time in the world to spend with him.

We celebrated Hrehaan's first birthday recently. Seeing all those children in the house he was so surprised and delighted. I could see he was having a good time. Hrehaan is a very pleasant child."

Ask the proud grandfather whom Hrehaan resembles, and he replies, "Both his parents…actually more of his mother Susanne in the little one than Hrithik. God has been very kind to us. I'm not in competition with anyone.

All the ill-will around me is forgotten. I just shut my eyes and ears to all the unhealthy competition in the industry. Nobody can make or break you. It's only your karma that guides your destiny."

And finally he returns to the third super-hero film. "If the script doesn't shape up to my satisfaction I'll just wait until it does. Fortunately I'm in no hurry. I can wait."

http://www.santabanta.com/cinema.asp?pid=17210