Rakesh Roshan Didn't Want To Cast His Son Hrithik Roshan In 'Kaho Na Pyaar Hai'
Hrithik Roshan opened up about the time he made his acting debut with 'Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai' (2000). The Bollywood actor recalled how his father-director Rakesh Roshan, 'offered' him the part despite telling him that he was reluctant to cast Hrithik in the lead.
The 'War' star said that his father, Rakesh Roshan, was known for only working with stars and was reluctant to cast him in the next film that would have a big star in the lead. So, he went ahead and started looking out for work himself, even remembering how he had requested famous photographer Daboo Ratnani to take his pictures and that he would pay him back later.
"My father told me time and time again, 'I'm not going to make a film for you, you're on your own'. So, I was doing screen tests. I did a couple of them and I was looking for work. For my photo session, I had no money. I had promised Daboo Ratnani that I will pay him once I start to earn. All of this was going on and suddenly, I got this offer and all I knew was that I had to satisfy my director," Hrithik said in an interview with a famed magazine. He further added that he credits his upbringing and innocence as the reason behind the instant connection with the audience.
Talking about the time his father changed his mind, Hrithik further added, "When he heard that I was doing screen tests and was getting offers, maybe he sat down one day and thought, 'What is this happening? Am I losing out?' And he was making a film at that time with Shah Rukh Khan or Aamir Khan, which fell through. He had another thought and while he was working on the scripting of that film with all the writers - and I was a part of this process - some weeks into it, everyone started feeling that this film needs a new boy or new girl. You have seen big stars do these roles and even I was a part of that noise. Even I was like, 'Yes, papa, I don't want to see Shah Rukh do this'. And when this got very repetitive, he said, 'That's not what I had in mind, I'm taking you in the film'."
