Karan in 'Lakshya' to 'Kabir' in War: Birthday boy Hrithik Roshan's 10 best performances

Hrithik Roshan became an overnight sensation right from his very first film, when he went, "Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai" on a white-sand beach, and the audience complied. There's been no stopping the actor since. Actor-filmmaker Rakesh Roshan's son followed up his commercial success with several critically-acclaimed performances and ensured he left both critics and the audience impressed with his acting chops every time. This dedication earned him an enviable portfolio of characters that have now become synonymous with the actor. Take a look and tell us if you agree...

While there had been a few, India was yet to witness the rise of a completely homegrown superhero till Krrish came long with his black cape and mask. A sequel to 'Koi...Mil Gaya', 'Krrish' was the origin story and delved into how a boy-next-door Krishna finds out about his special powers. Now, talks of the fourth film in the franchise is underway, and though several actors have tried their hands at playing Spiderman and Batman, we would be hard-pressed to find someone to take on as Krrish.

The 2014 actioner, directed by Siddharth Anand, is the story of bank receptionist, Harleen Sahani's (Katrina Kaif) chance encounter with a mysterious charmer, Rajveer Nanda (Hrithik Roshan) leading to an adrenaline-fueled, transcontinental adventure. “Bang Bang is the first film in which instead of getting into the character, I discovered that I was the character. It was self-discovery," Hrithik had said in an interview earlier and anyone who has watched this remake of the 2010 Hollywood film ‘Knight and Day', knows he is not exaggerating when he says that.

Hrithik's transformation into Akbar for Ashutosh Gowariker's Jodhaa Akbar, was so flawless and natural that it is difficult to imagine the Mughal emperor looking any different than the actor. He breathed life into the character of a ruler, who though a tyrant on the battlefield, and diligent in his duty towards his subjects, is also a romantic at heart. Right from his booming dialogue delivery to his intense gazes--Hrithik made it look easy and how!

While ‘Koi… Mil Gaya' wasn't a superhero film like its sequels, it did set the ball rolling for the boy with superhuman capabilities. And it was impossible to imagine anyone else owning Rohit the way Hrithik did. The way he played with his dad's computer, played with the kids who were his only friends, and befriended Jaadu, the blue-tinted sun-seeking alien, was endearing.

Hrithik, with his perfectionist ways, couldn't have asked for a better character. As Arjun, he keeps fretting over the market trends on his laptop after reluctantly going on a bachelors' trip with childhood buddies, till they make him see the beauty of letting go and enjoying life. We can't think of anyone who could be a better fit for this ridiculously good-looking trio of friends.

Hrithik approached Vijay Deenanath Chauhan very differently from Amitabh Bachchan's original turn. His anger was much more internalised and only his eyes gave away the rage he felt on the inside as he plotted the ultimate revenge. While he had big shoes to fill, the actor didn't try to emulate and instead brought a bit of himself to the role.

Hrithik's turn as the happy-go-lucky direction-less college grad Karan who finds his calling in the army is one of his most memorable performances and not just for his robotic moves in "Main Aisa Kyun Hoon". The coming-of-age drama still manages to inspire generations of youngsters to carve their own niche in life, and seems like a leaf straight out of the actor's life itself.

Playing Anand Kumar couldn't have been easy. Not only did the actor have to look like the mathematician, he also had to get his mannerisms correct because it was a biopic and he was going to bring someone to life on screen. But, not one to shy away from challenges, Hrithik not only convinced everyone that he could do diverse roles, he had the audience moved with her performance.

Directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the film is the story of a paraplegic magician-turned-radio jockey Ethan Mascarenhas, who files a petition for euthanasia. Despite being confined to a bed for the most part of the film, Hrithik managed to inspire empathy. With no dance moves or action chops to draw from, this film gave him a chance to display his acting prowess and he delivered.

Directed by Siddharth Anand, ‘War’ had Hrithik Roshan transform into RAW-agent-gone-rogue Kabir Dhaliwal. During an interview, Hrithik had described his character as someone mysterious but patriotic and that is exactly what we saw in the camo-clad guy on screen.