When Rakesh Roshan defended Hrithik Roshan’s sophomore disaster: Throwback

After a dream launch in his father’s Kaho Na… Pyar Hai in 2000, Hrithik Roshan’s stardom floundered with Mission Kashmir in which he played the reluctant terrorist. His actual sophomore film was Vikram Bhatt’s Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage (AMALL), which released on April 19, 2002. Mission Kashmir though released earlier in October 2000. AMALL was the only film Ameesha Patel and Hrithik did together after their spectacularly success debut. It was a box office disaster.

Hrithik's father Rakesh Roshan who directed Hrithik and Amisha's debut film and raging hit Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai, defended AMALL soon after its release. He had said that once a person is part of showbiz, they have to be ready for ups and downs. Hrithik's job was to act and he had no control over how a film would finally shape up. According to Rakesh Roshan, Hrithik had worked like a madman for Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage. He had further said, "Hrithik is a good actor. Nobody can shake him from his place or pull him down. Films will come and go. But he will remain where he is."

Reacting to a statement that Hrithik has been dancing too frequently in his films, Rakesh Roshan protested on his son’s behalf. "Why single him out?" he had exclaimed. Further stating that films were not featuring any slow-paced or thoughtful songs in those days. Rakesh Roshan believed every actor was dancing in the five or six songs that featured in a film. He also felt Hrithik was being targetted for his dancing because he was the best at it.

There were strong rumours of a relationship between Hrithik and Kareena Kapoor during the release of AMALL.

Rakesh Roshan dismissed the rumours of the Kareena-Hrithik linkup as nonsense. "Today's generation is very friendly with each other. In our times even touching a co-star's hand was considered improper. Nowadays they hug each other to show warmth, punch and fool around with each other. This open display of friendliness is being misconstrued by a certain section of the press. Kareena and Hrithik are childhood friends. That doesn't mean they are having an affair. All this does not affect our family at all. They have to be made answerable, else other magazines will start believing they can write anything about Hrithik because he doesn't retaliate."

Rakesh rightly ruminated, "They first raise a star to the skies and then pull him down. It happens to everyone who becomes successful. Why should my son be an exception? This film industry is an ocean. A good swimmer will always survive.”

Reacting to the failure of AMALL Hrithik Roshan had spoken in a past conversation, “With Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage I felt like I was fighting a one-man battle. Somewhere, all of us failed. It is as much my failure as the producer's or director's. Sometimes it is best to leave yourself in the director's hand. Other times it could be lethal. A positive outcome of Aap Mujhe… is that it made me realise I am a star. I didn't realise I was so huge. I always thought I was just a small part of a film. I was proved wrong. I worked as hard in Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage as in Kaho Naa…Pyar Hai. I did my best. But it wasn't enough.”