Ameesha Patel, who made her acting debut in the successful movie Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai and later went on to star in Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, claimed that Hrithik Roshan confided in her when his films weren’t doing well while hers were. After their huge debut, she claimed, Hrithik was after the prime minister as “the most powerful man in the country,” but the very same audience that had elevated him also brought him to his knees.
According to her, Hrithik’s father, director Rakesh Roshan, sent Ameesha a heartfelt message congratulating her on the success of Gadar 2. She also stated that she is still in touch with Hrithik.
She revealed, “Immediately after Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai, he was working with the best directors… Sooraj Barjatya, Subhash Ghai, Yash Raj Films, even a film with me, and nothing worked. He and I used to discuss this on set… On one Friday, Hrithik Roshan becomes the most powerful man after the PM in this country, and the next Friday, people are not accepting his films. What kind of world is this? But I think Hrithik is a demi-god, he’s a Greek god, he’s a superstar forever. Good talent can never be shaken.”
Ameesha claimed that she “felt bad” when she witnessed Hrithik being glorified by some people and then being dismissed by the same people.“They said he’s a one-film wonder, and they began comparing him to previous one-film wonders. It’s such a sad tag to give to someone. And when I heard that announcement, three years later, Rakesh uncle with Koi… Mil Gaya, I was like, ‘Now he’s going to come back’.”
She further said, “We were doing Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage, and we would talk. We would be shooting on the set a day after his film had flopped, and he used to be very disturbed, of course. Our first film was such a massive hit, of course the downfall is going to hit you harder. And he’s telling me, ‘But Ameesha, aapne toh dusri film Gadar de di, main flop de raha hoon aap Gadar de rahe ho’. I told him not to worry, because the tables will inevitably turn.”
Rakesh Roshan recently remembered the challenging time Hrithik was going through before the release of Koi… Mil Gaya while commemorating the movie’s 20th anniversary. “Unfortunately, after Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai and before Koi… Mil Gaya, all his films didn’t do well. His last film also, Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon, which was released two months before my film, also didn’t do well. And he thought, ‘Koi… Mil Gaya shayad koi dekhne ko na aaye (What if nobody comes to watch my film),” he said.
Hrithik will next be seen in the film Fighter, which will reunite him with his War director Siddharth Anand.