The Marathon Man
"I will find my heart to fight with my mind. I will not be afraid because I will never give up. I have to forget what failure means before I give victory a shot. I have to defeat, defeat,” says Hrithik Roshan, passionately, in his new promotional video for his brand, HRX. That’s also Hrithik for you. A fighter. He’s never been afraid of a challenge. For him, defeat is just an illusion. Be it his personal troubles or physical ailments, he’s always emerged triumphant. A raring urge to keep moving on fuels his soul. If there’s one thing he exemplifies, it’s the sheer grit and determination, which can literally move mountains. In an introspective chat, the actor talks about never succumbing to his injuries – physical or otherwise - dealing with fears, never repeating the same mistake twice and kicking ass in life. If motivation had a face, it would be Hrithik Roshan’s…
Your life has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride...
Life is a rollercoaster ride. You will go upside down; there will be unexpected turns and dips at every juncture but the key is to keep moving forward. You’ve just got to scream, shout and enjoy it. Also, who wants to sit on a rollercoaster that moves at a snail’s pace, right?
You’ve been through a brain surgery, had multiple injuries and have even been told that you would never be able to walk again…
(Cuts in) Yes, that happened when I was about to start Kites. I thought I would not be able to do the film because my knee hadn’t healed for two years. I was even on a crutch for six months. That’s the time I signed Guzaarish as my last film because the doctors told me my knee would never get okay. At 35, doctors told me I had only one year left to walk as my knee was already arthritic and it would only get worse. When I heard that, I was in hell. I’d get upset imagining myself, not being able to play football with my sons. Or not being able to teach them the BMX stunts I used to do. I’d even bought a piano thinking that if I couldn’t act, at least I’d try to sing. But I didn’t want to give up. I couldn’t. So I took the alternative route. I went to China, Finland and even Singapore to practise every single alternative therapy there was for my knee. Two hours every day, for a whole two years. And one day, the pain
just vanished.
That’s some serious discipline and determination…
Well, you have to take action. You can beat every adversity to the curb. Even the doctors were surprised that my knee had healed. They told me I’d beaten science.
How do you deal with fear?
All fear is just an illusion. So today, if something goes wrong, I take the lesson of my past and apply it to the fear that’s in front of me. Once you do that, your mind creates a pattern. You are going to fear different kinds of things at various stages of your life. You’re going to feel even more scared when a new situation arises but once your mind adopts a pattern, which assures you there’s a way out, you’ll find that way.
Two decades ago, would you have imagined that you’d have to stand strong in the face of so many adversities?
Not at all. But the point is you have to be happy. If one of the fuel pipes that fuelled you is cut off, what are you going to do? You will feel a vacuum. You cannot sit there and say, I’m going to be unhappy because I’ve lost the pipeline. Or you can’t
sit there blaming someone. You have to do something about it. Create other pipelines.
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in the past five years?
To be a cause and not an effect. The moment you’re an effect, it means you’re being a victim. You are allowing the surroundings to affect your balance and you’re creating a story in your head. Then your thoughts are not aligned with your higher purpose. We all have a higher purpose. It’s something you discover through the course of your journey.
How do you keep yourself grounded considering every star is surrounded by yes men?
I’m not actually. I make sure that I’m not surrounded by people who feed my ego. I like to be surrounded by the truth. I do have people around me who are loyal and respect me but they won’t think twice before telling me something blatantly honest. It could be my driver, my boy or even my assistant. I can immediately sense when a person is sucking up to me. Similarly, if my assistant is throwing his weight around because he is my assistant, I will immediately sack him. He has to be a representative of the kind of person I am. You’re not allowed to assert power over others just because you are associated with me.
Most people who know you say you’re the humblest among the stars...
Humility is a good thing but it’s used by people to create an image about themselves because they know it will go down well with people. I can sense the lies and the futility of being nice. I am just who I am. I’m someone who goes all out for the people I love.
Have you ever made the same mistake twice?
(Smiles) I never make the same mistakes twice. I learn from my mistakes and from other people’s mistakes. I’m a fast learner.
Professionally, you have never given competition or the number one game any importance...
I am not bitten by that foolish bug. There’s no end to wanting to be first. There is no first. I’m happy when I can make other people happy and that is an everyday practice. Even though you’ll achieve success and awards, you’ll never be fulfilled unless you give to people. Whatever emotion you want to experience, first give it and you will receive it in abundance. For instance, if you want to feel love, all you have to do is have the courage to give love. Right now, if I get up and give you a hug, you’ll give me a hug back. Be the source of the emotion you want to sense and you’ll receive it in profusion.
How do you deal with the disappointment of a film not doing well or not winning an award?
You drop it and move on. Those are things you can’t do much about. Why hold on to things that are not in your control? It’s a waste of time.
When was the last time you were affected by a film not doing well?
The last time would’ve been probably when Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage released.
Nothing has affected you after that?
Nope… Like I said, I don’t make the same mistake twice.
What is the one thing you kick ass at?
(Laughs) I kick ass at life. That’s the best sport of all.
Have you closed your mind to love?
(Pauses) That you can probably ask me in about a year from now.
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