The Adonis Ascendancy

Non-stop shoots, prepping for his movie roles, endorsements, interviews and travelling to exotic places—there are no dull moments in the life of Hrithik Roshan.

- Nivedita Jayaram Pawar

The enormity of an interaction with Hrithik Roshan begins to weigh on me when I notice the excitement in my friends and colleagues when I tell them I’m going to interview him. Offers to carry my bag for the interview at JW Marriot Hotel in Juhu, are followed by reminisces about their favourite Hrithik film. That’s the kind of emotion the third-most handsome face in the world (going by a recent global online survey) elicits.

Before we start the interview, Hrithik walks over to turn off the air conditioning and reaches for two bottles of water. He is a courteous man, his manner attentive and earnest. Very earnest. So what does it feel like to be chosen the third most handsome man in the world next only to Hollywood stars Tom Cruise and Robert Pattinson?

“Well, handsome is as handsome does,” he says. “I am honoured, of course. I’ve told my sons to always thank people for compliments. This is a compliment, not an achievement.” If he’s flattered or overwhelmed, he’s not showing it. To not care about how you look makes you look even more attractive, doesn’t it?

That radiant Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai smile is intact. And that bodaciously well-built, hush-your-mouth body peeps through a sweatshirt and track pants. The Bang Bang star is forthright, elliptical and lucid, despite a gruelling 21-hour action and dance shoot. There’s more to come as the actor is on a whirlwind of shoots and interviews. He revels in it. “There are times when there is an overlap of schedules and you don’t get a clear window to spend time with the family,” he says. “Then you make strong choices and let go of something monetarily. I make sure that I strike that balance. It’s never been a problem for me.”