Rocket Man

It’s been over two years since his last film. In that time, Hrithik Roshan has been flying under the radar. But of late, he’s become controversy’s favourite child. GQ caught up with the actor, and discovered a man who’s used the time away from the spotlight to work on becoming the best version of himself (yet)

- Shikha Sethi

In a balmy Saturday night in June, I get a brief message from Hrithik Roshan’s team: “Tomorrow, 1pm, YRF Studios.” Waiting for an interview slot with the actor has been an unnerving experience – four times a meeting has been fixed; four times it’s been cancelled.

It’s been a rough week for the actor, with a barrage of controversial tweets by Rangoli Chandel, Kangana Ranaut’s sister and manager, who’s accused the Roshan family of mistreating Sunaina Roshan, Hrithik’s sister, who, in turn, has tweeted about “living in hell”. The tweetstorm followed an announcement by Roshan a month earlier, advancing the release date of his film Super 30, to avoid a clash with the Kangana Ranaut-starrer Judgementall Hai Kya. He’d taken this decision in order to save himself “the personal trauma and toxic mental violence this would cause.”

When I check the actor’s Twitter timeline for a response to this latest provocation, absurdly – comically – the most recent tweet I see is a video of him pumping weights, with the accompanying text:

No more excuses holding you back. Get ready to kickstart your fitness goals with

@hrxbrand

Your time is now! #KeepGoing.

#MyntraEndOfReasonSale #TooBigToMiss #HRX

The next afternoon, a bright and sunny day, Roshan joins me in the Yash Raj Film Studios’ atrium-café, with a bounce in his step. He’s dressed in a black T-shirt, hoodie, joggers and midnightblue ASICS sneakers. He’s quick to notice my neon lime green jersey, with the phrase “no thanks” printed on it. I wore it because it would resonate with his current state of mind, I tell him. Especially the prospect of having to speak to a journalist at this moment. He laughs heartily.