Mumbai, Aug 10: After an explosive debut in Kaho Na Pyar Hai, Hrithik had a somewhat less exciting stint but he still believes that the media in no way can change his karma. Hrithik Roshan plays the mentally challenged lead in Koi Mil Gaya, released this week. In the film, publicised for its sci-fi inclinations, he plays Rohit, who gets supernatural powers through his contact with an alien. What's more, he also gets the girl—the brighteyed, bushy-tailed Preity Zinta, no less. So the film at least seeks to bend the formula, if not break it.


Hrithik, whose big ticket is his biceps and his ability to swing a furiously nifty leg on the dance floor, has drawn fans like heat-seeking missiles.

But here, if he's counting on Rohit's vulnerability despite his machismo, isn't he rocking the boat a little too much? "I didn't see the role in those terms," said Hrithik. "I just played from the heart. There are actors with better bodies than mine, who are better dancers than me. But those are just decorations. What counts is whether the audience can see you're playing from the heart."


Did he consciously try to avoid the portrayals in ET and Forrest Gump, from which the film borrows a few ideas? "No, I developed the role instinctively," he said. "I just needed to be alone and look into my childhood to see what bits I could draw upon, and Rohit just took over."



Rakesh Roshan, the film's director and Hrithik's father, said, "Everybody knows the romantic formula is not working, but nobody's willing to risk breaking it. If Koi mil Gaya succeeds, it will open up the market for a lot of different films." After an explosive debut in Kaho Na..Pyar Hai, Hrithik has had a somewhat less exciting stint through films like Yaadein, Na Tum Jaano Na Hum and Main Prem ki Diwani Hoon, and the trade is wondering if he can make a 'comeback' with his home production.

"I concentrate on my work. And I believe in karma—that you get what you deserve. I also believe that your soul comes through in your films. The media cannot change my karma, so why should I worry?"


Like Abhishek Bachchan, does he have the safety net of being a star son who can be bankrolled through a series of films without hitting the ground? "I do have that security. But if I'd failed in KNPH— my dad had put his life's savings in it—the fall would have been devastating for me too."


Hrithik, who has played unconventional roles in Fiza and Mission Kashmir, is now gearing up for Farhan Akhtar's Lakshya.