Ameesha Patel recalls Hrithik Roshan was deeply disturbed by his initial failures, says people called him 'one-film wonder'

Ameesha Patel, the actor who rose to fame with her debut in the blockbuster film Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai and followed it up with another major hit, Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, revealed that Hrithik Roshan confided in her during a period when his films were not performing well while hers were thriving. She mentioned that after their spectacular debuts, Hrithik had become 'the most influential person in the country' after the prime minister, but the same audience that had elevated him to that status eventually brought him down.

In an interview with Siddharth Kannan, Ameesha also mentioned that she maintains a close connection with Hrithik and that filmmaker Rakesh Roshan, his father, sent her a heartfelt message to congratulate her on the success of Gadar 2. The film has amassed over Rs506 crore in India thus far and is on course to surpass the all-time record set by Pathaan (for a Hindi movie) of Rs543 crore.

She said, “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 expressed her sense of sadness witnessing Hrithik being both elevated and then brought down 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, of Rakesh uncle with Koi… Mil Gaya, I was like, ‘Now he’s going to come back’.”

She continued, “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 (But you did Gadar and I did flops)’. I told him not to worry, because the tables will inevitably turn.” Ameesha admitted that Hrithik was being affected by the comparisons.

• Bollywood actor Sunny Deol opens up about the sequels of 'Gadar', 'Yamla Pagla Deewana' and 'Apne'