The year 1980 saw the release of J Om Prakash’s Aasha, a drama starring Jeetendra opposite Reena Roy. ‘The film featured an uncredited appearance by a child actor. He was Hrithik Roshan, the director’s grandson, who faced the camera for the first time as a young unknown.
Twenty years later, Hrithik’s debut film as the leading man, Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai helmed by his father Rakesh Roshan, hit the marquee. The actor watched the first show of KNPH in Galaxy theatre in Mumbai on January 14, 2000. Instant popularity followed. Young men wanted to look like him. Girls fell in love with him. Critics showered praise on him, too, and he seemed destined to become the next superstar of Bollywood.
As Hrithik fans wait eagerly for the release of his action film Fighter directed by Siddharth Anand on January 25, the young star of yesteryear has turned 50. Born on January 10, 1974, he does not choose his films in a hurry. He has experienced successes as well as failures, like everyone else. His strengths — his Greek God looks, versatility as an actor, and dancing skills — have contributed to his identity as a superstar unlike anybody else in the industry.
A view of modern-day Bollywood tells an interesting story. While female stars start appearing in supporting roles in big-budget films before they turn 50 — that is disappointing but true — male stars over 50 are the highlights of most lavishly mounted productions. A couple of younger male actors have also made a distinct impact with their performances in recent years. After the spectacular success of Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s all-time blockbuster Animal, the gifted Ranbir Kapoor has shown he has what it takes to compete for the number one spot. Ranveer Singh has regained a part of his lost territory after Karan Johar’s reasonably successful Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. Apart from these two actors, the business of big films is dominated by leading men who have crossed the 50-year bridge.
Aamir Khan (58) debuted as a child actor in his uncle Nassir Hussain’s Yaadon Ki Baaraat in 1973. Fifteen years later, the actor became the poster boy of romance after the release and success of Qayamat Se Qayamat (1988), his debut in a lead role, helmed by his cousin Mansoor Khan. Salman Khan (58) debuted in a small role with JK Bihari’s Biwi Ho To Aisi (1988), but his performance in the central role of Sooraj Barjatya’s Maine Pyar Kiya brought him stardom one year later.
Shah Rukh Khan’s (58) first acting role was in Lt. Colonel Raj Kumar Kapoor’s serial Fauji on Doordarshan in 1989, but his performances in negative roles in Abbas-Mustan’s Baazigar and Yash Chopra’s Darr (both 1993 releases) proved to be the turning point of his career. Ajay Devgn (54) took his first step towards stardom with Kuku Kohli’s Phool Aur Kaante (1991), his successful debut film. After starting his career with a minor role in Mahesh Bhatt’s Aaj in 1987, Akshay Kumar delivered his first hit as the hero with Abbas-Mustan’s Khiladi in 1992.
Long-term success as a leading man is a rarity in Bollywood, an industry where most dreams die soon after they are born. Yet, the association of these 50-plus actors with central roles in big-budget films gives rise to hype and expectations before their release. Even though Aamir Khan is not making news because of his work, he will reappear in numerous headlines when his upcoming film Sitaare Zameen Par nears completion. Cynics who felt that the popularity of Salman Khan was on the decline were silenced after Maneesh Sharma’s Tiger 3 became successful.
Akshay Kumar has endured a series of failures, but few will be surprised if he gets back to where he belonged with a couple of hits this year. After all, hasn’t he done it in the past? His track record shows he has. Ajay Devgn has a dedicated fan following – and a history of box-office successes. Sunny Deol (66) sprung a surprise with Anil Sharma’s Gadar 2, an all-time blockbuster sequel to Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001). The biggest among them all, Shah Rukh Khan (58), has redefined the notion of commercial success for a big-budget Bollywood film after inaugurating the Rs 1,000 crore club with Atlee’s Jawan and Siddharth Anand’s Pathaan last year.
The star retains his stardom as long as the masses are willing to accept him. At the same time, the number of films in which 50-plus actors will play characters closer to their real age will inevitably increase. SRK, who appears in a dual role in Jawan, oozes charm as the cigar-smoking ex-commando dad of a jailer son. Known for sporting a grey look in real life often, Kumar looks his age as the middle-aged archaeologist in Abhishek Sharma’s Ram Setu, a commercial failure. Devgn is the head of a four-member family consisting of him, his wife and two children in Abhishek Pathak’s Drishyam 2, the sequel to Nishikant Kamat’s Drishyam. The two children have grown older in the sequel because of the seven-year gap between the two films. As viewers, we must expect more such performances from these stars – because time waits for nobody.
Until that happens, let us celebrate what these actors have to offer in films of the kind we have grown up watching: and others we have not. For, Bollywood is changing. And, so are these stars.
The writer, a journalist for three decades, writes on literature and pop culture. Among his books are ‘MSD: The Man, The Leader’, the bestselling biography of former Indian captain MS Dhoni, and the ‘Hall of Fame’ series of film star biographies. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.
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