Subhash K Jha celebrates Hrithik Roshan’s Krissh, which released in 2006. Director Rakesh Roshan speaks about the making of the superhero film in this fabulous edition of This Day That Year..
We’ve seen it before in Superman, Batman, and King Kong. But our Krrish has something extra-special that those films didn’t. Hrithik Roshan. Extraordinary is the word for the measured manner in which he glides through the air to the beat of Rajesh Roshan’s rather-vapid songs… or cuts through the breeze to the stunning special effects created with a verve so far unknown to Indian cinema.
Krrish takes us into the world of masked fantasy where the stakes are incredibly high… as high as the computer-generated leaps that the super-hero takes as he tries to save the world from the clutches of a megalomaniacal villain with a glint in his eyes that can only belong to Naseeruddin Shah.
Though there’s a sense of slackening in the earlier portions of the lengthy narrative, the last lap of this luscious voyage into comic-book fantasy is undertaken in a spirit of complete conviction and credibility.
You can’t miss the signposts. We’ve seen so many Bollywood heroes doing heart-in-the-mouth stunts. But never in an Indian film have we seen a hero look so elegant and relaxed as he glides over water and mountains to vanquish the power-crazy villain.
Though the scripting in the first half reveals signs of formulistic fatigue (scenes where the village-bred Hrithik tries to spook the globe-trotting journalist Priyanka Chopra are straight out of a Joy Mukherjee-Asha Parekh musical from the 1960s), the second half revs up proceeds to an exceeding high, precipitating the kind of action and thrills that have so far been alien to Hindi cinema.
The scripting in the second half, specially the portions that show Krrish’s father (Hrithik doing a double role) and the villain reading the future to see their own impending deaths, are masterstrokes of plotting invention. Quaintly, Rakesh Roshan mixes old formulistic conventions with sights and sounds never seen before. The synthesis is not just inviting but also enticing in ways that redefine the cult of kitsch and escapism in our cinema.
It’s not enough to get technicians from abroad to do the action. Other Hindi films have tried it before. But none with the élan of Hrithik Roshan as he glides across the frames in strides that replicate the measured might of a panther. In Krrish, Hrithik is required to make the transition from a simpleton in the village with superpowers to a masked crusader in Bangkok. He brings to the film’s fantasy element a kind of innocence underlined by a subtle swagger that furnishes the duality of the masked character, the musk of masculinity and vulnerability. His initial romantic sequences in a designer-dhoti with Priyanka Chopra are endearing. The two make a believable pair. However, Priyanka is unnaturally subdued, the fire doused by the overall dynamics of the goings-on.
Hrithik’s scenes with his screen-grandmom Rekha exude warmth, though it’s hard to accept Rekha as a grandmom. Naseeruddin Shah as Hrithik’s opponent is so cool, you wish there was more of him. Priyanka Chopra’s character represents the reluctant forces of cut-throat ambition that threaten all the heroic innocence of the supernaturally blessed hero.
Director Rakesh Roshan refutes any parallels between Krrish and other films about superheroes like Superman or Spider-Man. “Superman, Spiderman, Hanuman… they have their own distinct identities. Krrish is like none of the above. There are no special effects for the stunts. You see Hrithik doing all the stunts on his own. We haven’t used any effects to show Hrithik’s character’s special powers. The film will be just one of its kind, where the hero with super-powers doesn’t resemble any comic book heroes.”
Krrish carries forward the story from Koi…Mil Gaya, Roshan explains, “My incentive to do Krrish came after I saw Lord of the Rings. If they could do an elaborate fantasy trilogy, why couldn’t I do a film that continues the story from Koi…Mil Gaya? I was told sequels don’t do well in India. It’s not like that. Any well-made film runs. How does it matter to the audience if a film is related to something else?”
So far, Indian cinema has lagged behind Hollywood in terms of spectacle.
“That’s because we never have budgets of $100 million and $200 million for special effects like in King Kong and Superman. We can’t play around with our visuals as much as them. But given the financial constraints, we achieved quite a lot in Krrish. If you liked the visual effects in Koi…Mil Gaya, you’ll find them far better in Krrish,” Rakesh asserts.
As for his whopping budget, he says: “Whatever I’ve spent is visible on screen. I haven’t edited anything. I don’t believe in overshooting or bad planning. I make only one film every two-three years and I plan every detail in advance. Each location and its requirement are decided in advance. When I actually shoot, I’m relaxed.”
Asked how trendy Krrish is, he replies: “If you don’t have a good story to tell, all these visual effects will go for a toss. In that sense, my formula hasn’t changed. A solid storyline and strong emotions are always a film’s backbone. But of course, we’ve to upgrade the technique. That was the main difference between my Koyla and Krrish. Some filmmakers want to go back instead of moving ahead. Maybe they’re short of ideas. I certainly see a dearth of good scriptwriters. That’s why I sit with my team of writers personally. These including veterans and youngsters… It’s very important for every filmmaker to keep up with the trends…. I wouldn’t say my old formula is outdated. But when I see my old films, I find them outdated in terms of technique. And if I’m forced to re-make one of my films, it will have to be my first directorial venture Khudgarz.”
Talking about Hrithik Roshan as an actor, he says, “Hrithik has a knack of getting into the skin of his characters. He was also a tremendous support on the sets. We worked hand in hand during the shooting. An outside hero cannot provide the same inputs because his contribution will then be seen as interference. I do accept Hrithik’s suggestions. But we don’t argue on the sets at all. When I place my camera, he knows exactly what his father is doing. Priyanka Chopra was very disciplined. And that’s a blessing. I’ve tried to change her look from her earlier films, taken her away from her skin-showing image. Still, she looks very sexy. An actress can look sensuous in a saree. And I worked with Naseeruddin Shah for the first time too. He played a scientist and an inventor. It was wonderful. I had heard certain things about Naseer. But he was a delight. He came on the sets on time, sat in a corner reading… and when he gave his shot, it was a revelation. We never had any differences of opinion. He did want some changes in the script when I narrated it to him. But since those changes were within the parameters of my vision, I didn’t mind making the changes.”
About 60 per cent of Krrish was shot in Singapore.
Rakesh explains: “I needed a concrete jungle. And the Singapore Tourism Board was eager to have us shoot there. They provided all the necessary permissions to shoot outdoors, including the blocking of roads, which would be impossible in Mumbai. In Singapore, they blocked all the main roads for us during heavy rush hour.”
