Mumbai, August 26 (IANS) Choreographer Geeta Kapur recalled Hrithik Roshan’s attitude and approach at work during the making of his debut film Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai in late 1999.
Geeta stated that the entire set would be in awe of Hrithik looking at how he was so prepared and receptive to inputs from the director and choreographer. She added that it was difficult to believe he was a newcomer.
Sharing a special memory from the making of the film, Geeta, who is currently seen in the dance reality show, India’s Best Dancer, revealed that she had the opportunity to assist on every song in Hrithik Roshan’s debut film.
Recalling her first impressions of the actor, she said his preparation, willingness to learn and ability to understand choreography made her feel that he had far more experience than a newcomer.
Geeta Kapur said, “Isse pehle ki woh set pe aate hain, shoot karte hain, unhone itna homework, itna study, itna sab kuch seekh liya tha ki dancing mujhe kis tarah se karni hai. Itna khula mann aur dimaag tha, choreographer ki baat sunna, director ki bhi baat sunna. Kyunki kirdar aisa tha ki first half mein jo ladka tha, woh ek slow, soft, good boy tha, aur phir second half mein this Casanova, good looking, fantastic dancer. Jis tarah se usne play kiya, I was shocked. Like, yeh kaise kar leta hai yaar? Naya hai, kuch toh khamiyan ho, kuch toh galtiyan ho. For me, he was perfect, har take mein perfect.”
(Before he came on the set and started shooting, he had done so much homework, so much study, and had learnt so much about how he needed to dance. He had such an open mind and was so willing to listen to the choreographer and the director. The character was such that in the first half, the boy was slow, soft and a good boy, and then in the second half, he became this Casanova — good-looking and a fantastic dancer. The way he played it, I was shocked. I wondered, ‘How does he do this?’ He was new, so there had to be some shortcomings or some mistakes. But for me, he was perfect, perfect in every take)
Geeta said she was fortunate to have assisted on every song in Hrithik’s debut film and remembered how his dancing immediately stood out.
She said, “Mera saubhagya tha ki Hrithik Roshan ki debut film mein har gaane mein main assist kar rahi thi. Every song in that film. Maine bohot samay ke baad ek aisa artist dekha, ek aisa ladka dekha who defined a good dancer on screen. Actor bhi achha, dancing bhi. Jaise usse pehle humare liye reference point pe sirf Govinda ji the, jo dancing hero the. Uske baad Hrithik Roshan ka ek daur aaya. Jab hum assist karte the toh hum baat karte the ki yeh ladke ka pehli film hai? Impossible! Kyunki he was so good.”
(I was fortunate that I was assisting on every song in Hrithik Roshan’s debut film. Every song in that film. After a very long time, I saw an artist, a boy, who defined what a good dancer could be on screen. He was a good actor and a good dancer too. Before him, our reference point for a dancing hero was Govinda ji. After that came the era of Hrithik Roshan. When we were assisting, we would wonder, ‘Is this boy really doing his first film? Impossible!’ Because he was so good)
Geeta also recalled teaching Hrithik the iconic hook step of ‘Ek Pal Ka Jeena’, and said his natural body movement gave the step a quality that she has not seen anyone else replicate in the same way.
Speaking about the iconic hook step, she said, “Yeh gaana jab main sikhane gayi, I was like hum log kar lenge. Lekin jo unka addition hai, unki body ka ek lachilaapan tha, the way he did that step. Hazaar log karte hain woh ‘Ek Pal Ka Jeena’ ka hook step, maine kisi aur ko unki tarah karte hue nahi dekha hai.”
(When I went to teach this song, I thought, ‘We will manage it.’ But what he added to it, the flexibility in his body and the way he did that step, was something special. Thousands of people perform the hook step from ‘Ek Pal Ka Jeena’, but I have never seen anyone else do it the way he did)
Talking about Hrithik Roshan, the superstar made his acting debut with Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai, which released in January 2000 and was directed, written and produced by his father, filmmaker Rakesh Roshan.
The film also marked actress Ameesha Patel’s acting debut and featured Anupam Kher, Dalip Tahil, Mohnish Bahl, Farida Jalal, Satish Shah and Ashish Vidyarthi, among others.
The film turned Hrithik into a sensation almost overnight. His looks, dancing ability, screen presence and performance became the talking point.
Hrithik then went on to headline films such as Koi… Mil Gaya, Dhoom 2, Jodhaa Akbar, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Agneepath, Krrish 3 and War, while establishing himself for both his acting and dancing.
–IANS
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