Rakesh Roshan: ‘The emotions we had in our films in the 80s and 90s are missing in today’s movies’

After seeing his father’s legacy sidelined for years, Rakesh Roshan is happy that Roshan Lal Nagrath’s work is finally receiving the recognition it deserves. “Wherever my father is, he would be happy that my son has revived his music. He couldn’t see the success his children got and how we are brightening his name with our work. He passed away so early, there was no will to carry on. For me, it was to start a new career all over again. I had a dark tunnel in front of me, ‘Ab main kya karunga?’ Just kept working and everything good happened eventually,” he shares.

Rakesh also urges the Hindi film industry to produce more documentaries on the legends of the fraternity. “Ours is the only country where we don’t have any documentaries on the greatest – Raj Kapoor, Mehboob Khan, and so many others. Documentaries should be made on the legends we had or have in the industry,” the filmmaker says.

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Bond with father and his golden advice

Ask him about the kind of bond he shared with his father and Rakesh replies, “I was very young, just 16-17, when he passed away at the age of 49. I was in a boarding school for around 8-10 years, so Rajesh was really close to him, more than me. I used to only come during holidays. It was chill, and I was a pampered kid.”

He adds, “He knew that I am fond of seeing movies; that’s why he sent me to boarding school. He always used to tell me, ‘Tu pehle padhai karle, then do whatever you want.’ He said, ‘Yahan ka kuch bharosa nahi hai and you should have something to fall back on.’”

Rakesh Roshan’s relationship with Hrithik Roshan

The Karan Arjun director shares that he never deliberately imparted any specific lessons to his son, actor Hrithik Roshan. “We have a very middle-class mentality. We live the same way we lived when my father was alive, in a joint family. My wife, Hrithik, Sussanne, Rajesh, his children, all of us used to stay together. When we are at work, we work as an army. We have everyone at home – producer, director, actor and music director; all four pillars to make a film, only a heroine was needed,” says Rakesh.

He continues, “We are a very simple family. The simplicity has come naturally in Hrithik. I see my grandchildren also do the same things of saving and thinking while spending, just like me. There’s nothing I had to impart in my children or grandchildren.”

When asked about his proudest moment as a father, Rakesh replies, “In a very short span of 25 years, Hrithik has performed various kinds of roles. The versatility makes me really proud as a father. Very few actors are able to do different genres of films. Stardom can go, but an actor will never go.”

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Bollywood: Then vs Now

While the filmmaker supports the younger generation’s fresh ideas, he is still not on board with how movies are being approached today. “The younger generation is very intelligent. However, I feel that the emotions we had in our films in the 80s and 90s are missing in today’s films. That’s why they are not reaching where they should reach. They are bringing good stories but not wider ones, only niche. Abhi yeh South waale jo bana rahe hain, vo vahi bana rahe hain jo hum uss time par banaate the. It is on wide subjects, with emotions, and ahead of its time,” he emphasises.

Rakesh Roshan shares that the ‘wholesome’ feeling is missing in recent films and can’t be compared to the classic period. “Even if the films are doing well, they aren’t big box-office successes. It is just break-even revenue coming back, usi ko hit boldete hain. You have to make a wholesome film; people are coming for entertainment. There is no romance or songs. Even if there are 2-3 tracks, they serve no function, koi sir per nahi hota hai. There is no point of putting a peppy song at the end,” he concludes.