Face off

And is he happy with his own performance in the movie?
quot;If I look back at my work now, I feel I can do everything better, given another chance. But I console myself by saying that at that time and at that place, the performance I gave was the best I could have.quot;

There8217;s a lot of hype around him. Does he resent the pressure?
He accepts that there are huge expectations. quot;I8217;m beginning to feel that.quot; Everyday actions are becoming experiences, he attempts to explain. quot;I8217;ve travelled in buses and autosall my life, but the other day on my way back from Film City when I was travelling in an autorickshaw, lots of people on the road kept turning and pointing at me. I couldn8217;t handle that. For the first time I felt awkward doing what comes most naturally to me.quot;

So how does he handle all the attention being showered on him suddenly?
quot;I8217;m basically a very shy person. I8217;ve been an introvert all my life.quot; And it hasn8217;t been easy for him, having to cope with people turning around all the time, people whispering about him8230; quot;I8217;m yet to get used to it. I8217;m still not comfortable in the environment that this career is creating for me.quot;

But he is comfortable with the fact that he8217;s been signed for a bunch of movies even before his first release8230;
Filmmakers interested in casting him approached papa Rakesh Roshan who asked them to see Kaho Naa8230; Pyaar Hai before signing him up. quot;And none of them vanished after seeing the film.quot; Lined up after his first film are Vidhu Vinod Chopra8217;sMission: Kashmir, Khalid Mohammed8217;s Fiza, Raj Kanwar8217;s untitled film with Kareena Kapoor, Farah Khan8217;s directorial debut with Shah Rukh Khan, and one to be directed by Vikram Bhatt opposite Amisha Patel. quot;What gives me confidence is the fact that some reputed filmmakers have signed me purely on the basis of merit.quot;

Isn8217;t he worried that people might be tired of seeing his pictures in almost every magazine and newspaper these days?
quot;But it8217;s not about me. It8217;s about the film.quot; The publicity, Hrithik explains, is being generated to promote the movie. quot;The idea is to make sure that the film gets enough attention and importance. I am only acting in the film.quot;

Was it difficult to maintain a professional relationship with his father during the making of Kaho Naa8230; Pyaar Hai?
Not really. quot;Having assisted him for the last five years, we had already established somewhere a professional relationship. As his assistant, I never stayed in the same hotel as him. I lived withthe unit, ate their food, travelled second class with them.quot; So this time round, it was not too tough for the young actor.

Has his experience as an assistant director helped him in any way for his acting career?
Absolutely. quot;Having gone through the grind as an AD, right now as an actor I don8217;t feel the need for luxuries like an air-conditioned room.quot; Hrithik is comfortable in most environs. quot;Also, I8217;ve had the opportunity to watch such talented actors as Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit, Rekha and Jackie Shroff from such close quarters that I8217;m sure I8217;ve imbibed a lot from them subconsciously.quot; What8217;s more, Hrithik says these actors were a source of inspiration for him. quot;Just studying them prepare for their roles was such an experience.quot;

Was he ever conscious of performing those love scenes with co-star Amisha Patel in the presence of his dad?
No, never. quot;For me, it8217;s a job. It8217;s too serious for me to get conscious of anyone. It8217;s all about focus 8212; completefocus. I8217;m an actor. It8217;s my job. I plan to earn my bread and butter from this. I had better not let things like this affect me.quot;