A singer. A soldier. A superhero. A maths teacher. A Mughal emperor. A conman. A workaholic. A quadriplegic. An actor. An avenger.
From saviour of aliens to Shah Rukh Khan in a mask, Hrithik Roshan's portfolio of portrayals is as eclectic as it gets.
Safe to say, actor-turned-director Rakesh Roshan's tall, handsome, light-eyed son lived up to the promise he made when he launched him in a double role avatar 25 years ago to play the hero of his cleverly concocted musical masala, Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai.
Sukanya Verma celebrates Hrithik Roshan's silver work anniversary with a playlist of 25 of his chartbusters.
Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai from Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai
Music: Rajesh Roshan
Lyrics: Ibrahim Ashk
Singer: Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik
Stranded lovebirds letting their hair down on a pristine Thai island against Rajesh Roshan's playful tunes didn't have any trouble catching the listener's fancy then. Or now.
Na Tum Jaano Na Hum from Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai
Music: Rajesh Roshan
Lyrics: Ibrahim Ashk
Singer: Lucky Ali
Na Tum Jaano Na Hum's dreamy air, Lucky Ali's minty cool voice and the soothing romance of Rajesh Roshan's serene tune conveyed in glossy Hrithik's glistening eyes hasn't lost an ounce of its freshness.
Ek Pal Ka Jeena from Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai
Music: Rajesh Roshan
Lyrics: Vijay Akela
Singer: Lucky Ali
Though they don't sound anything alike, Lucky Ali's soulful style and Hrithik Roshan's natural charisma hit all the right notes across the magical rhythm of the most iconic song of their career.
You Are My Soniya from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
Music: Sandesh Shandilya
Lyrics: Sameer
Singer: Sonu Nigam, Alka Yagnik
Hrithik and Kareena burning the dance floor under Karan Johar's supervision as part of their sleek and stylish declaration of love is a fabulous blend of sight and sound.
Bole Chudiyan from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
Music: Jatin-Lalit
Lyrics: Sameer
Singer: Alka Yagnik, Sonu Nigam, Udit Narayan, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Amit Kumar
Bole Chudiyan's cheerful banter, festive vibe and family-friendly ambitions set the bar for silver screen celebrations so high even KJo cannot outdo it.
Aaja Mahiya from Fiza
Music: Anu Malik
Lyrics: Gulzar
Singer: Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik
Gulzar's poetic whimsy does well in painting an imaginative picture of young romance in Aaja Mahiya's demure affections.
Bumbro from Mission Kashmir
Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics: Rahat Indori
Singer: Jaspinder Narula, Shankar Mahadevan, Sunidhi Chauhan
The zesty ardour of Bumbro's homegrown flavours and adorable dance off between a lovely Hrithik-Preity jodi is key to S-E-L's creation's frothy charms.
Lakshya from Lakshya
Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
Singer: Shankar Mahadevan
Single-minded inspiration unlocks new levels of action in this harmonious marriage of words, vocals and melody.
Main Aisa Kyon Hoon from Lakshya
Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
Singer: Shaan
Shaan pays a loony ode to the slacker off screen while Hrithik dances his limbs off like only he can on it to set the stage for Lakshya's memorable coming-of-age drama.
Kitni Baatein Yaad Aati Hain from Lakshya
Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
Singer: Hariharan, Sadhana Sargam
The sheer heartache and lingering regrets conveyed in this delicately composed melody about estranged romance cuts as deep as it oddly comforts.
Idhar Chala from Koi... Mil Gaya
Music: Rajesh Roshan
Lyrics: Ibrahim Ashk
Singer: Udit Narayan, Alka Yagnik
Chacha Rajesh Roshan reserves the liveliest tunes for Hrithik as he and co-star of several hits PZ romp about Gene Kelly style against Idhar Chala's rain-soaked revelry.
Dhoom Again from Dhoom 2
Music: Pritam
Lyrics: Asif Ali Baig
Singer: Vishal Dadlani, Dominique Cerejo
Dhoom 2's plot is best found in smouldering Hrithik and scorching Aishwarya Rai's smoking hot chemistry and size zero bodies. Add to Hrithik's sexy beauty, his famously nimble moves and hearts going Dhoom is a foregone conclusion.
Khwaja Mere Khwaja from Jodhaa Akbar
Music: A R Rahman
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
Singer: A R Rahman
Whether it's capturing the fondness of Javed Akhtar's words Shahon Ka Shah Tu, Ali Ka Dulaara or appealing to the divine force with his pitch-perfect might in the magnificent Sufi symphony, all one can say is play it again, Rahman.
Jashn-E-Bahara from Jodhaa Akbar
Music: A R Rahman
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
Singer: Javed Ali
Hrithik Roshan's majestic performance is at the centre of Jodhaa Akbar's throbbing heart as is his gentle understanding of a husband trying to get to know his wife. Jash-E-Bahara gives a beautiful glimpse into his chaos.
Azeem O Shaan Shahenshah from Jodhaa Akbar
Music: A R Rahman
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
Singer: Mohammed Aslam, Bonnie Chakraborty
The dynamic diversity and regal grandeur packed in by Rahman while observing Javed Akhtar's grand tributes to the heroic Mughal Emperor is both bewitching and befitting in Azeem-O-Shaan Shahenshah.
Baawre from Luck By Chance
Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
Singer: Shankar Mahadevan
One of the more underrated numbers from the soundtrack of Zoya Akhtar's impressive first film, Baawre's frantic energy and emotional pizzazz make a strong case for Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's musical finesse and Hrithik's hotstepper.
Dil Kyun Yeh Mera from Kites
Music: Rajesh Roshan
Lyrics: Nasir Faraaz
Singer: KK
When songs exude the lightness of breeze and freshness of ocean, KK's silky rendition of this sublime composition proves it's all that and more.
Tera Zikr from Guzaarish
Music: Shail Hada, Rakesh Pandit
Lyrics: Turaz
Singer: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Bhansali's turn as composer with Guzaarish is exquisite yet acquired taste. Tera zikr's mystical, oriental opening beats followed by Shail Hada and Rakesh Pandit's animated play of infectious rhyme and semi-Sufism is very captivating.
Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin from Agneepath
Music: Ajay-Atul
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Singer: Sonu Nigam
Nothing like Sonu Nigam deciding to sing his heart out in a soul crushing melody. Abhi Mujh Mein's haunting melancholy to underscore a gloomy Hrithik's lifelong distress as Vijay Dinanath Chauhan can never settle for anything less than welled up eyes and lumps in throat.
Deva Shree Ganesha from Agneepath
Music: Ajay-Atul
Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya
Singer: Ajay Gogavale
Ajay's devotional zeal combines the street style frenzy of Ganeshotsav festivities to produce Deva Shree Ganesha's intense fervour. The upshot is: goosebumps galore and a lifelong spot in every single year's Ganesh Chaturthi playlist of Mumbai pandals.
Bang Bang from Bang Bang
Music: Vishal-Shekhar
Lyrics: Vishal Dadlani
Singer: Benny Dayal, Neeti Mohan
Slick? Check. Sexy? Check. Crackling? Double check. There's not a single dull bone in Bang Bang's sparkling title track.
Senorita from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
Singer: Farhan Akhtar, Hrithik Roshan, Abhay Deol, Maria del Mar Fernández, Carlyta Mouhini
Senorita's Spanish flavour gets a touch of desi no soon S-E-L ropes in the film's leading troika of Hrithik, Abhay and Farhan to wield the microphone and flaunt their friendship and footloose ways in this spontaneous rich ditty.
Dil Dhadkne Do from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
Singer: Shankar Mahadevan, Suraj Jagan, Joi Barua
A dazzling ode to Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara's live it up philosophy, Javedsaab's idealistic musings come into play, 'Hey, hey chalo na, gaye naye geet. Khel aisa kyun na koi khelein, jismein sabhi ki ho jeet,' aptly conveying the metamorphosis of its protagonists from cautious to carefree.
Tu Hai from Mohenjo Daro
Music: A R Rahman
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
Singer: A R Rahman, Sanah Moidutty
Rahman's mellow song and singing in Tu Hai remains one of the few good things about one of Hrithik's most mocked movies revolving around ancient civilisation.
Ghungroo from War
Music: Vishal-Shekhar
Lyrics: Kumaar
Singer: Arijit Singh, Shilpa Rao
Vishal-Shekhar are masters of groovy grace. The composer duo applies the same rules of restraint to highlight the coolth and beat in Ghoongroo's fine-tuned seduction in Arijit and Shilpa's sizzling voices. The impact is double in the presence of a smouldering Hrithik Roshan's signature hook step.
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