Hrithik Roshan: 'Vikram Vedha is the best piece of writing I have worked in'

Vedha seems to be unlike any role you have essayed earlier. Did you have to unlearn anything for this role?

I think unlearning is an excellent process when you’re approaching a character and that is something that I adopt for all my films.

I don’t have a persona myself, so I have to build things around me. They become my crutches. It’s very important for me to unlearn, add on and try to manifest the exterior to what I am feeling inside.

I had to find the composure within me because I’m a very restless person. That aspect was even more important because I was going to face a co-actor who is one of the most real actors that I have seen.

I have been a fan of Saif Ali Khan for decades. It is the first time that I could feel a sense of displacement when I was on the set. Even one single fake note would expose me just because I was in front of him... I was meditating and taking deep breaths before every shot (laughs).

The original movie was critically acclaimed for its performances, writing and technical aspects. How much did you rely on that?

There were so many times where we found ourselves stuck. We were discussing what to do next; how to get to the next beat. There is an original out there. We could just recreate the same thing but we were trying to find the motivations that would propel Vikram and Vedha to do what they were doing. Unless we both felt motivated about where our characters were coming from, we would not be able to build to the next beat. We were actually creating; not recreating.

'War' released in 2019 and there has been nothing since. How nervous are you about this movie?

I’m feeling the jitters, and I think that’s good. There are many films when I have felt very comfortable at the time of their release because I already knew the fate of those films. This time, I have the jitters and I think it’s got to do with the fact that it is one hell of a film because of the way it is written. The script is so intelligent that I was a fan of the writing even before I did the film.

A still from 'Vikram Vedha'

What did you feel about the original film? Did you seek any inspiration from the way Sethupathi played Vedha?

I saw the film when it came out in 2017. I had loved it and expressed my desire that if it is ever remade in Hindi, I would love to do it because it was written so beautifully. However, you cannot approach a character you are playing with a kind of mathematical planning. That’s not a very intelligent way of going about it. The simplest way is to know that every individual is different from another. If I play the role like how I would do it, it will automatically look and feel different and honest, and the integrity of the character will be maintained.

Comparisons with how Sethupathi played Vedha are inevitable. Do you think about that?

I’m not anxious about it because there is nothing I can do about it. The only thing in my control is to do my best. There’s a prayer I say to myself every day, which is to ask God to give me the serenity to accept things I cannot change, courage to change those I can and wisdom to know the difference. Once you are okay with that, nothing should affect you. I have done my best and I also know how amazing Vijay Sethupathi was in the same part. Even in my dreams, I cannot think of achieving those levels! But I am happy with what I have done.

Roshan as Vedha in the Hindi remake. Vijay Sethupathi played the part in the 2017 Tamil film.

Having dabbled in myriad roles in your career spanning more than two decades, how do you choose scripts now?

It’s very simple. I just do the films I can’t say no to. When I hear a film, if I want to say no and if the no comes out easily, I won’t do it. I am a very lazy person. I don’t want to do films but the films I can’t say no to, I do them.

What is it about Vikram Vedha that you could not say no to?

This film was talking about something higher than itself. When you leave the theatre, you will leave with a thought that is beyond the film. To add to that, it is entertaining and engaging. It has the quality that makes our single-screen commercial cinema what it is. It is the best piece of writing I have worked in.

Stars are often wary of doing two-hero films. Your thoughts?

Oh no, I get excited, man! I love two-hero films and I love ensemble films. I feel very lonely when it’s a solo-hero film. I don’t enjoy it so much. Plus, there is so much to learn from your co-actors. My experience with Saif in this film has been the best experience with any co-star in a film. I learnt things which go beyond being an actor. The way Saif is on set is really a lesson in humanity and in grace. While my temperament is flying around and I am on the edge, he is like switch on, switch off. I want to be like that.