Veteran actor and filmmaker Rakesh Roshan has completed five decades in the film industry. However, his life and career has never been easy. He struggled initially as an actor and his family had to face hardships. He has been shot at by people from the underworld and even battled throat cancer. But being a true fighter, Rakesh emerged victorious in all his battles.
Born: 6 September 1949 . Zodiac/Star Sign: Virgo . Nickname: Guddu . Hobbies: Cooking
Son of Bollywood music director Roshan, Rakesh is married to Pinky, daughter of director J. Om Prakash. Besides Hrithik, he also has a daughter named Sunaina.
Watch: Rakesh Roshan in Koi roko na deewane ko – PRIYATAMA (1978)
Several years back (2006 to be precise), Hrithik Roshan and his ex-wife Sussanne Khan had appeared on Simi Garewal’s show, Rendezvous with Simi Garewal. On the show, Hrithik revealed the financial hardships that his family had to face when he was a child.
His mother, Pinky Roshan, took Hrithik and his sister to her father’s house while his actor father Rakesh Roshan lived with his mother. “Until the time my dad could earn enough money to buy another house. And then we shifted into another house which was barely just walls and floors. We slept on gaddas, these mats and slowly got the furniture in,” Hrithik said.
Rakesh Roshan is one director who makes movies at his own leisurely pace. After completing almost 50 years in the industry Rakesh is content with life and also happy with his decision to ‘move on’ at the right time.
“When I realised my films [as an actor] weren’t working, I knew it was time to move over to the other side. I started off as a producer and went on to direct films. There has been no looking back ever since,” Rakesh Roshan.
Rakesh says, “I never moved ahead in my career despite some of my movies doing well. So I started producing films and then moved to direction. Now, when I look back I feel happy. Back then, I had no idea how I will get the money to run my house. I had two children, a wife and a family to look after. But somehow we always managed. Maybe God had a plan for me to become a producer and director,” he said.
On parenting, Rakesh says he could not give enought time and attentions to his kids when they were small because he was struggling with his own career. “I could not spend much time with my children but I would make sure we went for holidays. Growing up may have been tough for them because I could not give them everything as I couldn’t afford it. But I made sure I brought them up really nicely”.
Rakesh is proud of Hrithik’s achievements. “Hrithik has done the things I could not do in my life. He has had his ups and downs in his career and I feel it should always happen because that’s how he will learn from his mistakes,” says Rakesh.
Celebrating 50yrs of dads journey in cinema.But hes in office working 2wards 100.Thanks dad,4setting d impossible example 4us. #weluvyoupapa pic.twitter.com/Gh4nlYb6UB
— Hrithik Roshan (@iHrithik) July 1, 2017
Rajesh started his acting career in the 1970 film Ghar Ghar Ki Kahani. Rajesh Roshan set up his own production company in 1980 and produced a few films before making his directorial debut with the film Khudgarz (1987). Since then there has been no looking back. He went on to direct films like Khoon Bhari Maang (1988), Kishen Kanhaiya (1990), Karan Arjun (1995), Koyla (1997). Rajesh launched his son Hrithik with Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai (2000), worked with him again in Koi Mil Gaya (2003), followed by the Krissh franchise.
In 2000, Roshan was shot at by unidentified assailants near his office on Tilak Road at Santacruz West. The assailants fired two bullets at him, one of which hit him on the left arm while the other grazed his chest. Rajesh was taken to the Nanavati hospital where Dr. Sharad Pandey, father of Chunkey Pandey, successfully operated on him. Roshan had rejected demands from Budesh (gangster) for a percentage of the profits from the overseas sale of the Hindi blockbuster, Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai.