EXCLUSIVE: Rakesh Roshan was extremely worried about Koi Mil Gaya as Hrithik Roshan’s movies had tanked prior to it: “All his films didn’t do well’

The film will be released between August 5-8 in 30 cities in India.

August 3, 2023 - 3:01 PM IST

Hrithik Roshan became an overnight sensation after making his debut in 2000 with his father Rakesh Roshan's directorial Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai. However, following his debut release, most of his films tanked at the box office making people think that he was 'one-hit wonder'. Interestingly, it was his father's Koi… Mil Gaya which revived his career and since then there's been no stopping for the actor. But, filmmaker Rakesh Roshan was definitely worried for his son's career as a lot was riding on Koi… Mil Gaya.

EXCLUSIVE: Rakesh Roshan was extremely worried about Koi Mil Gaya as Hrithik Roshan’s movies had tanked prior to it: “All his films didn’t do well’

Ahead of the 20th anniversary of the movie, Rakesh Roshan sat down with Bollywood Hungama to talk about the film with trade expert Taran Adarsh. Asked if he was worries about his son's career and if this movie was a risk, he said, “Yes, that thought did occur, but when I took the very first shot of the film with Hrithik, my confidence grew 100%. I said, ‘We will hit it this time’. Unfortunately, after Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai and before Koi… Mil Gaya, all his films didn’t do well. His last film also, Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon, it released two months before my film, that also didn’t do well. And I thought, ‘Koi… Mil Gaya shayad koi dekhne ko na aaye (What if nobody comes to watch my film).”

Nervous about the box office, Rakesh Roshan added, “I told all my distributors, ‘See, this is not a usual commercial film, so you will not have a usual morning 9 am show.’ For Karan Arjun, Koyla and Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai, we had 6 am shows in the morning. They used to open the film, and wake me up to tell me that it was houseful. I took it in writing from them that they wouldn’t have early morning shows. I said, ‘Don’t release it, kyunki 9 baje kahin buri khabar na phel jaaye‘. The distributors said, ‘Agar aap itne nervous hain toh humara kya hoga (If you’re so nervous, what will happen to us)’?”

However, the distributors went ahead with the 6 am shows without inform Roshan about the same. He said, “The distributors told me 'Housefull hai, ab kya writing-witing ki baat kar rahe ho' (It’s a hit, how does it matter what we promised),”

He further recalled hosting screenings for distributors ahead of the film’s release. He said, “I was waiting outside, prepared mentally that five or six of them would walk out. The first person who came outside was the Punjab distributor. He just came and embraced me, and said, ‘What a film you have made’. I thought to myself, ‘If Punjab loves it, everyone will love it’.”

Koi… Mil Gaya released on August 8, 2003. The film has Rekha, Preity Zinta, and Johny Lever in pivotal roles with several child actors. The film will be released between August 5-8 in 30 cities in India.