Life is beautiful for Hrithik Roshan. He tells Subhash K Jha why....

Q: Krrish comes after so long.. So gutsy of you to stay out of sight.
A: Almost two years! And it's got nothing to do with guts. I had no choice. I got involved with the scripting of Krrish. And nothing seemed to excite me at that point of time. But now I'm doing three back-to-back films.

That's the most work I've done together in a long time. That should put an end to my reputation of being over-choosy. I don't sit judgement over the entire industry's scripts, please! I choose instinctively. I react with my heart.

Your level of excitement determines how much of yourself you put in a role. There's no point in doing something you aren't excited about. Because it finally shows in your work.

Q: You always seem audacious in your selections?
A: That's the thing about life. It's always about facing bigger challenges and choosing the highest summits to climb. How else would you find the thresholds of your potentials? Might as well choose the riskiest and face your fears.

Q: Would you say you're anti-thetical to Koi...Mil Gaya in Krrish?
A: Rohit in Koi ... was incapable of doing normal things. As opposed to him, Krishna(Krrish) can do abnormal things. Neither are normal humanbeings. But they are at two ends of the spectrum. But Krrish isn't aware of his powers. That's what makes him so endearing.

Q: It's another character that connects with kids.
A: Both Koi...Mil Gaya and Krrish appealed to the child within me. So hopefully it will connect with the child within audiences. I don't make conscious efforts to appeal to any particular section of viewers.

My main aim as an actor is to take our cinema to the next level. And that's where Koi...Mil Gaya took a small step, though we projected it as big Indian sci-fi flick. But Krrish is a giant leap. But we could take this big leap only after taking that small step earlier.

Q: What are the steps you've taken in Krrish to make sure you get noticed outside India?
A: One mistake that we always make is to ape the West. We attempt films that we think they will like. The true crossover films are like Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Life Is Beautiful where the director goes entirely by his conviction culture community and conditioning.

When you make something you believe in, everyone sits up and ways, wow! Our beliefs so far allow us to be convincing only if we have a mukut, arrow and bow. We go a step further and put on mask and cape in Krrish.

Q: So it's a leap into larger-than-life arena for you?
A: Krrish is completely contrary to what I've played in my last two films Koi...Mil Gaya and Lakshya. I've always been a sci-fi buff. So it was just matter of time before I jumped into it...

Q: And how!
A: Yeah. You've to see my jumps...Sometimes you've to take calculated risks. As long as you've the passion to strive for perfection, you'll at least get closer to that ideal. It's all about finding that vortex of energy and revelling in that freedom of that flight. I've been literally flying around.

Q: Is action acting as satisfying as drama?
A: Every form of acting depends on your concentration. For me action and drama are equally enjoyable. The physical training for Krrish and the stunts have been extremely rewarding because I know how hard I've worked for Krrish.

Q: Will Dhoom 2 will be the next actioner followed by a costume drama Jodhaa-Akbar?
A: Are you presuming that Jodhaa-Akbar will have no action? It will have war, horses and swords. I will be a very young and virile Akbar. It's a very very real drama, not theatrical at all.

We start in August. It's my first costume drama because I will wear a costume. But I've immense faith in Ashutosh Gowariker's abilities. His intelligent perspective during his narrative convinced me he can never make an actor look bad.

He believes in the real and tries to capture the real. He never constraints the actor, lets them be natural on camera.

Q: What about Zoya Akhtar's film?
A: That's meant to start at the end of the year. Right now I'm doing a lot of work, but not as much as I was doing when I had just come in. Then, the dates had become all jumbled up. At least now I'm doing one film at a time.

Q: For Dhoom 2 you lost a lot of weight to look sinewy?
A: Apparently, that's what has been written. But it isn't true. I've made no physical preparations for Dhoom 2. Krrish prepared me enough for any action film that I might do for the rest of my life. Aspects of my looks, including my hair and wardrobe have undergone a change for Dhoom 2.

But not my weight. I had gained a lot of weight for Lakshya. For Krrish I gained twelve pounds of muscle because I had to look strong. That's the look I'll use in Dhoom 2. It's a much more stylized, suave cool film.

Q: You play an antagonist ion Dhoom 2?
A: I'm gonna make the bad look really good.

Q: But playing bad can't come naturally to you.
A: Oh, that's what you think!

Q: You're boringly straight-forward.
A: How sad is that! Being nice is boring? I disagree. It's a better way to be. Every experience, good or bad, teaches you something. So why sneer at anything? I accept every situation. I 've a calm attitude to life.

I don't get into controversies and misunderstandings. I always give the other person the benefit of the doubt. No one is basically bad.

Gossip can't make or break convictions. I feel sorry for those who demolish reputations. They don't know better. They obviously don't have talent or power to do anything better.

Q: You've two new co-stars in Dhoom 2 and Krrish?
A: I've worked with Ash just briefly. I must say she's looking stunning. I know I'll have a great time working with her. She's beautiful, focused, unassuming, intelligent and very nice to chat with.

As for Priyanka...I haven't had a better experience working with any co-star. We didn't need time to hit it off. It happened from the word go. She has no airs no hassles. And she's extremely talented. I think she has shown only ten percent of her talent so far.

Q: And she'll learn a lot more working with an actor like you.
A: I wouldn't like to credit myself with that much importance.