'Suzanne never comes to the sets'
Hrithik Roshan has a shadow. Actually, four shadows -- the one he casts, and three others. The three other shadows are James (his makeup man), L J Watkins (Rakesh Roshan's production controller) and Prem (Hrithik's Man Friday).
Where Hrithik goes, they go. And proximity brings with it a certain intimate knowledge of the man around whom their lives revolve. James, Watkins and Prem know Hrithik as well as anyone alive, and better than most.
Nidhi Taparia spoke to all three, in a bid to piece together a portrait of the superstar.
James, his make-up man says, "He just doesn't have any time to himself. No time to even workout which he enjoys so much. He is shooting all the time except Sundays, which he makes sure he spends with his family.
"He is very finicky, a perfectionist. Especially about his make up and his look, minute details like that. Before he starts work on any film, we try to experiment using different kinds of make up, try on different kinds of looks and photograph them before we finally decide which one will he play in the movie. He likes to iron out the small details.
"In between shots, he likes to still be thinking about the movie. He will play the songs of the movies or sit with the script or be figuring out the details of his costumes and nitty gritty like that. He does that on the sets of all his movies.
"He doesn't like to take his mind off the movie and the role which is performing. He enjoys being involved with the movies that he plays a part in. He is completely involved and he hates being disturbed during his scenes, or while he is rehearsing.
"I think his scene in Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai, where he sees the photographs of Rohit is his best ever. I think he emotes very well."
Production controller L J Watkins who has seen him on the sets says, "He is very close to his father's unit. He knows each one by name, their children and he treats them all with a lot of affection and love.
"In fact, he is the only person who can cool down his father's temper when he is angry. There was a time when he even stood between his father and one of the unit boys when Rakesh Roshan really lost his cool and was about to slap the boy.
"He is also very generous with money. He gives money easily to people he trusts and without them having to ask him. But he is not someone who will let people take him for a ride. Once, he took a bag full of money to pay for Prem's house without even him asking for it."
Prem, his man Friday, says Hrithik loses his temper very rarely. "What upsets him is not being driven safely or with due care. Because today if something goes wrong and there is an accident, it is his reputation at stake.
"He loves eating different kinds of cuisine... and chocolates, they are his biggest weakness.
He calls up Suzanne very often from wherever he is. But she never comes to the sets."
