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Rakesh Roshan — news, coverage & facts — IJR

1970–1986

After his father's untimely death, Rakesh started his career as an assistant director to filmmaker Mohan Kumar in films like Anjaana starring Rajendra Kumar and Babita. Rajendra Kumar referred him to some filmmakers and thus he was signed by Soodesh Kumar for Man Mandir starring Sanjeev Kumar and Waheeda Rehman. As an actor, he made his debut in the 1970 film Ghar Ghar Ki Kahani, in which he got a supporting role.

Rakesh got very few solo hero films in his career. He got such roles in more women-oriented films, such as Paraya Dhan with Hema Malini, Aankh Micholi with Bharathi, Khubsoorat with Rekha and Kaamchor with Jaya Prada. His few successful solo hero films, with the focus equally on both hero and heroine, were Aankhon Aankhon Mein with Rakhee, Nafrat with Yogita Bali, Ek Kunwari Ek Kunwara with Leena Chandavarkar, Hamari Bahu Alka with Bindiya Goswami and Shubh Kaamna with Rati Agnihotri. J. Om Prakash produced Aankhon Aankhon Mein with Rakesh in the lead. Later, J. Om Prakash directed Aakraman, with Sanjeev Kumar in the lead, and had Rakesh in a supporting role, and then produced Aakhir Kyon?, with Rajesh Khanna in the lead and Rakesh in a supporting role.

Rakesh played supporting roles in a few successful films such as Man Mandir with Sanjeev Kumar in the lead, Khel Khel Mein with Rishi Kapoor in the lead, Bullet with Dev Anand as the hero, Hatyara with Vinod Khanna in the lead, Dhongee with Randhir Kapoor, Khandaan with Jeetendra and Neeyat with Shashi Kapoor as the lead hero. He played supporting roles regularly in films with Rajesh Khanna in the lead role and of those, Chalta Purza was a failure and the other three were blockbusters - Dhanwan, Awaaz and Aakhir Kyon?. The few multi-star cast films he was part of as the lead hero that were successful between 1977 and 1986 were Devata, Shriman Shrimati and Haathkadi, all of which had Sanjeev Kumar as the main lead hero and Jaag Utha Insan and Ek Aur Sikander, which had Mithun Chakraborty in the main lead, and other hits such as Dil Aur Deewaar, Khatta Meetha, Unees-Bees (1980) and Maqaar (1986). Most of his other films as a second lead hero or solo hero films between 1973 and 1990 were box office flops.

Rakesh set up his own production company, Filmkraft, in 1980 and their first production was Aap Ke Deewane (1980), which was a box office flop. His next venture was Kaamchor, also produced by him, which became a hit, but the success of this film was attributed to its music and the heroine Jaya Prada. His next solo hero film Shubh Kaamna, directed by K. Vishwanath, was a hit. He tried to re-launch himself as a lead hero with Bhagwaan Dada (1986), directed by J. Om Prakash and starring Rajinikanth as the main lead and himself in the second lead. But the film was a flop. Between 1984 and 1990 he only got supporting roles, with the exception of Bahurani. The multi-star films where he was the second lead, such as Maqaar and Ek Aur Sikander were successful. His last film as a leading hero was Bahurani, which was a woman-oriented film starring Rekha in the lead, which was directed by Manik Chatterjee and released in 1989.

1987–1999

Rakesh made his directorial debut with the action drama Khudgarz (1987), starring Jeetendra, Shatrughan Sinha, Govinda, Bhanupriya, Amrita Singh and Neelam Kothari. The film emerged as a huge commercial success at the box-office.

He next directed the revenge drama thriller Khoon Bhari Maang (1988), starring Rekha alongside Kabir Bedi and Sonu Walia. The film received highly positive reviews upon release, and became a major commercial success at the box-office. It was also noted as a path-breaking film, emerging as one of the first successful films with the heroine as the central protagonist. The film also earned Rekha her second Filmfare Award for Best Actress, in addition to Roshan's first nominations for Best Film and Best Director. He followed it up with the action comedy Kishen Kanhaiya (1990), starring Anil Kapoor in dual roles, alongside Madhuri Dixit and Shilpa Shirodkar.

His next directorial venture was the romantic comedy Khel in 1992 starring an ensemble cast of Anil Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit, Anupam Kher, Mala Sinha and Sonu Walia in lead roles and action comedy King Uncle in 1993 starring an ensemble cast of Jackie Shroff, Anu Aggarwal, Shah Rukh Khan, Nagma and Paresh Rawal in lead roles. Both Khel and King Uncle were commercially successful and have since gained cult status, being well received by families and children. King Uncle was one of few early successful films in which Shah Rukh Khan played a supporting role or second lead. It is also first film of Rakesh Roshan with Shah Rukh Khan.

His next directorial venture was the melodramatic thriller Karan Arjun (1995), starring Raakhee Gulzar, Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Mamta Kulkarni and Amrish Puri in lead roles. The film received positive reviews from critics, and emerged as a blockbuster at the box-office, ranking as the second-highest-grossing Indian film of the year. It also earned Roshan his second nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Film and Best Director.

He next directed the action thriller Koyla (1997), starring Shah Rukh and Dixit. The film received mixed reviews from critics, and emerged as an average grosser at the box-office, ranking as the ninth highest-grossing Indian film of the year.

2000–present

On 21 January 2000, Roshan was shot at by two Budesh gang members near his office on Tilak Road at Santacruz, Mumbai. The assailants fired two bullets at him, one of which hit him on the left arm, while the other grazed his chest. As the director fell to the ground, the assailants fled the scene. The culprits were later identified as Sunil Vithal Gaikwad and Sachin Kamble. The attack on Rakesh was not undertaken with the intent to kill, but to signal that the Shiv Sena could no longer protect its clients. Rakesh had stonewalled demands from Budesh for a percentage of the profits from the overseas earnings of his hit film Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai.

He launched his son Hrithik's career as a lead actor with the musical romantic thriller Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000), alongside debutante Ameesha Patel. Rakesh later revealed that this film was inspired by Shakti Samanta's Aradhana (1969), starring Sharmila Tagore and Rajesh Khanna. The film received positive reviews from critics upon release, and emerged as the second highest-grossing Indian film of the year. It won Rakesh his first Filmfare Award for Best Film and Best Director, in addition to entering the Limca Book of Records for the most awards won by a Bollywood film.

He directed his son again, alongside Rekha and Preity Zinta, in the 2003 science-fiction film Koi... Mil Gaya. The first installment of the Krrish franchise, the film opened to positive reviews, with particular praise for its novel concept, and emerged as the second highest-grossing Indian film of the year. It earned Rakesh his second consecutive Filmfare Award for Best Film and Best Director.

He directed his son for the third time in its sequel, the science-fiction superhero film Krrish (2006), alongside Priyanka Chopra, Rekha and Naseeruddin Shah. The film received positive reviews upon release, and emerged as a trend-setter, bringing in Hindi cinema's first superhero. It emerged as a major commercial success at the box-office, ranking as the second highest-grossing Indian film of the year. Krrish earned Rakesh his fifth nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Film and Best Director.

In 2008, he produced the comedy thriller Krazzy 4 which marked his first production-only venture. Directed by Jaideep Sen and starring Juhi Chawla, Arshad Warsi, Irrfan Khan, Rajpal Yadav and Suresh Menon, the film received negative reviews and emerged as a commercial failure at the box-office.

In 2010, he produced the Bollywood-meets-Hollywood crossover film titled Kites, directed by Anurag Basu and starring Hrithik alongside Mexican actress Bárbara Mori. Despite hype prior to release, the film received mixed-to-negative reviews upon release, and emerged as a commercial failure at the box-office. Another version of this film was released internationally and known as Brett Ratner presents Kites: The Remix. This version was shorter, and mainly toned down the amount of musical numbers.

His next directorial was Krrish 3 (2013), the third film of the Krrish franchise. With Hrithik and Chopra reprising their roles from the previous film, it also stars Vivek Oberoi and Kangana Ranaut. The film received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics upon release, and emerged as a major commercial success at the box-office, ranking as the third highest-grossing Indian film of the year.

In 2017, he produced the romantic action thriller Kaabil, starring Hrithik alongside Yami Gautam. The film opened to mixed reviews from critics upon release, and emerged as an average grosser at the box-office.

He is next set to direct Krrish 4, with Hrithik and Priyanka Chopra reprising their roles. However, the film has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.