The year 2000 was a breakthrough and a tumultuous time for the Roshan family, with Hrithik Roshan shooting to stardom and a near-fatal attack on Rakesh Roshan. Here’s a detailed recap of the incident and its aftermath, as revealed in the new docu-series The Roshans:
The Incident
The Attack:
On a fateful day in 2000, just a week after the release of Kaho Naa. Pyaar Hai, Rakesh Roshan was ambushed by assailants in Mumbai. Shot twice in broad daylight, he displayed incredible resilience by driving himself to the hospital despite his injuries. – The Link to the Underworld: The attack was believed to have ties to the underworld, a stark reminder of the shadow it cast over Bollywood during that era.
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In the docu-series, Hrithik reflects on this traumatic event and its emotional impact:
Hrithik remembered that his father used to keep an unbreakable mask of being strong, not even in the hospital. “He was Superman. Even when he was in the hospital. laughing, it seemed like he could handle this.” However, the harsh reality of his father’s vulnerability hit much later when his mother revealed that Rakesh Roshan had woken up screaming for help, haunted by the trauma.
Hrithik admitted that this was the moment he realized the human side of his father, hidden beneath his strong exterior.
“He had such a strong facade, he just never let his soft side out.”
Hrithik’s Statement in 2000
The docu-series also shows Hrithik’s public speech after the attack, which reveals the inner conflict he was facing:
He talked about how the attack affected his family emotionally and how he was finding it difficult to find meaning at such a testing time.
As I felt losing faith in people, goodness, and the world. Nothing made sense
At the same time, Hrithik used the platform to share a super powerful message of resilience: No matter how much some people might want to put us down, we will rise. The show must go on
This was a time of contrasts for the Roshan family: On one hand, Kaho Naa. Pyaar Hai transformed Hrithik Roshan into an overnight sensation and made him Bollywood’s newest superstar. On the other hand, the family had to live with the trauma of the attack on Rakesh Roshan, which could have had a much more serious outcome.
The attack, though harrowing, became a defining moment for the Roshans, symbolizing their strength and determination. Rakesh Roshan’s recovery and Hrithik Roshan’s perseverance showed the family’s unwavering spirit in the face of adversity.
