Is Hrithik bored? Why else would he play Indian Rambo

In order to ascertain greatness or impact that they have had on cinema, film enthusiasts often tend to compare actors across generations and see how they would have fared had they existed in the same time frame. This when juxtaposed with a more traditional mode of comparison wherein different actors end up playing the same role in the case of remakes, such exercises revealing a lot about choices that actors end up making.

The recent news of the possibility of Hrithik Roshan playing John Rambo in the official remake of the Sylvester Stallone classic First Blood (1982) is as good a time as any to explore the strange choices that the one-time "next biggest thing" seems to be making. On the face of it, there is no confirmation yet and while director Siddharth Anand might try to convince us that he could even be looking at a new actor, but truth be told, there is hardly anyone better than Roshan to reprise the disgruntled Vietnam veteran who finds it hard to adjust once back home.

Although Roshan has been extremely selective when it comes to picking up roles he has, in some limited capacity, tried to experiment within the purview of popular Hindi cinema. Following his debut in the typical star-son launch pad, and not to mention a blockbuster, Kaho Na... Pyaar Hai (2000) Roshan displayed a streak of trying-to-not-be-bogged-down-by-superstardom by appearing in films such as Fiza (2000) and Mission: Kashmir (2000).

To be completely honest both these as well as Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001) were signed by him before the release of Kaho Na... Pyaar Hai but that still doesn't undermine the fact that he tried maintaining a balance between being a star and not killing the actor within. Between the turn of the century and the arrival of Ranbir Kapoor, it was almost a foregone conclusion that Hrithik would inherit the hallowed numero uno position after the Khans. But, almost all his solo films that he signed after Kaho Na... Pyaar Hai were complete washouts - Yaadein (2001), Mujhse Dosti Karoge! (2002), Na Tum Jano Na Hum (2002), and Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage (2002).

It was only the success of Koi… Mil Gaya (2003) that changed the popular opinion about him - from being imagined as the next Kumar Gaurav he came to be seen as the next Aamir Khan, who post-Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988) didn't have a single box-office hit till Dil (1990) turned the tide.

Hrithik then tried to replicate the Salman Khan model in Sooraj Barjatya's Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon (2003) and although he was slightly better than the "other" Prem in the film, Abhishek Bachchan, who, at some point was touted by the trade to be Hrithik's nemesis, both he as well as the film received immense flak.

Roshan's next film, Lakshya (2004) garnered rave reviews for his performance and, in spite, of its commercial failure the film confirmed why the star was being talked about as the next big thing. Ironically enough it was also the failure of Lakshya that somewhere applied brakes on Hrithik Roshan's experimenting and with Krrish (2006), the follow-up to Koi… Mil Gaya, Roshan simply chose to play it safe. The first decade or so of any major actor is an indicator of the potential versus deliverable factor. Consider the case of Waheeda Rehman, who ended up delivering almost all her great performances within the first decade of their career - CID (1956), Pyaasa (1956), Kaagaz Ke Phool, Kala Bazar, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962), Bees Saal Baad (1962), Mujhe Jeene Do (1962), Guide (1965) and Teesri Kasam (1966).

Or even Amitabh Bachchan whose entire greatness is practically encompassed within the first decade of his career - Parwana (1971), Anand (1971), Zanjeer (1973), Abhimaan (1973), Saudagar (1973), Namak Haraam (1973), Deewaar (1975), Sholay (1975), Mili (1975), Kabhi Kabhie (1976), Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Trishul (1978), Don (1978), Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978), Jurmana (1979), Mr. Natwarlal (1979) and Kaala Patthar (1979).

By comparison, even Aamir and Shah Rukh Khan have some of their iconic films within the first few years of starting out but Roshan as well as subsequent front-runners for the fabled numero uno spot barely have any great roles within the same period. Glancing across Roshan's entire filmography besides Lakshya, of course, it's only Luck By Chance (2009) that stands out as far as histrionics go.

In the latter Roshan has a brilliantly etched role of a superstar, Zaffar Khan, threatened by an upstart Vikram Jaisingh (a grossly miscast Farhan Akhtar) and the manner in which he underplayed made the insecurities of an immensely successful actor stand out.

Being an industry insider and someone who might have witnessed his father, Rakesh Roshan, undergo numerous trials as an actor, who would never be considered worthy of being an A-list star, Hrithik was more than authentic and embellished Zaffar with great poignancy.

This was also the only time that Hrithik Roshan featured as second fiddle in the truest sense and made the most of being away from the spotlight and freed from the burden of carrying the film on his shoulders.

He might have been praised for his subtle number in Lakshya and his glittering presence in Dhoom 2 (2006) and even the deftness with which he portrayed emperor Akbar in Jodhaa Akbar (2008), but in the fifteen odd years that he has been around nothing has come remotely close to the splendour of Zaffar in Luck By Chance. While it's true that the number of films a major star does now is way lower as opposed to the 1970s, the 1980s, and even the 1990s and while logically the chances of striking gold would always be more in higher numbers there is little denying in the dip in the sheer quality of cinema as far as contemporary stars are concerned.

One reason for this beyond the limited number of films that a star associates with is also that unlike just a few generations ago stars whether established or up and coming have stopped taking as many risks.

There is a slim possibility that Hrithik Roshan would ever be seen again in the same light as he was in the years just after Kaho Na... Pyaar Hai and regardless of the fact that that his last four releases - Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011), Agneepath (2012), Krrish 3 (2013), Bang Bang (2014) - are far from flops, it'd not be completely incorrect to say that his career seems to be in doldrums. At the same age, 42 where Shah Rukh Khan featured in Chak De India! (2007) and Aamir Khan delivered one of his best later career performances in Rang De Basanti (2006) and Bachchan was at the peak, Hrithik is far from doing anything that would push the envelope.

Besides being the first choice for the likes of Siddharth Anands when it comes to officially remaking Hollywood films, first Knight and Day (2010) and now, possibly, First Blood, Roshan also seems to be stuck with projects that simply disintegrate.

His inability to do Shuddhi (most likely due to personal troubles) and the development hell that Kaabil, which was to be produced by his father and directed by Sanjay Gupta, appears to have stuck in are far from the standard norms of superstardom.

Is Hrithik Roshan bored or does he simply not care beyond a point?

Irrespective, the manner in which things have played out for Roshan is a disconsolation for film aficionados considering that there is much more to him that what meets the eye.