Celebrating Krrish: The Franchise That Made Hrithik Roshan The Favourite Superstar Of All Kids & Set Trends For Other Superheroes

Rakesh Roshan teamed up with Hrithik Roshan for the second time after Kaho Na Pyaar Hai in 2003 for Koi Mil Gaya. The science fiction film showcased Hrithik Roshan as Rohit, a mentally challenged guy, who disabilities are cured by an alien, Jadoo, using his special powers.

The film ends on a note wherein Jadoo leaves all the superpowers on earth with Rohit, but no-one even remotely though that this open ending would soon mark the beginning of India’s First Superhero Franchise. Without any doubts, Koi Mil Gaya was one of the most successful film of 2003 and further strengthened Hrithik Roshan’s position in the industry as not just a superstar but also a phenomenal actor. Jr. Roshan won the award for best actor at all major functions whereas Sr. Roshan got the acclaim for being the best director of the year.

3 years after Koi Mil Gaya came Krrish, and the industry was surprised when Rakesh Roshan and Hrithik Roshan revealed that it is the second instalment of Koi Mil Gaya. However, the director justified need of a sequel and presented his son, as India’s first superhero. I still remember the excitement around the film among the kids (including me, as I was just 12 when the film released), and how everyone wanted to be Krrish. Be it the mask or the jacket, Krrish had become the talk of the town, and almost every kid wanted to get hold of the Krrish mask. I even remember making a mask on a card board by myself and painting it black.. This was the second time when Hrithik Roshan created such a hysteria among the audience in a short span of time, the first one being during the release of the Kaho Na Pyaar Hai. Right from the body-language to the attire to the attitude to pull off the action sequences, Hrithik Roshan seemed completely believable as a superhero, which is one of the major reasons why Krrish is the only successful superhero franchise of India. The film did not just take a bumper opening at the Box-Office, but was also the second highest grossing film of 2006, the first one being Dhoom 2 starring Hrithik Roshan. While Koi Mil Gaya was a super-hit, Krrish emerged a blockbuster. After Koi Mil Gaya and Krrish, Hrithik Roshan was the hot favourite among the audience. Ask anyone who has grown up over the last decade, and he will have a story to tell about his love for Hrithik. The monetary as well as intangible love aside, the film is also credited to make the name Krrish popular among the Hindu Families, as after the release of this film, a lot of parents named their son Krrish.

7 Years after Krrish came Krrish 3 and this was indeed the most challenging film from the franchise majorly because by 2013, a large chunk of Indian audience was exposed to the Hollywood Superhero Films. Rakesh Roshan stood by his roots and made a desi-superhero film which yet again proved to be a major money spinner thereby getting the blockbuster verdict from the trade. The desi touch and Hrithik Roshan’s reach are the two reasons for the success of Krrish 3. It has been 15 years since the inception of this franchise and 5 years since the release of Krrish 3, however till date, no other superhero film has managed to leave a mark among the audience. Shah Rukh Khan tried his luck in this genre with Ra One, which though did quite decent at the Box-Office due to the pre-release hype, got slammed by the audience and critics alike. Tiger Shroff too attempted to replicate the success of his mentor by doing Flying Jatt, but the film failed to get any sort of acceptance from the audience. To sum it up, till date, Hrithik Roshan is the only superhero of the Indian Film Industry and the makers are now planning to take the franchise to the next level via Krrish 4, which is currently in the scripting stage. The genius mind of Rakesh Roshan, power of franchise, stardom of Hrithik and goodwill that the character of Krrish commands are the factors which makes Krrish 4 one of the most awaited films. And well, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that this is one franchise that has been the trend-setter in Bollywood as far as the superhero films are concerned and even taught a lesson to the budding film-makers i.e. Indian Emotions in a superhero film is a recipe for domestic success.