It’s Hrithik Roshan’s birthday. The Bollywood heartthrob turns 48 today and ageing has never looked sexier. Roshan entered the hearts of millions of Indians with his grand debut in Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai (2000). Since then, the actor has continued to enthrall his fans with some incredible movies. If there’s one thing that his movies have in common, it’s travel. By Karan Kaushik and Anushka Goel
From romancing with his newfound love on the beaches of Thailand in KNPH to discovering himself after a life-changing trip with his besties in ZNMD, Roshan has always set new goals for travel lovers.
We remember the Hrithik Roshan craze so vividly. It seems like yesterday when we went to watch Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai with our families as a 4th grader. All of us fell head over heels in love with this hazel green-eyed hunk who had everything that one needs to become a national heartthrob. We think Hrithik Roshan is the last superstar of India, in the truest sense of the word. No one has had such a blockbuster debut since KNPH. From soft drink ads to Archies gallery posters to our hearts, the man was everywhere.
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It has been a rollercoaster ride for the actor. What has been common in all his movies, is the fact that every film of his has given us new travel goals and life lessons. Be it enjoying a date on the ghats of Varanasi in Super 30 or enjoying with his friends in the mountains of Kasauli in Koi… Mil Gaya, Hrithik’s movies have managed to inspire the traveller within us. And we can’t thank the star enough.
7 times Hrithik Roshan gave us major travel goals through his movies
Skiing in Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai
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Remember a love-struck Raj skiing on the snowy slopes of New Zealand while visuals of his meeting with his crush Sonia keep him distracted? Good old Bollywood memories, right? Roshan has been an avid adventure lover, and skiing is one of his favourite adventure activities. The star welcomed 2020 with a skiing vacation with his family, taking his fans back to the KNPH era. The skiing scene in KNPH was shot in Queenstown, New Zealand. Nestled in the Southern Alps of New Zealand, Queenstown is a haven for adrenaline junkies and offers myriad choices like hiking, jet boating, skydiving, rafting, and paragliding. Skiing adventures have also been shown in the movie Mujhse Dosti Karoge!, in which adult Tina, Pooja and Raj (Kareena Kapoor Khan, Rani Mukerji and Hrithik) bond while skiing years after Raj moves to London with his family.
Shikara Ride in Mission Kashmir
If there’s one experience that every Indian needs to have at least once in their lifetime, it’s taking a peaceful shikara ride in Srinagar’s majestic Dal Lake. While the shikara rides of Dal Lake have always caught the fancy of Indian filmmakers (remember Shammi Kapoor’s Tareef karun kya uski?), it was Hrithik’s Altaaf and Preity Zinta’s Sufiya, who showed us what a romantic shikara ride with your special someone could look like. Sufiya tries to make Altaaf feel better during the song Chupke Se Sun as they ride a beautiful yellow coloured shikara in the Dal. That’s travel goals for couples right there. Newlyweds, we hope you are taking notes.
Bungee Jumping and more in Mai Prem Ki Deewani Hoon
Okay, apologies for taking you back to this disaster of a film, which even Hrithik is embarrassed about. No, really, he did confess how bad he acted in the movie, during an interview with film critic Anupama Chopra. While the movie had its share of flaws, including cringe-inducing performances by the lead actors, it had lovely songs. One such song was Chali aaye. In the song, Hrithik’s Prem can be seen taking Kareena Kapoor’s Sanjana on an adventurous sojourn. The couple begins by riding a horse in lush meadows, they ride a jet scooter, they go bungee jumping, they discover the underwater world during a refreshing dive, and they end with skiing. Now, that’s what a great itinerary for adventure lovers looks like.
Mountaineering in Lakshya
One of the best movies of Hrithik’s career, Lakshya helped many of us redefine our life goals. From being a rich brat who goes bowling with his pals to being an army officer making the country proud by summitting a gigantic mountain peak, Hrithik’s Karan Shergil proved that nothing is impossible if you have the will to do it. Directed by Farhan Akhtar, the movie was shot in Delhi and Kashmir. While in Delhi, Hrithik showed us how not to confess our love at Tughlaqabad Fort, towards the end of the movie, he turned many a viewer into mountaineers. Scaling mountain peaks can be life-changing and you need sheer dedication to achieve the impossible. For more inspiration, we recommend 14 Peaks on Netflix.
Deep Sea Diving and more in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Perhaps one of the most favourite movies of every gen-z Indian, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara was not just a movie. It was an experience. A lesson in camaraderie and bromance, the brilliant film by Zoya Akhtar got many Indians booking flight tickets to Spain and how. What could be better than embarking on an adventurous road trip with your childhood school besties and taking your friendship to new heights? ZNMD made us fall in love with the idea of adventure. From conquering his fears during a deep-sea dive in Costa Brava to letting it all go while sky diving in Seville to running with the bulls in Pamplona, every experience in the film was incredible, to say the least.
Flyboarding in Bang Bang
Hrithik caught the attention of adventure lovers across the country as he sprang out of water in Bang Bang. That was flyboarding, a recent trend in the world of adventure sports. Introduced by French water-craft rider Franky Zapata, the adventure sport has managed to attract water babies and adventure lovers across the world. Flyboarding combines jet skiing and jetpacking. Manoeuvring like dolphins is an experience that will stay with you forever. In India, flyboarding can be done at Goa’s Baina Beach.
Paragliding and skydiving in Dhoom 2
Dhoom 2 was probably one of the most memorable movies of the actor, with him playing the suave, sexy and sophisticated Aryan, or ‘A’, the thief. The action-packed movie was filled with adrenaline-pumping moments, chase sequences and carnivalesque performances, but it is Hrithik’s entry into Namibia’s desert on a parachute that grabbed our attention. In India, Bir Billing is one of the most popular paragliding destinations, while such experiences can also be sought at Manali, Solan Valley and more. And the adventure offers, apart from an adrenaline rush, beautiful mountain views and a unique sense of calm!
Here’s wishing Hrithik Roshan a very happy birthday. Thank you so much, Hrithik, for gifting us all the amazing memories on celluloid. We love you.
Related: On Irrfan’s Birth Anniversary, Embark On A Pan-India Trail With His Movies
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