Veteran filmmaker Rakesh Roshan has seen his fair share of hardships, both professionally and personally. In the documentary The Roshans, he opened up about the financial struggles that led him to transition from acting to directing. From a lack of acting opportunities to a near-fatal shooting incident in 2000 after Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai’s release, and a battle with throat cancer in 2019, Roshan’s journey has been anything but easy.
In an interview with News18, Rakesh Roshan credited his daughter, Sunaina Roshan, as his source of strength. “I learnt a lot about dealing with struggles from my daughter. She went through a lot of illnesses and surgeries since childhood. But she always been very brave and used to laugh at the face of hardships. She has always been a very happy person and that that taught me a lot. I believe that no matter what the situation is, we should be happy and content,” he shared.
Sunaina, who has fought cervical cancer, fatty liver disease, and brain tuberculosis, often documents her transformation on social media. Her resilience inspired Rakesh Roshan when he faced his own health battles. Speaking about his cancer diagnosis and the infamous shooting attack, he recalled that even during life-threatening situations, he maintained a lighthearted attitude to keep those around him from feeling overwhelmed. Whether it was the shooting incident or his battle with cancer, he approached both with the same resilience.
On the morning of his surgery, he worked out with Hrithik at the gym for an hour before heading to the hospital. By the afternoon, the procedure was completed, and just a few hours later, he was already walking. For him, it all came down to mental strength—how quickly one could move past hardships depended on the power of the mind.
Roshan also acknowledged his wife, Pinkie Roshan, for standing by him through every challenge. “She married me when I was earning Rs 200 as an AD. She took up 80 percent of the burden and said that she’s happy with me,” he said, adding that because of her and their children, he never brought work stress home.
Reflecting on life lessons, he added, “I realized much later that children shouldn’t get married too young—when they’re 22, 23 or 24. They should be matured when they decide to get married. I joined the industry as an assistant when I was 21 and that’s also a very young age. So, I told myself that when Hrithik is 24 or 25, only then will I launch him as an actor and that’s what I did.”
