Amaan Ikramullah in Fiza - Hrithik followed up his sensational 2000 debut in Kaho Naa with Khalid Mohammed’s Fiza. It’s also the film were fans got the first glimpse of the actor within the star.
An emotional tale of a young man’s disappearance during the 1993 Bombay riots, the film won Hrithik his first Filmfare nomination for Best Actor.Karan Sergill in Lakshya - Director Farhan Akhtar merged the languid pace of a coming-of-age movie with the high-intensity world of a war epic.Hrithik understood both spaces, transitioning convincingly from a aimless brat to a square, determined soldier. Another Filmfare nomination for Best Actor.Aryan in Dhoom 2 - As heist film anti-heroes go, you just can’t do better. Taking over from a generation-defining John Abraham, Hrithik took the Dhoom franchise to new heights.His gravity-defying comic-book cool did wonders at the box-office, but he also nailed the smaller moments with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Finally, Filmfare Award for Best Actor.Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar in Jodhaa Akbar - Sure, the casting couldn’t have been more off. Regardless, Hrithik brought a much-needed imperial grace to Ashutosh Gowarikar’s pretty epic.His indignations as a liberal Mughal King were as likable as his romance with his Hindu wife. There’s a battle scene at the end, but this wasn’t an aggressive performance, something that's rare today.Ethan Mascarenhas in Guzaarish - A magician who really wants to die… Hrithik took the counterintuitive premise of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film and endowed it with great heart and subtlety.Even if the film’s messy morality eluded you, it’s hard not to be affected by his performance, by turns haunting and deeply liberating.Major Kabir in War - Hrithik holds his spot as the withered veteran, who's too old to be hassled unnecessarily, in Siddharth Anand's War.Despite the film running out of steam somewhere down the lane, the actor's swag keeps us watching, for the most parts.