Everything seems normal until you start talking. The moment you start talking, you get stuck. And you don't know why. Your heart starts beating faster, and suddenly you realize that people are looking at you.
This speech defect made the future sex symbol of India dread of verbal tests. On the day of his test, he pretended sick or broke his arm to avoid it. When Hrithik turned 14, he started attending a speech therapist. It helped him to overcome the defect, but unfortunately, he didn't conquer it completely.
That night I had a serious conversation with him. I said, You saw how your father had been fighting. My career had its ups and downs. But he was so determined, said Rakesh.
Eventually, the father gave way to his son. Hrithik received two roles rather than one: he portrayed a poor guy who was in love with Amisha Patel's character, and he also portrayed his twin from a rich family. The young actor received FilmFare Awards for Best Male Debut.