May 19, 2010 (Sampurn Wire): Hrithik Roshan proved a real and literal traffic-stopper in New York on Sunday night when all traffic was halted for him to sprint across 42nd Street to meet his fans.
Amidst heavy security bandobast at Times Square, the New York premiere of Kites concluded on Sunday evening to a roaring ovation. There were some heart- stopping moments of security hazard caused mainly by Hrithik Roshan’s fan-concern when breaking all protection protocol the star made a dash across the bustling 42nd Street from the venue of the premiere to eager fans across the road.
Hrithik Roshan’s considerate gesture towards fans created panic for the tense and anxious Kites team.
The story goes…at around 5 in the evening when Hrithik, along with his co-star Barbara Mori and wife Sussanne, Dad and Mom Rakesh and Pinky Roshan, director Anurag Basu (with wife), and other members of the team reached 42nd street at Times Square, he was told to wave out to hordes of Indian fans who had been standing on the other side of the super-broad street since early morning waiting for a glimpse of the star.
Sanjeev Lamba of Reliance Big Pictures confirms the incident, “Hrithik did indeed dash across 42nd Street from our red carpet to waiting fans across the road. And we aren’t talking about crossing just any busy street at peak hour. 42nd Street is a gigantic universe. Hrithik ran across a good half a mile to get to his fans.”
The elaborate security was obviously in a panic.
Says Lamba, “We had to halt all traffic on 42nd Street for Hrithik to cross. So we can finally say Hrithik Roshan is the first traffic-stopper from Bollywood to make the crossover.”
Not just a dash across the busiest street to meet his fans, Hrithik and his dad also made impromptu arrangements for about 500 fans to be accommodated in an extra screen at the AMC Empire Theatre.
Hours after the exhausting and exhilarating experience Rakesh Roshan said, “What could we do? There were 400-500 of Hrithik’s fans who wanted to see the film. There were women crying, girls tearing their hair and threatening to commit suicide.”
In addition to the 700-seater at the AMC Empire Theatre, a smaller 500-seater screener was rented for extra fans at the last minute.
“We had no choice. The fans wouldn’t have allowed us to have the New York premiere, if we refused. We’re glad Hrithik’s fans returned happy. At the after-party at the Grand Park Ville, everyone was talking about the new grammar of filmmaking in Kites.”
— Subhash K. Jha / Sampurn Wire
