Hrithik Roshan on being bullied as a child due to his stutter: ‘My cycle was broken by some senior boys’

According to Dr Kunjan Gupta Consultant Psychiatrist, Regency Hospital Ltd, Kanpur, stuttering is a speech disorder characterised by interruptions in the normal flow of speech, such as repetitions, prolongations, or blocks of sounds, syllables, or words.

Hrithik won multiple awards for his portrayal of a character with developmental disabilities. (Source: Hrithik Roshan/ Instagram)

Recently, Hrithik Roshan discussed his childhood experiences with bullying, which inspired him to portray Rohit Mehra in his film, Koi…Mil Gaya.

The 49-year-old actor talked candidly about how Rohit, the character, spoke to him. He reminisced and said that, like his character in the film, he had experienced a lot of bullying when he was younger. “I related to Rohit’s character completely. Growing up, I was bullied due to my stutter. On days I wouldn’t want to go to school and I would cry to my mother,” Hrithik told news agency ANI.

Some of the film’s scenes, according to Hrithik, were genuinely based on events that actually happened to him in real life.

“In fact, the scene where Rohit’s scooty is broken by Raj and his friends actually happened to me in real life. I had a BMX cycle that was my most treasured possession as a child. My cycle was broken by some senior boys, and I was heartbroken. The vulnerability that was required for Rohit’s character, life had already given me through my personal experiences,” Hrithik said.

According to Dr Kunjan Gupta Consultant Psychiatrist, Regency Hospital Ltd, Kanpur, stuttering is a speech disorder characterised by interruptions in the normal flow of speech, such as repetitions, prolongations, or blocks of sounds, syllables, or words.

From a psychological perspective, stuttering is often thought to result from a combination of factors, Dr Gupta explained, noting that these factors can “include genetic predisposition, neurodevelopmental differences in the brain’s speech processing areas, and emotional factors such as anxiety or stress.”

She credited some researchers who published a study published in peer-reviewed journal NeuroImage Clinical to have found that individuals who stutter might have difficulties with the coordination of the brain regions responsible for speech production, causing disruptions in the smooth execution of speech. Emotional factors like anxiety can also exacerbate stuttering as the fear of stuttering itself can create a cycle of anticipation and avoidance, leading to further disruptions in speech.

Psychological therapy approaches, such as cognitive-behavioural therapy, can help individuals manage their stuttering by addressing both the physical aspects of speech production and the emotional factors that contribute to the disorder.

“It’s important to approach stuttering with empathy and support, as negative reactions or social pressure can further impact an individual’s speech patterns,” said Dr Gupta.

Credited as India’s first sci-fi film Koi…Mil Gaya, starring the endearing extraterrestrial creature Jadoo, and placing Hrithik into the spotlight, was released in India 20 years ago. The film was recently re-released by the creators on its 20th anniversary.

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Hrithik played the character of Rohit Mehra, a man with intellectual disabilities and the sensibility of an 11-year-old.

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Hrithik stated that receiving affection from the audience is his “biggest reward” as an artiste and that he is “overwhelmed” by the love and nostalgia the film has been evoking.

Preity G Zinta and Rekha also had titular roles.