‘Can't tell you how nervous I am’: Hrithik gets candid about 'Krrish 4'

"I can’t tell you how nervous I am. I need all the encouragement I possibly can get," he says

After spending 25 years following directors’ instructions on screen, Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan is now set to call the shots behind the camera.

The actor is stepping into the role of director for the fourth instalment of the popular superhero-action franchise "Krrish". While excited about the new chapter, Hrithik admits to feeling a bit "nervous” and hopes to begin this journey with the encouragement and good wishes of his fans, Hindustan Times reports.

At a recent event in Atlanta, Hrithik said: "I can’t tell you how nervous I am. I need all the encouragement I possibly can get." When fans responded with applause and cheers, Hrithik added: “I’ll take all the love back with me.”

Last week, it was officially announced that Hrithik will be taking over the directorial reins from his father, veteran filmmaker Rakesh Roshan. The film will be co-produced by Rakesh Roshan and Aditya Chopra’s Yash Raj Films.

Hrithik has played the lead in all three previous Krrish films, and now, for the first time, he will also be directing one. Filming is expected to begin early next year.

Rumours of "Krrish 4" have been circulating for years, but the project faced several delays. One of the biggest roadblocks was the massive 7 billion rupee budget proposed by Rakesh Roshan, which initially made producers hesitant to commit. However, the situation changed when Aditya Chopra agreed to back the film, clearing the path forward.

The Krrish franchise began in 2003 with the hit "Koi… Mil Gaya", followed by "Krrish" in 2006 and "Krrish 3" in 2013. All three films were box office successes.

In a statement announcing Hrithik's directorial debut last week, his father Rakesh had said: “I’m passing the baton of the director of 'Krrish 4' to my son, Hrithik Roshan, who has lived, breathed and dreamt about this franchise since its inception with me! Hrithik has a clear and a very ambitious vision of taking Krrish’s journey forward with the audience for the next decades. I couldn’t be more proud to see him wear the director’s hat for a film that means the world to us as a family."

Rakesh was also excited about Yash Raj Films’ involvement, which he believes will take "Krrish 4" to a whole new level.

“Hrithik and Adi coming together as a producer-director pair with me behind them is a rare and deliciously creative combination! I’m sure they will turn 'Krrish 4' into a theatrical experience that has never been made in India. The dream is to make India proud globally with a larger than life experience like 'Krrish 4'. It was he who convinced Hrithik to sit in the director’s chair."

Before becoming an actor, Hrithik worked as an assistant director on his father’s films, including "Khudgarz", "King Uncle", "Karan Arjun" and "Koyla".