Born on September 6, Rakesh Roshan Lal Nagrath has firmly established himself in the hindi film industry as a name to reckon. Be it as a producer, a director, or even famously as the father of Hrithik Roshan, the actor-director didn’t have it easy when he began.

His first innings, as an actor, got him a lot of work in the late seventies and eighties but he didn’t exactly scale heights until he decided to change course and take up direction. He started with Khudgarz in 1987, and till Krrish 3 which is releasing this year, he’s had a steady run at the box-office. It also helps that his younger brother Rajesh Roshan is a music director and has given some memorable tunes to his films be it in Kaho Na Pyar Hai, which launched senior Roshan’s son or even back when he was directing Salman Khan – Shah Rukh Khan in the now cult Karan Arjun film.

In the noughties, Rakesh Roshan had an ugly run-in with the mafia and was shot at. He did the super-hero act when he reportedly drove to file a complaint with the police before rushing to a hospital. This was during the super-success of his son’s launch, and it humbled the junior Roshan immediately to not let stardom affect him. Having stood by his father, the father-son duo went from strength to strength creating a successful franchise of super-hero films with the Krrish series.

Here’s wishing him a happy birthday this September 6, and a welcome return to the silver screen as director of the third installment in the series – Krrish 3 slated for a November release.