Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan's latest release Guzaarish gave him two close friends, and a cause to support, says a media report.
While researching his role of a paraplegic magician in the Sanjay Leela Bhansali film, Hrithik bonded with John Julius and Ashutosh Tiwari, with whom he interacted while researching for the part. Roshan is said to have been emotionally disturbed when Tiwari passed away recently.
Now, together with wife Suzanne, he plans to set up a foundation to support the physically disabled. "Our Foundation will look after the physically and differently abled. There are no charitable trusts for quadriplegics.
No one even knows about the illness. It's as if they don't exist. Where are the ramps in public places for wheelchairs to manoeuver? When I travel abroad, I see these facilities. And that's unfortunate," he says.
The foundation, that's likely to be called Angels Foundation, plans to introduce innovative facilities including taxis that can carry wheelchairs.
Currently, the star is said to have set aside around 7 lakh rupees every month in an effort to look after his quadriplegic friends. "It's not about the money, really. Sussanne and I want to be actively involved in every aspect of the Foundation."
Julius, who Roshan has spent several months interacting with underwent a stemcell surgery, and the actor is excited that Julius was able to use his fingers to text message after rigorous physiotherapy sessions.
"Once he could SMS, he began sending me inputs on text message. If I had a query on set, I'd simply text him," says the actor of Julius, who could sit up on a bed without support following the surgery.
'He now has a job that pays him Rs 10,000 a month. Of course, every story doesn't have a happy ending. Tiwari, a qualified engineer suffered from multiple sclerosis. He died a day after Guzaarish released, as if the release was the only thing that had been holding him back."
