Captain Karan Shergill, played by Hrithik Roshan was probably the first time a film showed someone growing up, crying and being a man – all minus the toxicity. 

The movie gave us a man-child who was afraid of commitment and responsibility. Who couldn’t face tough situations, constantly ran away from the tough questions – whether in his personal life or his professional life. In the first half of the film, his sheer aimlessness is establish using small details – like the fact that he doesn’t even know what day of the week it is. 

Or the fact that he fights his mother to talk to his brother, only to ask him for a DVD. 

And then there was obviously the entire song, Main Aisa Kyun Hoon which perfectly captured his confusion and the struggle to find motivation. 

He goes to the Army, to spite his parents, gets discouraged because he lacks discipline and runs away. 

Only to be schooled by his girlfriend, Romi who is baffled by his lack of ambition and refuses to stay with someone who won’t respect her. 

But the fact that he grows from there, instead of becoming a Kabir Singh, is what sets this movie apart. He grieves, he channels his energy and most of all, he cries. A refreshingly human take on what the lowest point of your life can sometimes feel like.

He is not ‘a hero’, he isn’t indestructible. He goes back, finds what he is looking for – his dream, his lakshya. 

And that doesn’t mean he forgets the heartbreak, he is still human – which his phone call to Romi proves. He calls to tell her he did it, that he isn’t the aimless person he once was, because maybe in some way, she was also a part of his success. 

He even admits he has changed when Romi brings it up during their fated reunion. 

We get a glimpse of his emotional turmoil in Kitni Baatein, a song that perfectly captures coming face to face with someone you once loved. 

And let’s not forget this scene where he calls his father to apologise and they both end up sobbing on the phone during this beautiful moment. Showing raw emotions that make you tear up. 

Karan’s personality comes an entire circle and he goes through heartbreak, rejection on his journey to self-discovery – all while allowing himself to feel. Lakshya gave us a male lead who cries, who expresses his emotions and who goes from a man-child to a fully-functioning amazing adult, in a span of 3 hours. Now that’s what you call great character development.