Time flies in Bollywood. One minute you're watching a blue alien eat sunshine, and the next, it's 2026 and that movie is a certified vintage classic. Honestly, looking back at the Koi Mil Gaya actors, it’s wild to see where everyone ended up. Some became superstars, some basically vanished into thin air, and one literally became an eye surgeon.
You probably remember the basics. Hrithik Roshan playing a kid in a man's body. Preity Zinta's dimples. That weirdly catchy "Haila Haila" song. But there’s a lot of noise online about what happened to the cast that just isn’t true. People love a good "where are they now" mystery, but the reality is often more interesting than the rumors.
Hrithik Roshan: From Rohit Mehra to Digital Mogul
Let's talk about the man who carried the whole thing. Most people think Hrithik Roshan just did the Krrish sequels and stayed a movie star. That’s only half the story.
Back in 2003, his career was actually on life support. He'd had a string of flops. People were calling him a "one-hit wonder." Then he played Rohit Mehra, and everything shifted. He didn't just play a character with a developmental disability; he basically channeled his own childhood struggles with a stutter into the role.
Fast forward to today. It’s 2026, and Hrithik is pivoting hard. While fans are screaming for Krrish 4 (which is finally supposed to wrap filming late this year), he’s quietly becoming a massive producer. His company, HRX Films, just launched a gritty thriller called Storm on Prime Video. It’s a total 180 from the sunshine-and-aliens vibe of Jadoo.
The Secret Identity of Jadoo (It Wasn't CGI)
There is a massive misconception that Jadoo was a puppet or early CGI. Nope. Indravardan Purohit was the actor inside that suit. He was a veteran of the industry who had worked for decades, but he had to keep his identity a secret during the entire shoot to maintain the "magic."
Sadly, Indravardan passed away in 2014. He never got to see the 20th-anniversary celebrations or the way Jadoo became a permanent meme on the Indian internet. When you watch those scenes now, knowing there was a real person in that heavy animatronic head—sweating under the Kasauli sun—it hits different.
Whatever Happened to the "Super Six" Kids?
This is where it gets truly weird. The kids in Rohit’s gang were the heart of the movie. You’ve definitely seen some of them without realizing it.
- Hansika Motwani: She’s the most famous "glow-up." She went from being one of the little kids (Priya) to a massive star in South Indian cinema. She’s done dozens of films and had a huge televised wedding.
- Mickey Dhamejani: He played the younger version of Hrithik. You’d think he’d stay in acting, right? Nope. He actually left Bollywood to become a world-class eye surgeon. Dr. Mickey is now a Lasik and cataract specialist. Talk about a plot twist.
- Anuj Pandit Sharma: He was Bittu, the funny Sikh kid. He’s still acting! He’s been in a bunch of TV shows like Parvarrish and movies like Total Dhamaal. He’s one of the few who stuck with the grind.
Rekha and the Supporting Legends
Rekha played Sonia Mehra, the mother who was basically the emotional anchor of the film. In 2026, she’s still the "Eternal Queen" of Bollywood, appearing at award shows and occasionally in cameos. She recently spoke about how she saw Hrithik’s range first-hand on that set, claiming the movie was a "testimony to his talent" before anyone else believed in him.
Then there’s Rajat Bedi, who played the bully, Raj. He actually moved to Canada for a long time to run a business. But get this—he’s been making a comeback lately. He recently shared a heartfelt note about how the role of Raj is what has kept his name "alive" in the industry even after years of being away.
💡 You might also like: Why Get Right Back to Where We Started From is the Most Misunderstood Hit of the 70s
The Reality of the "E.T. Rip-off" Claims
Critics love to say Koi Mil Gaya is just a scene-by-scene copy of Spielberg's E.T. Is it similar? Obviously. The cycling-against-the-moon shot is a direct homage. But if you actually look at the script by Honey Irani and Rakesh Roshan, it’s closer to Satyajit Ray’s The Alien—a script that Ray claimed Spielberg actually saw before making E.T. anyway.
The Indian version added the whole "man-child" angle and the "Super Six" dynamics which gave it a totally different soul. It wasn't just about an alien; it was about a guy finding his own strength in a world that treated him like a joke.
What to Do if You’re Rewatching in 2026
If you’re planning a nostalgic rewatch, don’t just look at the special effects (which, honestly, have aged a bit). Look at the performances.
- Check the background: Look for the "Super Six" kids in the basketball scenes; their energy is what makes those segments work.
- Watch Johnny Lever: His role as Chelaram Sukhwani is often dismissed as "standard comedy," but his timing with the "invisible" alien is actually a masterclass in physical acting.
- Notice the Kasauli scenery: The film was shot in Kasauli, Nainital, and even Canada. It’s a beautiful snapshot of early 2000s cinematography.
The legacy of these actors isn't just in the box office numbers. It’s in the fact that two decades later, we’re still talking about a blue guy from outer space and the kid who befriended him. Whether it’s Dr. Mickey performing surgery or Hansika leading a Tamil blockbuster, the "Jadoo" of that set clearly stayed with everyone involved.
To dive deeper into the franchise, you should look up the production history of Krrish 4 to see how the Mehra family storyline is finally being planned to conclude.