Krrish 3 is a 2013 Indian Hindi-language superhero film directed, produced and co-written by Rakesh Roshan under the banner of FilmKraft Productions. It is the third instalment in the Krrish franchise, following Koi... Mil Gaya (2003) and Krrish (2006). The film stars Hrithik Roshan in dual roles as the superhero Krishna "Krrish" Mehra and his scientist father Rohit Mehra, along with Priyanka Chopra, Vivek Oberoi and Kangana Ranaut in lead roles.
| Title | Krrish 3 |
|---|---|
| Director | Rakesh Roshan |
| Producer | Rakesh Roshan |
| Production company | FilmKraft Productions |
| Writers | Rakesh Roshan, Honey Irani, Robin Bhatt, Akarsh Khurana, David Benullo (story and screenplay credits) |
| Music | Rajesh Roshan (songs); Salim–Sulaiman (background score) |
| Cinematography | Sameer Arya, Tirru |
| Lead cast | Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra, Vivek Oberoi, Kangana Ranaut |
| Release date | 1 November 2013 |
| Language | Hindi |
| Franchise | Krrish series (third film) |
The film follows Krishna Mehra, who balances family life with his alter ego Krrish, the masked superhero of Mumbai. His father Rohit, a scientist, is drawn into a confrontation with Kaal, a paralysed but telekinetically powerful villain seeking immortality. Kaal commands an army of "Manvars" — human-animal hybrids — led by the shape-shifting Kaya. The narrative builds towards a confrontation in which Krrish must protect his pregnant wife Priya and defeat Kaal's plans to unleash a deadly virus.
Krrish 3 was developed by Rakesh Roshan as a continuation of the science-fiction superhero universe begun with Koi... Mil Gaya. The film made extensive use of visual effects and prosthetics, with the Manvar characters designed using a combination of make-up and CGI. Principal photography took place across multiple locations in India, with significant portions filmed in Mumbai. The film was extensively promoted through merchandising tie-ins, including comics, mobile games and consumer product partnerships, marking one of the larger merchandising exercises for an Indian film at the time.
The soundtrack was composed by Rajesh Roshan with lyrics primarily by Sameer Anjaan. Tracks include "Raghupati Raghav", "God, Allah Aur Bhagwan", "Dil Tu Hi Bata" and the title song "Krrish Krrish". The background score was composed by the duo Salim–Sulaiman.
Krrish 3 was released theatrically on 1 November 2013, coinciding with the Diwali festive period. It opened on a wide screen count across India and select international markets. The film performed strongly at the Indian box office and was among the highest-grossing Hindi films of 2013. Critical response was mixed: reviewers praised Hrithik Roshan's performance, the film's family-friendly tone and Vivek Oberoi's portrayal of Kaal, while criticism was directed at the screenplay's pacing and the visual effects in certain sequences.
Krrish 3 received nominations at major Indian film awards, with particular recognition for visual effects, action choreography and Vivek Oberoi's performance as the antagonist. It won several technical awards at ceremonies including the Screen Awards and Zee Cine Awards.
The film is regarded as a landmark in the Indian superhero genre, expanding the scale of indigenous superhero storytelling in Hindi cinema. It was one of the first Indian films to attempt a comic-book-styled rogues' gallery of mutant antagonists, and its success reinforced the commercial viability of franchise filmmaking in Bollywood. The Krrish character has since been referenced widely in Indian popular culture and merchandising.