Quite a kati patang
Film: Kites, Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Barbara Mori, Directed by: Anurag Basu,
Duration: 120 minutes, Rating: * *
The much hyped Kites directed by Anurag Basu for the Roshans was meant to be an international quality film – well, it does have the feel of very good production values thanks to all the moolah that was spent, but the screenplay credited to three gentlemen, who have given us more duds than your fingers put together, is again a downer. Hollywood has churned films like these by the dozen but since this is a first of its kind effort in Bollywood it is commendable from that point of view.
Unfortunately in India, the stars still prevail albeit not necessarily the quality of the product. So if you have a Shah Rukh, Hrithik or Akshay acting in a film, people will flock to watch it anyway. The same is likely to happen with Kites, which will hopefully help the producers recover the reported Rs 100 crore plus they have spent on this action romance flick.
The story is set is Las Vegas. J (Hrithik) will marry anything in a skirt or chudidar so that he can make some money and help immigrants get a green card. Apart from marrying women he doesn’t do much so he is always short of cash, till he meets the ultra rich girl (Kangana Ranaut) whose dad (Kabir Bedi) owns most if not all the casinos there. Daddy is also capable of literally chopping off an ear if anyone acts funny with him. J gets pally with the girl or rather with her money. After enjoying rides in stretch limos, he discovers that his prospective brother-in law Tony (Nick Brown) is all set to marry Linda (Barbara Mori), one of his several wives.
It is not clear whether it was her two piece Liril soap coloured bikini or her looks but J falls in love with her. Tony doesn’t quite treat her like a lady so that gives our hero an opportunity to make inroads. She is a Mexican immigrant and her reason to get into the rich family fold is same as his. Once they both discover they love each other they have to run and run some more and keep running till the film comes to an end.
The first half is quite easy going but the second has little substance. There are plenty of expensive car crashes and chases which are repeated after few minutes of romance in between. The finale is like watching an egg boil in super slow motion. Apparently the international version is shorter by about 30-odd minutes and how you wish the producers would have stuck to that version for Indian audiences as well.
Anurag Basu who had given us the likable Life in a Metro, makes his presence felt, but with all the melodrama, the second half is more Rakesh Roshan than Anurag Basu.
The cinematography by Ayanaka Bose is from the top draw. Of the cast, Hrithik fans will be more than pleased to see him but otherwise nothing remarkable about his performance. Barbara Mori is impressive although she speaks mostly in Spanish, she has the right expression on her face. All in all, Kites is an okayish film, if you are expecting something sensational, you will be disappointed.
