Kites

Hrithik Roshan is the youngest actor to carve a niche in "Superstar" bandwagon. In his just-a-decade short career, He stands tall amidst Khiladi a... read more

Hrithik Roshan is the youngest actor to carve a niche in "Superstar" bandwagon. In his just-a-decade short career, He stands tall amidst Khiladi and the flag bearers of Khan-dom. Fans across the world were waiting with baited breath, for his next release after a gap of nearly two and half years. The curiosity and expectations exceed few more notches when its his home production, where he had never put off a wrong foot. This time though, there is a catch; Papa Roshan decided to rope-in an outsider- Anurag Basu to direct the movie. It was remained to see whether a young mind had brought freshness to the foray OR all that important midas touch was lost in the interim.KITES has been touted as a cross-country love saga; few Bolly-nagris loyalists expected it to bridge the gap between the Bollywood and the West. I hate to admit that with such a stale and non-happening love story, the aforesaid gap is further widened by few more miles. Half way through the flick and you would realize that the spirits of the makers are soaring higher than what their product intends to be. The biggest let-down of KITES is its clichd storyline, which lacked heart-n-soul; hardly any twist in the tale with characters and sequences traveling on the familiar terrain. Its like same old tried-and-tasted (a zillion times) dish with few embellishments over the top; garnishing might attract cinemagoers to take a plunge but leaves them ghastly starved at the fag end. When script fails to make an impact, an able craftsmanship makes amends for the lost plot. Sadly, Anurag Basu fails miserably donning both Writers and Directors hats. KITES kicks off at high note, goes flat within a couple of reels and remains in deep slumber throughout, thereafter.The chemistry between the lead-pair is of paramount importance for any love story to flourish. Supposedly sizzling chemistry between Hrithik and Barbara fails to create any ripples; on the contrary the frizzle in it, is as dead as a dodo. What adds to the woes of the Indian version of Kites is the fact that more than 80% of the movie is either in English or Spanish; Hindi subtitles might not save Kites off desi blushes. Apart from Kay-Kays two mellifluous numbers viz Zindagi do Pal ki and Dil kyun yeh Mera, Rajesh Roshan errs in his maiden international stint. Background score by Salim Sulaiman is better than the original one; Action and Cinematography is of top notch.Hrithik Roshan is the lone saving grace of this, otherwise sorry tale of events. Though movie fails to fulfill the promise of being an International biggie, Hrithik enacts a knight in shining armor and looked at ease in each and every frame. Not only, Hrithik stamped his authority over all his competitor dancing stars in the country and across with his deadly moves and grooves, he also made sure his fans (irrespective of sexes) would go gaga over his perfectly chiseled body, yet again. There was hardly any support for this poor chap, though. While Kangna was totally wasted in her half a dozen minutes role, Kabir Bedi could have done better than his walk-in-and-stroll-out kinda appearance. Nicholas Brown looks ludicrous as a chief antagonist and fails to send chills down audiences spine. The foreign recruit, Barbara Mori enjoyed quite a hype and hoopla in Indian media for last few months. After the release, it would be left assured that the honeymoon period for this Latino bombshell is over and done with, atleast in Bollywood circuit. Her dumb-act just fails to connect to the Indian audiences; even in her skimpy clothes she could not raise the bar of oomph-meter which has been set by her desi counterparts- Bebo, Lara, Bipasha and Deepika, to name the few. As an incentive, she might end up endorsing some toothpaste brands in India thanks to her teeth-flashing-smiley act in major portions of the film.Verdict: Thanks to all the external factors, KITES had a smooth take-off; but an emergency-landing midway through, is just palpable. Even Bollywoods Greek God would not be able to hold on to this KITE(s) with no string attached.view less

Once there was a director called Mukul Anand. 15 years back Mr. Subhash Ghai met and he made TRIMURTI. History has repeated itself this time Rakesh... read more

Once there was a director called Mukul Anand. 15 years back Mr. Subhash Ghai met and he made TRIMURTI. History has repeated itself this time Rakesh Roshan met Anurag Basu and he made this disaster called KITES. How can someone pump 100 crores into a story which has nothing going for it? Why did Rakesh Roshan write this story? Why Anurag Basu said yes to this project? What made Hrithik do this film? These are some of the questions which were constantly nagging me while watching the film. I hope the makers do a self introspection and ask this question to them. The most important thing for a love story is that you have to fall in love with the characters in the love story. Here I didnt connect one bit with their so called intense love. They seemed like having a fun ride and by the end of it realized oh fuck, we are not in an action adventure film this is supposed to be a love story. The screenplay unnecessarily goes back and forth. The first half is ok but the 2nd half just kills it for you. How long can you watch Hrithik carry a film which is a dud from the word go? The saving grace is the cinematography, background score & the editing. Kangana Ranuat, Kabir Bedi & the guy who plays Tony are a complete miscast. Anurag Basu tries his best to infuse magic in the film but the writer in him fails big time. He should go back & make his small character based films and leave the grandeur to Mr. Rakesh Roshan. Barbara Mori has a good screen presence, thats about it. If you want to see Hrithik the actor, go watch Laqshya again. If you want to letch at Hrithik the star for 2 hours Kites is for you.

Final few words: jiss patang ka maanja(script) hi kharab ho who patang udegi kaise?

** (average)

Ticket meter: 180/- (waste of money)
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Now, it took really, really long time to be made. It starred one of the best-looking Indian actor, a firang for the oo-la-la, a director on board w... read more

Now, it took really, really long time to be made. It starred one of the best-looking Indian actor, a firang for the oo-la-la, a director on board whose portfolio is salient. Moreover, high production costs and the hoopla circling the already delayed venture earned it the tag of the most-awaited. Now, what this miniature critic is trying to convey is that after watching Kites, you really arent infected. More than the content, lot of attention is diverted in making picture-perfect scenes, which by any parameter isnt bad but it creates invisible boundaries in the sky above which Kites doesnt soar.

Kites desperately tries to tell the story of J a carefree, stylish, Las- Vegas based local conman who tries anything and everything for money primary source being a dance-instructor, selling popcorn at one point and marrying Mexican immigrants ( who come for acquiring the Green Card status)
Now, unexpectedly in the gambling territory he hits the jackpot in terms of the casino-owners daughter falling flat for him. Thats Kangna Rannaut (Gina) whos cleverly been avoided in the trailers because had she been revealed, there wouldnt be any more to see. Thats how the very talented Ms. Rannaut has been accommodated in a blink & miss role, which I still found to be utterly striking primarily because of the very convincing accent she speaks. Our hero is the dollar-chaser and hes treasure-struck, his killer good-looks are an excuse for the smart lies. The excuse is deep-love.
Here J, being the princess love-doll, hangs along the familys 50-acre palace, swims in a ocean-like water body acting as a plea for a swimming pool. Enter Barbara, in the pool. You go oo-la-la. J follows. Gina disappears. And here starts a tale i.e. lost in translation.

The twist in the saga - Natasha (Mori) is engaged to Ginas (Rannaut) wicked brother (Nick Brown) She & J develop an instant liking towards each other (she had been his 11th wife during his stint) in deadly circumstances. The chauffeur of the casino family even warns J Aap aag se khel rahein hai he goes. True, to the word, the blaze goes haywire as the arm-equipped Tony accompanied with his cruel intentions sets on a trail to nab the two. On their running spree, the two cross-breeds discover true love amidst guns, destructions, and car-explosions. The blossoming love which is suppressed leaving desperation looks very authentic.

Kites could actually have been a classic because half an hour into the movie, though the pace might seem sluggish, you are enjoying its every bit, Hollywood-like atmosphere, our Indian hero romancing in the rain-clad Vegas, engaging music, connective story-line, aptly written potent screenplay, electrifying dance-sequence and chase sequences that range from cars, trucks, different-sized automobiles and the high flight hot air balloon. But it doesnt steal the thunder only reason being the climax which isnt as effective as the makers thought it would be. Still, I wouldnt go on terming it as a major flaw, the ending couldve been similar but at least with some exciting sub-plots to keep the viewer glued. Kites is such that you can reply to a message or two and also check whether your cushions are comfortable enough. Because the story, you already know. It suffers from a number of clichs.
Even though, the execution is awe-inspiring. The sequence where Natasha and J bond after her fight with Tony. Check. The sequence in cave where they take temporary refuge. Check. Also, one particular action sequence in the rains where J, like a mad man kills a dozen with a machine-gun is a master-stroke. Thats India on the comprehensive map of global cinema none less than a Hollywood biggie.

Anurag Basu is loyal. His ambitious script (along with Robin Bhatt) is intense which relates the mere idea that love conquers the hunger of an easy route to luxurious living even if it comes up with la life-threatening combo. True to what the banner expected out of him, he gives the film a cutting-edge international look. Hrithik Roshan re-appears nearly after 2 1/2 years and hes been made to drive people crazy one movie at a time. Moving to the role, he matches perfection, if I go on fine tuning, the English dialogues though penned closely with his character sound a little artificial. Also the makers had a disastrous idea of putting Hindi subtitles which are of help, but a tad lot distracting. Barbara Mori flashes a smile a little more often but shes top-notch with her acting abilities. Kangana Rannaut gets to do her usual the psycho chic, shes mastered the art so no complaints. A ghostly Kabir Bedi is seen in the start and is shown as a sadistic casino-tycoon. But towards the end, he mysteriously disappears. Anand Tiwari as the buddy is worth a mention.

On the whole, Kites is superlative direction with even microscopic details taken care of. Salim-Sulaimans background score gets too-loud, Rajesh Roshans music not very memorable one but in sync, action sequences deeply enjoyable. The film wouldve taken a huge flight but it kinda hangs mid-air due to a few implausible turns. Forgive them, overlook them, go watch Kites because its drop-dead gorgeous, soothing, intense, powerfully donned by Hrithik who gets a dynamic international launch he may remind them of Hugh Jackman or Bradley Cooper with the slight resemblance, complimented with the firang babe, mastered by a director whos a magician. Its also packed and neatly decorated by a clap-worthy cinematography by Ayanaka Bose.

The tragic ending wouldnt go down well with many but how many times will we see end credits rolling with rose-tinted glasses?
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A weekend is when I decided to watch the much-hyped Kites (much of the hype surrounding Hrithik roshan and Barbara Mori's steamy love scene). With ... read more

A weekend is when I decided to watch the much-hyped Kites (much of the hype surrounding Hrithik roshan and Barbara Mori's steamy love scene). With the entire hullabaloo surrounding the film, I inevitably bought a ticket and settled down to judge for myself.The film opens with a voice over by Jai (Roshan Jr.) telling you that two kites flying together can never soar very high or very long because one has to get cut. And hence the very predictable foundation plot of the film gets laid. J is a dancer who marries immigrant women to get them green cards as a side business. In the meantime, J marries Gina (Kangana Ranaut), realizing that she is the rich daughter of a powerful casino owner Bob (Kabir Bedi). J soon discovers that Gina's brother is the vicious Tony (Nick Brown) whose fiance is the mesmerizing Natasha(Barbara Mori) who J knows as Linda,one of the immigrant women he has married in the past. The attraction is fatal and bang, the story is no longer intriguing. The story from this point onwards moves towards the tried and tested path. Tony is the stereotypical homicidal boyfriend who can't seem to be able to decide if he is madly and possessively in love with Natasha or wants to scare her away with his antics in public. He discovers Natasha aka Linda and J together in her apartment and looses it,but both manage to escape the maniacal Tony with a flashy car in tow.The narrative ditches chronology and you are taken back and forth in glimpses of J's present and his past. The forlorn J looks for his ladylove throughout the film battling goons and succeeding every time (obviously). Linda leaves a bloodied J in a train wagon and drives off teary eyed which is the last we see of her. The entire mystery surrounding Linda's whereabouts and J's desperate attempts to find her make up one of the mainstays of the film which I found gripping to some extent (the reason I sat through the predictable storyline was to discover Linda's whereabouts myself). Here's a warning, if you sit through the film as the same reason as me, your making a mistake. The love story only ends in a futile attempt at a tragic romance. It seems Basu decided to end the film hurriedly because the ending leaves much to be desired from the script. Not to say the film is an entire failure, the much talked about chemistry between the lead pair is evident and so is Basu's attempt to please both an international as well as Indian audience. This is where he falls short, and fails to deliver what is desired. A few loosely scripted scenes here and there leaves Kites in no man's land. Brownie points for the well put together dance sequence between Kangana and Hrithik(who knew she could dance, I didn't). Hrithik Roshan fans are in for a treat with the actor dominating almost every frame and looking as good as ever. The film has some superb cinematography which is only let down by a few glitches in the script. Kites on the whole is definitely a one time watch with a few good elements to look forward to; Hrithik and Barbaras looks definitely being one of them. view less

Some jodis are destined to be hit when working together in a film and one of them is father-son's duo Hrithik-Rakesh Roshan's (the others being Sha... read more

Some jodis are destined to be hit when working together in a film and one of them is father-son's duo Hrithik-Rakesh Roshan's (the others being Shahrukh-Karan, Shahrukh-Kajol, Aamir-Sharman). Add to the fire were the rumours of the real-life romance between the hero and herione of the movie, Hrithik and Barbari. The anticipations have had to be high, but the film falls flat.

Hrithik Roshan plays J, a dance teacher in Las Vegas. He marries immigrant women to get them green card. The daughter of casino owner falls for him, he agrees to marry her to make money, but discovers that his future brother in law is a killer. He notices that his brother-in-law, Tony (Nick Brown) is about to marry a girl, whom he knows as Linda (Barbara Mori), the last of the immigrants he married. Tony notices all this, and they run from him and his whole gang of people. What follows, are they caught up, Is linda willing to leave J. for Tony, will Tony let go J. without revenge for swindling him.


The story which sets out on a theme that love like Kites fly high against the wind, fails to portray the emotions, trauma, of the people in love here. And that leaves the story with virtually a zero plot to offer. With anticipation question zero and story more the less predictable and banal, the film loses grip. Ironically, no larger than life or a a beautiful world is created, which are the essence of a love film. You don't cry/empathise in any part of the movie.

Hrithik, being a perfectionist just puts his complete efforts out there. His dancing in the number for the Hip-Hop is amazing. He brings out every reaction, expression perfectly.
Barbara looks hot and sizzling, she acts good too. The chemistry between Barbara and Hrithik is truely great and a matter of insomania for Suzanne. Others don't have much to offer.
Also the usage of complete English in the movie, wasn't the right decision, this already chops off many audiences from watching and understanding the movie.
Audiences are now smart enough, adding a semi-nude scene is no help.

Anurag Basu, tried to add some mettle to no story by bringing in action, cars flying, helicopter coming, people chasing, but all this looks just an exaggeration to save a cliched plot. He only ended up increasing the production costs of already a high-cost product, roping actors like Hrithik (although his home production) and Barbara, the cost must already have sky rocketed.

Music is not much of a saviour. 'Zindagi do pal ki' by KK, a soothing, is a good track of the movie.
Don't know what happened to the sensibility of a great filmmaker like Rakesh Roshan to pen down a script like this.

No matter how hard Hrithik tried, his stardom, and efforts can't pull off a hit out of a dud script like this. Hrithik's power cannot fly the kite with no air. Probably the Roshans, will be prudent next time not to squander their money in director's hand.
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