Skip to main content

Movie Review - Kites - Not Verrrrrry Bad


Not verrrrrry bad.


So how do we start?..

Kites - one of the most eagerly awaited films of the year. Promoted virtually as Hrithiks passport to Hollywood - with an english version slated to release in a few weeks. Good music. Produced by the stalwart of thrillers (Rakesh Roshan) and a contemporary guru in handling relationships (Anurag Basu). A hyped palpable on&off screen chemistry between the lead pair. What more does a movie need?..

More often than not, hyped films are a victim of their own doings. Remember how Love story 2050 was India's answer to Star Trek? For all the hype, Kites is eventually a very formula masala Bollywood movie - think same old wine in a flashy new bottle. Eventually, it isnt a terrible on its own, but after all the hype, it's a tragedy (pun intended). Its very average.

A marriage agent J (Hrithik) - (the kinds who marries women for money in exchange of green cards) based in Vegas - who is a kickass dancer - has Kangana - the daughter of this multi-zulti-ulti millionaire Indian, owner of one of the biggest casino in Vegas (Kabir Bedi) - falling and dancing head over heals (literally :P) for this guy. Now J doesnt love her as much as he loves the money, but still agrees to marry this edgy babe. Enter Linda (Spanish babe - who knows no Hindi) - whos also fiancée of Kangana's richie rich brother. The first time he sees her is under water where she is fluttering away in a designer bikini.. NO WAIT - he just married her last week - she too is all about the money! So its a matter of time, before the two realise they love eachother more than the money - the rest is ofcourse, bollywood. :)

Its a bearable movie - and not very hatable. The film has its high moments - some warm, some funny - but they are few and far between.

Acting - we have seen Hrithik do much much much better. In an attempt to internationalise the film, the actor is forced to fake an accent, thats too fake. We have also seen him dance better - although these flips are his first (and probably first for a Bollywood hero?). Papa Roshan sure tried to give his son a complete Hollywood showreel in the form of a film - so he dances, flaunts his 6 packs, looks international - we are not done yet - sings as well! But his impressive resume is hardly a good recipe for a film. Barbara looks gorgeous, and has her moments too. But their chemistry is far from steaming hot, and just about lukewarm (its nothing compared to the Dhoom2 chemistry he shared with Aishwarya or even the cute mushy thing he had going with Preity Zinta). Kangana is forgettable in a thankless role (but she gets do her signature shriek-and-cry once, check!).

Music - good, contemporary and brings the movie alive sometimes.

Action - Oh please! Its comic strip sequences. For all its emphasis on internationalising the movie - the action is outright bollywood 1980s- 90s style. What with Police cars topplings at the will of the Hero, bizzare escapes (from a car to a Hot air balloon), the couple escaping all gun shots until climax, I could go on!..

Overall - it is neither Rakesh Roshans thrill nor Anurag Basus emotional quotient. What you have is a very oridinary film failing to touch you or wow you. It is almost as if the tragedy, is meant to somehow move you in the end. But delicious toppings can't save a badly baked cake.

Its okay. Not verrrrry bad. 2.5 (1 of them simply to the music) . Hrithik fans have enough to cheer for ands will ensure the movie doesnt flop. But is this that big crossover film? Nope, far from it!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

5 points about 3 idiots... Lot's in the name!

5 points about 3 idiots... Lot's in the name! Kartik KJ When I saw news clippings of the war of words between 3 idiots team and the writer of 5 point someone, I was moved to think and heres what I personally feel. its 5 points really.. (pun probably intented). 1. Is this a marketing gimmick? Sorry Chetan, but that's the first thing that comes to my mind. For of late, bollywood has stooped to abysmal levels to get people into movie halls. I am thinking, this is a reallllly cheap one (if it is, and I hope it isn't). Do you need such a bad gimmick for a film as strong as this one. But then again, this was the same team that withdrew the trailer of Prakash Jhas Raajneeti from the films launch, because they 'would rather do away with the trailer than have people distracted from 3 Idiots'. ???????? Duh!! Can a 3 minute trailer (I dont know the length really, but how big can a trailer be??) take away from the brilliant film that 3 idiots is???? Can crediting the author re...

Phoonk

Phoonk Welcome to the vague world. Where crows stare continuously, lemons spell disaster, an angry look can send you flying. RGV invites us to get scared with what is possibly a ‘scary movie’ attempt at horror film making. The titling of the movie does builds your appetite, and perhaps that’s the reason why you end up so disappointed. Post Bhoot and the promotion built around phoonk, you cant help but expect to be surprised by the director. A surprise it is, of the dismal kind! A construction tycoon fires an eccentric duo, characterized by a spastic-acting man and a devilish-laughing woman. Doom follows as the home is now jinxed. From scary (?) dreams to bones to lemons to charcoal crosses on the walls – you name it and you have all the stereotypical material to convince you that there indeed is some black magic in the house. The daughter is now possessed. She speaks in a manly voices, kicks the doctor on his belly, stares at crows endlessly. Enter the psychiatrist. ‘All physical tests...

The rest is of course--- Hissss-story

Some suggestions to recover from the recent insults: May be Mallika Sherawat should walk the red carpet in CWG 2010 - like she did in Cannes with snakes all over her– some positive would come out of it.. all this snake spotiing can be camouflaged by calling it a promotional activity for her latest ‘international’ film – hissss! Wink, wink. Or why not have the Wildlife SOS team in cultural outfits (aka Amrish Puri in Nagina..) Spot a snake? And you just won an exclusive show of the “SnakeCharmers of India” . Congratulations on winning the “Incredible India” experience.. Goes well with the ‘land of snake charmers’ image that we have fought O-so-hard against. Funny, eh? The sarcasm is a result of both – embarrassment and anger. Some say it is media that has unnecessarily highlighted just the negatives. Others say that the under preparedness of the venue exposes the deep-rooted corruption and inefficiencies of the system. I don’t know which one is right. But the fact remains, that it d...