“A journey of a wanted man in search of his lost love.”

This one line summarizes the complete movie – Kites [preview]. First of all, to all the readers who have read awful, average and excellent reviews already of Kites. I request you to forget everything that you have read or heard about Kites.

Rating:

Kites is neither a typical mish-mash Bollywood movie served for frontbenchers, nor a stylishly camouflage musical for NRI diaspora. This Kite flies much higher and only the sky is the limit. It has tried to break the barrier between Hollywood and Bollywood first time with romance-action-drama-music, not some hard hitting realistic festival cinema. It will be remembered probably as successful crossover movie, which Indian makers has been churning out since Satyajit Ray times. After Pathhar Panchali, Awara, Sangam, Salaam Bombay, Monsoon Wedding probably Kites will be remembered as a decent movie from the east by the west.

Starring: Hrithik Roshan, Barbara Mori, Kangana, Kabir Bedi, Nick Brown

Promo

Many reviewers have argued Kites did not deliver what it had promised, but for a normal cinegeor like me the movie has delivered much more than what was expected. I recall one fine anecdote which perfectly fits today’s movie critics – If you see a beautiful rose, you will appreciate it. Love it. But, if you pluck out individual petals from those rose then the beauty will be lost. Though the complete rose parts will be there, the essence of rose will be lost once it is plucked out. Today’s movie critics have become somewhat like those who dissect the rose. They pluck out each and every component of the movie and look for the beauty. If you want to enjoy the movie, enjoy in its completeness not comparing and criticizing each every scene of the movie.

Kites is typical Rakesh Roshan Cinema, before Koi Mil Gaya. He is an entertainer, by calling entertainer his movie has elements for everyone – action, romance, music, thrill, melodrama and above all star power. From Bhagwan Dada, Khoon Bhari Maang, Karan Arjun till Kaho Na Pyaar Hai, all of his movies bear stamp of entertainment but nothing else. So, even Kites follow the same path but keeping in mind today’s standard, time and audience.

The movie begins with a scene;

“A wanted man stranded and left to die in the middle of a desert.”

He is none other than J (Hrithik Roshan), a crooked man who has married many girls for the green card in USA. Natasha-Linda(Barbara Mori) is one of the girls he had once married to get her green card. Now both of them are in search of wealthy people to once again tie their knots. This time for the money, they get involved with the siblings; Natasha with Tony (Nick), a casino owner, J with Kangana (Tony’s sister). But fate had something else in the store for them.

The story and screenplay flows pretty naturally, but at some point the movie does lacks pace specially in the first half. Cinematography and Background score takes this regular forbidden love thriller to international level similar to ‘Desperado (1995)’. Music wise, the movie don’t have chart busters like Kaho Na Pyaar Hai, but helps the story to movie forward. Another ace-factors which are clearly visible in the movie is – Hrithik Roshan as a strong actor and Anurag Basu as well crafted director.

Overall, the movie is a fun-frilled entertainer.