The Film - Kites begins with a severely wounded J (Hrithik) dumped in a train carriage in Mexico who is on a quest to find his lost love Linda (Barbara). Cut to flashback - J is a Salsa trainer in Vegas who makes casual attempts at getting rich. One of his students, Kangana (Extremely beautiful but a brief appearance) falls for J. She is the daughter of the Vegas big gun Bob (Kabir Bedi). For J, dating Kangana is the easiest way to make it big. Enter Kangana's brother Tony (Nicholas Brown) who is getting married to Linda (Barbara). Linda too loves Tony only for his money. Eventually J and Linda find comfort in each other, and they escape from the guns of Tony. Rest of the flick, J and Linda keep getting chased by Tony.
Thumbs Up - The performance by the lead pair is terrific. All the talk of the chemistry between Hrithik and Barbara actually sets the screen on fire (though there are no steamy scenes, thanks to the censors!) Hrithik gives his heart to the role of J, whereas Barbara proves to be a very fine actor. She seems comfortable at her bollywood calling. The music is first rate and the songs picturised with finesse. The climax packs in great intensity. Anurag Basu deserves kudos for his direction. Nicholas Brown is cast perfect as the villainous Tony.
Thumbs Down - The story is a let down. The plot offers nothing new. There are a lot of car chasing scenes in the second half which become repetitive after a while. The dialogues are forgettable.
To see or not to see? - Of course go for it. Its no landmark movie, yet the honest efforts put by the team behind Kites makes it a good watch.
With Kites, Rakesh Roshan once again proves, why he is still the powerhouse in the film industry. Kites may prove to be an international hit, considering the cross-culture theme, the crisp length and the overall feel of the movie.
Well thats it for my review, let me know your thoughts on Kites!
Image courtesy: Kites-TheFilm