Kites Movie Review : "Made in USA"

There are times when you don't feel like doing very much - I had just dropped my pa at the airport and had nothing else planned so I decided to step into a movie theatre and upon checking my ticket stub was about to watch "Kites". For a Rakesh Roshan extravaganza, it turned out to be zara "hat ke". From the very begining "Kites" stuns you as a technically superb film - the cinematography is a class above typical Hollywood action films. Wide angle visuals of (is that Nevada ?) in eastman color with captivating detail are the films' strongest point. Mish mashed hollowood action, noir and QT would make good watching as well. But other than that Kites is pretty much is up in the air. Hrithik, who plays a part time dance instructor, being wooed by a wealthy hieress whom he does not like much and his subsequent passionate rendezvous with her brother's fiance are remniscent of Match Point. Her father though is not a jewish business man but a gangster punjabi casino owner Mr Grover (Kabir Bedi). I first thought, funnily, this indian interpretation of Woody Allen is not more cerebral and "Indian" than London prodigals and almost the reverse. Visualize a desi software manager Rajesh Sethi's daughter Gina Sethi wooing her reluctant computer graphics professor Mr Saran who instead lusts Gina's sister in law to be - Barabara Molina, a floater and occassional travel photographer. But that is not what this film wishes it were. It quickly jumps the gun into an on the run road movie and action thriller. Much of bollywood is Masala - being cerebral or culturally informed is straying from the objective. With senior Roshan in a position of responsibility, it is not surprising that the script retains the paisa wasool flavors of old bollywood. Jay (Roshan) and Linda/Natasha (played by latin actress Barbara Mori) end up accidentally hurting junior gangster Grover, and are passionately speeding across the Nevada highway contemplating similarities between Latinos and Indians, teaching each other spanish and hindi, and if it comes as a surprise, falling in love. Some of the shots in this wild and spicy mix remind you of Tarantino - for example the ear chopping torture scene and the bank robbery scene in which the two debate whether to ask for add a few million dollars to the 200$ they are stealing. But the film does not imitate Tarantino's trademark over the top humor and much of the intention behind imitating actual QT scenes is misplaced. The film ends with a lengthy and neatly underscored suicidal jump. It is metaphorical but not a long shot unlike the ending in Ridley Scott's Thelma and Louise. All in all this is an absolutely awesome watch if you have time and want to see an Indian cinematographer get an A+ on his film institute exam, aided by the excellently resourceful Mr Roshan. But do not watch if for any other reason.