I was just checking the listings for movies opening tomorrow at my local theaters, and saw a listing for a film called Kites. So, of course I checked the IMDB listing, and the poster looked like a Bollywood romance. And the featured review was an utter slam. One star. But there were only six reviews, two hated it, four loved it. Any movie that produces reactions that divided is worth seeing. And the slam seemed to be complaints that would be leveled at any Bollywood movie - melodramatic acting, etc.
The Wikipedia article on the movie gives the story; it’s a Bollywood film that’s being recut at the same time for an international audience, going from 130 to 90 minutes, and eliminating all but one song.
One thing that doesn’t make sense in the plot description. “J. (as given in subtitles) a.k.a. Jai (in press materials), played by Hrithik Roshan, is a Bollywood dance teacher in Las Vegas, Nevada. As a sideline, he marries immigrant women to get them green cards.” So he’s married multiple women to get permanent residency for them? Wouldn’t the INS/ICE folks notice this behavior?
I should have checked. But I was interested in the discussion.
But seriously, cutting all the songs out of a Bollywood movie? Isn’t that like cutting all the sex scenes out of a porno - you wind up with a mediocre melodrama, but about a dance instructor rather than a plumber or pizza delivery man.
I read somewhere that they’re toning down the melodrama in the alternate edit. But. yeah, a Bollywood movie without singing and dancing? What’s the point?
I saw it - for $4 (first showing at the Cinemark). I saw the Ratner edit, and really missed the songs. It was pretty obvious where they were supposed to be. I was the only person in the theater, though an Indian couple came in and watched until they also saw the songs had been cut out.
This will please nobody. Too cheesy and melodramatic for non-Bollywood people, and coitus interruptus for Bollywood fans.