Kites (2010)

A supremely romantic tale of star-crossed lovers destined to be together but doomed to be apart, "Kites" is Bollywood as you've never seen it before. Filmed almost entirely in English and Spanish, and completely set in America and Mexico, the film is far more international in appeal than most traditional Indian super-productions. Yes, the extravagant scale, intense emotionalism, and unshakeable sincerity are all there. But, at a mere 130 minutes, the film is practically a short subject by Bollywood standards and, though there is a big dance number (performed with gravity-defying grace by the astonishing Roshan), it is actually integrated into the plot! Like the romance at its center--"a love that knows no language"-- "Kites" rises above nationality. Impossible to categorize, it blithely leaps from romance, to musical, to action adventure, to western, referencing any number of Hollywood genres while reveling in each of them. Recalling such master movie mixologists as Sergio Leone, Quentin Tarantino, and Baz Luhrmann, producer Rakesh Roshan and director Anurag Basu, have made "Kites" an intoxicating cinematic cocktail with a flavor—and a kick—all its own.

"Kites" is a unique 'Bollywood' film in a number of ways, not the least of which is the fact that a reworked English language version, designed to extend the reach of the original, will be launched in select engagements one week later. Entitled "The Remix," it is being presented by Brett Ratner, who oversaw its creation. "Kites: The Remix" will be released in several major Canadian markets on May 28th. Officially billed as "A Brett Ratner Presentation," Ratner's version of "Kites" is, as its title suggests, a true "remix," in that it is the same film, played to a different rhythm, running a swift 90 minutes as opposed to the 130–minute original. One of the leading action directors working in the industry today, Ratner is credited with taking Asian action star Jackie Chan and crossing him over into American superstardom with his spectacularly successful "Rush Hour" series. In much the same way, "Kites: The Remix" will target younger, hipper, more action-oriented crowd than the original. Besides playing different theatres and neighborhoods, it will also take on additional screens at many of the same multiplexes that will be playing the original version as of May, 21, an unprecedented strategy that will present an alternative to fans who want to see more—and less—of the film at the same time.