Product Details

• Actors: Hrithik Roshan, Barbara Mori
• Directors: Anurag Basu
• Format: AC-3, Blu-ray, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Dubbed: English
• Region: Region A/1 (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT
• DVD Release Date: February 15, 2011
• Run Time: 214 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0046ZYETI
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #169,199 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Kites [Blu-ray]" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Review

A story that once would have been set in Paris or Vienna now occurs in Las Vegas, where ne'er-do-wells and courtesans have become mobsters and hustlers. Kites follows J, played by handsome Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan, a lowlife with smooth dance moves who marries green-card-seeking immigrants for cash. He thinks he's hit the jackpot when the daughter of a wealthy mobster falls in love with him--but when he sees Linda (played by delectable Uruguayan actress Barbara Mori), the fiancée of the mobster's son, J falls in love and discovers that he'll risk anything for her… and risk he will! J and Linda end up on the run, robbing banks, fleeing by car, train, and hot-air balloon with the mob and police on their trail. Kites is a staggering compendium of over-the-top clichés and preposterous romanticism; only a Bollywood movie--even one in English, Spanish, and Hindi--could get away with this kind of straight-faced absurdity. From the '80s dance-off to the operatic tragic conclusion, Kites is both ridiculous and ridiculously entertaining, like Titanic, Badlands, and Moulin Rouge thrown in a blender, with a time-bending narrative that cunningly teases out a new twist every time you think you know everything. Roshan and Mori are genetic marvels, blessed with astounding physiques and piercing hazel eyes. Silly, sexy, and compulsively watchable. --Bret Fetzer --platform47.com

Product Description

Hot, sexy, exotic, and wild are the only words to describe this "lovers-on-the-lam blast of pure pulp escapism." (The New York Times) Indian superstar Hrithic Roshan stars as J, a Las Vegas hustler engaged to the daughter of the city's most powerful and dangerous casino owner. But all bets are off when he falls in love with the ravishing Natasha (Barbara Mori), an illegal immigrant engaged to J's jealous and violent future brother-in-law. When their illicit romance is discovered, J and Natasha flee for the border with the police and relentless hired killers on their trail. Pulse-pounding action and sensational musical numbers propel this passionate love story to its stunning conclusion. This special edition contains the "deliriously entertaining" (Variety) full-length version that became the first Bollywood movie to make the American box office Top Ten, and Kites: The Remix, the edgier and sexier English language version produced by director Brett Ratner (Rush Hour, X-Men: The Last Stand).

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Lovers On The Lam--A Cheesy Bollywood Delight Hits The Vegas Strip February 20, 2011

By K. Harris HALL OF FAMETOP 10 REVIEWER

Format:Blu-ray

With the glittering spectacle of Las Vegas as its backdrop, the Bollywood film "Kites" got a better than average U.S. distribution upon its release relative to other films of its type. Consequently, it stands as one of the highest grossing Bollywood stories shown in mainstream American theaters and even broke into the box office Top Ten for the week of its debut. It certainly seems appropriate as this hybrid tale of romance, music, action and heightened drama clearly takes its plotting influence from Westernized big budget films. "Kites" doesn't aim for realism, far from it! It is a bold, colorful and glossy film product that shuffles together several genres, adds two appealing leads, splashes in some stylized romanticism and a dash of charm and emerges as a crowd pleaser. This truly international tale of lovers on the run features performances in English, Spanish, and Hindi as well as variations and combinations of each. Sure, it may be a bit overstuffed and chaotic at times--but it is grandly entertaining!

The primary plot point is pure romance novel pulp. A streetwise Vegas hustler does whatever is necessary to bring in the cash. While romancing the daughter of a wealthy and dangerous casino boss, he becomes entangled with her brother's beautiful fiance. This begins a chain reaction with dire consequences. Seeking retribution, the hot headed brother relentlessly pursues the young lovers with vengeance and murder on his mind. With some pretty ridiculous (in an entertaining way) car chases, a couple of shoot-em-ups, and some double crosses--"Kites" kicks into action mode as the chase heads toward the border. Never fear, though, the sweethearts have plenty of opportunities for chaste canoodling, sassy banter, and a musical montage or two. Fans expecting star Hrithik Roshan to showcase some hot dance moves may be disappointed that there is only one such number near the beginning of the film--but really, how much would you want to dance if you were taking bullets? Will the couple escape? Is is happily ever after or bittersweet sorrow? You'll just have to tune in.

The film is layered into alternating timelines that heighten the mystery which unravels to reveal the lovers' fate. This is a wild and fun ride with moments of quiet tenderness, sweeping melodrama, silly humor, and over-the-top action mayhem. Really a great popcorn flick--this is entertainment for the sake of entertainment and not meant to be taken very seriously. Roshan and co-star Barbara Mori are immensely appealing and pretty easy on the eyes as well. Even when the film veers into wacky territory, the pair keep you grounded. The film is gorgeous to look at as well--with the Blu-ray, it is exceptionally vivid and colorful.

The DVD set contains the original version AND what is referred to as a Hollywood version. I'm not exactly sure why someone would be interested in a Brett Ratner supervised alternate cut of the movie as opposed to the director's vision. The Hollywood edition is thirty minutes shorter, loses much of the sweetness and musicality, and highlights the action set pieces. It mystifies me, quite literally, but if you want it--you've got it. My advice, though, stick with the original and true version of "Kites." It has charm to spare and achieves real heights of operatic melodrama! KGHarris, 2/11.

24 of 32 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Must See June 28, 2010

By Jennifer Hopfinger

Format:DVD

'Kites' was specifically made to appeal to Western sensibilities--it's not the first Bollywood film to try to crossover, but it is the first to succeed at it, and it does so while remaining true to the essence of Hindi cinema. 'Kites' looks like an American film, but it feels like an Indian one.

It's not the best Bollywood movie--not by a long shot--but by stripping itself of the typical trappings of Hindi films (and making itself stylistically familiar to Westerners), it reveals the heart of Bollywood--a beating, bleeding operatic heart. Hindi cinema is ultimately not about language or culture or musical numbers; it's about exalted melodrama that draws you in despite yourself and affects you with life's corniness and agony.

The story is set in Las Vegas; the actors speak a combination of Hindi, English, and Spanish; there is only one dance scene; and the plot follows a single sequence of events--all of which help make the film accessible to non-Indian audiences. Director Anurag Basu was the perfect choice for this project as his style naturally lends itself to the objective. Had his previous film, 'Life in a...Metro' (2007), been marketed abroad as aggressively as 'Kites' has been, it would have garnered the same critical praise in the U.S that his latest film has. Cinematographer Ayananka Bose produces sharp, gorgeous shots of the glitz of Las Vegas, the desolation of the desert, and the beauty of the leads, Indian superstar Hrithik Roshan and Mexican actress Barbara Mori.

Roshan and Mori play struggling immigrant hustlers Jay and Linda, who are about to marry into money--they are engaged to sister and brother Gina (Kangana Ranaut) and Tony (Nick Brown), the children of a ruthless crime boss/casino owner (Kabir Bedi). The night before Linda's wedding to Tony, she and Jay stay up until dawn drinking champagne, sharing their tales of woe in a broken hodgepodge of languages, and dancing in the rain. And after one brief, trembling, feel-it-in-your-toes, forbidden kiss, they foolishly, nobly chuck their gold-digging schemes for each other.

Even in love scenes devoid of explicit sex, Roshan is expert at appearing to teeter on the edge of control, and his precarious desire is hotter than bared skin could ever be (see his performances in 'Dhoom 2' and 'Jodhaa Akbar' for more examples)--although bare his skin he does--at least, his eye-popping torso--in between exciting stunts and car chases, as the lovers flee Tony, who's hell-bent on murderous revenge, and adorably struggle to communicate along the way.

'Kites' proves it is possible to fall in love--with people or films--even when you can't understand their language.

'Kites' is rated Must See.

- The Bollywood Ticket: The American guide to Indian movies (Subscribe: The Bollywood Ticket)

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing September 21, 2011

By mermaid408

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

This movie blew me away from the beginning to end.I recommend this movie to anyone who loves good music and romance