With back-to-back failure in KITES and GUZAARISH, Hrithik Roshan had purposefully taken a backseat, but it appears that once again the superhero is back to doing what he is best at, hogging the limelight and being the centre of attention of the media as well as the public. The reason behind this is of course his active participation in the promotion of his latest movie, Zoya Akhtar’s ZINDAGI NA MILEGI DOBARA, and his first dance reality show on television which seems to have generated a lot of hype, and of course not to forget his KRRISH 2 (where he reportedly essays a triple role), which is all set to go on the floors. More

Rakesh Roshan is definitely planning a sequel; not of the 2010 disaster Kites, but of 2006 superhit movie, Krrish. Though reports had earlier stated that Roshan Sr. had dropped the idea of Krrish 2 after the release of the visually spellbinding Hollywood movie Avatar, the 2nd installment of the film has now officially been given the green signal.

And Papa Roshan is leaving no stones unturned to make sure that this movie turns out to be a great hit and wipes out the embarrassment of Kites. For starts, Rakesh has taken upon himself to supervise every minute detail of the screenplay and the dialogues which writer Robin Bhatt is in charge of. Known to give a free hand to his writers with minimal interference, this time Rakesh is being very cautious as his son’s as well as his production company Filmkraft’s future is at stake. So while Hrithik is busy shooting for Zoya Akhtar’s Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara, his dad is working non-stop on Krrish2. The basic story of the sequel has apparently been fixed so the details are now been worked upon. Also, Deepika Padukone (who had refused Kites because of the intimate scenes) may be playing the female lead in the film.

After directing Hrithik Roshan in three of his career’s biggest hits – Kaho Na Pyaar Hai, Koi Mil Gaya and Krrish – we hope that the father-son duo turn out to be fourth time lucky. Source

50,000! Yeah, a glorious, anxious and precious set of Abhishek Bachchan loyalists, numbering a whopping half a lakh, engaged Bachchan Junior in an online chat. And created cyber history of sorts!!

Incidentally, the number of fans desirous of chatting with the ‘Raavan’ rage built up sooooooooooooo mucccchhhhhh… that the server crashed!! And had to be reset.

Abhy Boy’s popularity has been steadily soaring… and with the phenomenal ‘Raavan’ buzz peaking, it was hardly surprising that a teeming set of admirers were also trying to chat up with the able star.

Incidentally, Hrithik Roshan had managed to pull in 27,000 fans during the pre publicity aura of ‘Kites’. Abhy Boy, however, has raced ahead!

Abhy Boy: ‘King of Chat’. Source

Hrithik Roshan had high hopes from his latest release Kites . But critics’ disapproval seems to have hurt him and he is hitting back at them.He said recently: “I hardly take critics’ comments to heart. Even when they praised or criticised me in my previous films. I would rather go by the box office collections.”

Sure Kites grossed over Rs 21 crore on its opening day, but the verdict is that the audiences went to see the film but didn’t like it. The Spanish – Hindi – English love story didn’t jell with the tastes of the masses in India.

The film didn’t have a gripping story or screenplay either. Of course the foreign audience might have a different take on it. Hrithik maintains he tried something different and Kites is the best film of his career. Source

Hit or no hit, Hrithik Roshan’s fans couldn’t care less about the film he had come to promote on Sunday afternoon, as long as they could get a glimpse of the man himself. Added advantage? Someone had spread the word that Barbara Mori is looking hot in a cool, short dress. Phir toh, the crowd at TGIP mall in Noida multiplied by the second.

The Kites pair, Hrithik and Barbara, was to come to Big Cinemas for a press conference, but before that, there was a short interaction with the crowd too. This only excited the crowd more, and soon, they began to roar his name.

The pair was also supposed to make an appearance at the Provogue store. They’d even advertised the same – and this added to the chaos, for, the crowd outside the store became unmanageable, with everyone hanging over the barricades and floor railings to look into the store. But, Hrithik and Barbara never came to the store. Sources later told us that Hrithik, who was also accompanied by Rakesh Roshan, was miffed at the visible chaos created by the immense crowd at the event. “Hrithik was upset after the crowd present in the mall misbehaved with Barbara Mori… They leapt over, and some even tried to touch Barbara, and in the melee, it left Barbara with scratched knees and a ripped nail,” said the source, who was present there. More

The superstar Shah Rukh Khan recently threw a bash for the success of his dear friend Hrithik Roshan and Barbara’s recently released ‘Kites’. The grand party was hosted by Shah Rukh and his wife Gauri Khan at their Bandra residence Mannat.

The party was attended by close friends of both SRK and Gauri Khan. Apart from their close friends like Chunky-Bhavana Pandey, Anurag Basu, Hrithik- Sussane Roshan and Mexican beauty Barbara Mori along with her brother Kintaro.

SRK too sang some of his favorite songs and also made Sussane croon. SRK seemed super impressed with Sussane and said, “Kites celebration at home… lovely to have seen duggu & team having worked so hard and making an earnest film. I did not know that Sussane sings like a dream…so much talent and such little time to find it.” Source

‘Kites’, starring Hrithik Roshan and Mexican actor Barbara Mori, has caught the fancy of the American media, making it perhaps the most reviewed Bollywood film on opening day by so many US critics. The New York Times considered it ‘all completely loony, but the stunts are impressive, the photography crisp and the leads so adorably besotted that audiences might as well check their cynicism at the door.’

‘A lovers on-the-lam blast of pure pulp escapism. Directed by Anurag Basu with a finger in every genre jar, ‘Kites’ caroms from car chase to shootout, from rain dancing to bank robbing with unflagging energy,’ it said.

In Times’ view Bollywood star ‘Roshan requires viewing uncut: writhing on the dance floor or just gazing into space, the man was made to drive women crazy, one movie at a time.’ More

The sexy Latino actress Barbara Mori, back in India for the second time in a month and probably the last time now, feels let down on two counts. One, of course, is the unfavourable public response to her much-awaited film with Hrithik Roshan this weekend; and, the second, is that her dream of visiting the Taj Mahal remains unfulfilled.

Hours after the negative feedback for Kites began rolling in, Barbara pretended to be oblivious of what critics and audiences had to say. She also appeared unaware that the screening of the film had been stopped in Bangalore. For when BT asked where she was going as part of the promotional tour, Barbara mentioned Bangalore along with Delhi and Kolkata.

Friday afternoon, the actress spent visiting multiplexes and theatres across Mumbai to interact with fans. But while the fall in the excitement level was palpable (Kites was one of the most hyped films of all time in Bollywood), Barbara said unconcernedly, “I’m really excited. I’m waiting for the Indian people’s response. The premiere in New York and London was amazing. There were hordes of Indians screaming for Hrithik and me. Let’s see how people here love it.” More

Hrithik Roshan’s Kites may make his fans very happy by the way he has been presented (and he enacted) in the film but those looking out for a never seen been before experience that was promised through its mega marketing blitzkrieg will be in for a major disappointment.

J. (Hrithik Roshan) is a dance teacher in Las Vegas, who is also in the business of marrying illegal immigrants in order for them to get green cards. While being at his dance class, a rich casino heiress Gina (Kangana Ranaut) falls for her dance instructor. When J. comes to know of the background of Gina, the lust for green paper makes him play along the romance and marriage game with Gina. But when Gina brings him home to meet the family, J. meets Natasha (Barbara Mori) and discovers a piece of his past. The film travels back and forth time and locations – just as J. and Natasha find love in each other and elope to Mexico to start their live afresh while Tony and his gang is baying for their blood.

The biggest problem for Kites is its main lead characters played by Hrithik and Barbara lack sympathy what with both being gold diggers. While it may be trying to impress the Hollywood films audience, the basic plotline is extremely dated for a Hindi film. In fact at places you even feel you are watching Koyla in its remixed avatar. Yes it is visually stunning (brilliant camerawork by Ayananka Bose) and Hrithik seems to have given it his all. But the most important factor of the film, the script falters big time and the uneven pacing being the additional issue. More

“We have very high expectations from `Kites` as after `3 Idiots` this will be the biggest release. We are going to have 13 shows per three screen and 14 shows per four property respectively for the movie,” Deepak Taluja, senior vice president (business and operations) of Fun Cinemas, told reporters.

“In terms of paid previews, as of now we just have one show (for Thursday night) but if (booking) response will be good, we`ll look for more,” he added.

A senior executive from PVR cinemas said on condition of anonymity that “Kites” has a very good pre-release buzz. “And after `3 Idiots`, we have very high hopes with this one. If all goes well, this could anywhere be the successor of `3 Idiots`.”

“On an average we are keeping around 10-15 shows per property for the movie. The advance bookings have already opened and it`s picking up well while the paid preview bookings for Thursday is decent so far,” the source added. More

Bollywood got over in New York last weekend for some of the La Crème De La Crème of the tinsel town when they attended the premiere of Rakesh Roshan ‘Kites’ starring the most attractive Bollywood actor Hrithik and the Mexican bombshell Barbara. It’s been heard that those who have seen the film are raving in full swing.

Karan Johar who has the reputation of a filmmaker with ‘touch’ is very pleased by the outcome. He says, “Kites’ is outstanding. Hrithik Roshan is beyond brilliant!!! Barbara lights up the screens and connects on all levels….it’s a winner!” Karan Johar made special arrangements to make sure that he attends the premiere. While the Roshans are filled with proud by the response and are eagerly awaiting the feedback of the ‘aaam’ junta. Hrithik’s better half Susanne Roshan, shares, “Kites’ premier rocking response in New York! We all very proud. God willing the world viewers will feel the same…”

In India too everybody wants to catch the first glimpse and there’s curiosity surrounding the film which is expected to open as early as 6:30 a.m. in select multiplexes on the 21st of this month. Source

Hrithik Roshan became nostalgic, as he witnessed a screening of his debut movie ‘Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai’ here in New York and talked about his decade-long Bollywood journey leading to super stardom. The 36-year-old, who is on a promotional tour for his upcoming international love story ‘Kites’ in the US, was here to present a special screening of his launch vehicle at the BIG Cinemas Manhattan in Midtown East to an audience of competition winners.

Hrithik shared with the audiences the anecdotes from his early days as an actor and his overnight rise to stardom after ‘Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai’ in 2000. He also introduced ‘Kites’ where he has teamed up with Mexican actress Barbara Mori. A love story about an Indian man’s affair with a Latin woman and their predicament as they don’t understand each other’s language, ‘Kites’ is about their thrilling journey filled with precious moments and unexpected betrayal.

Produced by his father Rakesh Roshan and directed by Anurag Basu, ‘Kites’ is being distributed and marketed by Reliance BIG Pictures. ‘Kites’ is being premiered Sunday at the AMC Empire theatre at Times Square. The Hindi version of the film is releasing worldwide May 21 and the English version titled ‘Kites: The Remix’ and edited as per western sensibilities by Hollywood director Brett Ratner will hit the screens May 28. More