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Kites, a Tribute to Honesty and Love: “Feel the Breeze on Your Face” says Hrithik. Throughout (shooting of) Kites, my dad has never been on the sets - Hrithik Roshan
Desiclub.com spoke with lead actors of Kites. For a 36-year-old, Hrithik Roshan, had a lot of "philosophical takes" on being an actor. Articulate, candid and serious-minded he reiterated his conviction that one should be honest to oneself in one's craft.
Barbara Mori worked as a model before studying acting at El Centro de Estudios de Formación Actoral, Mexico. Her acting debut was in the telenovela, "Al Norte del Corazón".? While there was initial speculation in the press and on blogs that Barbara didn't speak English, she turned out to be quite fluent.
Here is what they said:
Desiclub.com: Kites, being a different kind of film, how did you approach the script?
Hrithik: I had some unlearning to do. Training my mind to switch off - to let go; in my past films, I have done a lot of work where I knew was right - the right chord to hit and the reaction that it would evoke. There was this whole circle of this craft that was going off, but, sporadically in the middle, somewhere in Koi Mil Gaya and in Laksh I touched upon another area to this art.
I truly ventured out and enjoyed the flight of an actor, where there was no mind and I was creating something for the moment. I came out and didn't know what I had done because I had not planned that. It was something that came out of my mind spontaneously. And, I loved that. I said (to myself), what is that? There is something more to this art than earlier. All the work that I did, I kept being attracted to that, tried to relive that. Over time, I think, I was preparing myself to finally being ready for a film like Kites, where I had to completely just let go. Perform from the heart.
(Director of Kites), Anurag Basu's vision was demanding that. He wanted it to be a completely honest film, he did not want to see a star in it. He didn't want to see dialogues said perfectly. I just knew then that there was a destiny to this film.
Referring to his female lead, Barbara Mori, Hrithik added, "Then we had someone like her who entered our team, who provided the right kind of push and impetus toward the right direction, because she comes from the same school of thought. She's a very honest person. Whatever you create is only a reflection of the person you are inside. Her films have all been honest and convincing, the person she truly is.
Desiclub.com: How difficult was it for you to work with your dad?
Hrithik: Difficult? It wasn't difficult at all. In fact, I have been quite comfortable. My dad and I have a system in place, where we work without any egos. I can tell him anything that comes to my mind, about camera placement, about my lines and we connect as professionals. Either he convinces me or I convince him. We are both tied into equal loads of passion.
When we asked his dad, Rakesh Roshan the same question, Rakesh responded, "Not difficult at all. He's one person who just listens to the director. We call him at 6 a.m. and he'll show up on time. Also, he does one film at a time so his inputs are very valuable. He is constantly thinking of the film, and while we are thinking of other aspects he is focused on his job, getting prepared for his "character." He gives us a chance to improvise with the director.
Desiclub.com: You work very closely with your father. Coming from our Indian way of life, how did you manage the love scene with your dad watching?
Hrithik: As easy or as difficult as jumping off a 50-storey building. Barbara intercepted: he wasn't watching, he was not on the set. Throughout (shooting of) Kites, my dad has never been on the sets. He did not want to influence Anurag's vision. The only scenes he was present for were the action sequences, and even there he was like an assistant director running around to make sure that Anurag had whatever he needs. If Anurag wants a chopper, he had to make an urgent call to make a chopper happen. Because Anurag is so forgetful. He'll come to the set, and then he'll say, "wait a minute, I need a helicopter." My dad is like, "How the hell am I going to get a helicopter, we have this location for one day?" He was a father to all of us. He just made the children make the film, and he was supervising, he was there for all of us.
Desiclub.com: When playing a developmentally-disabled young man in Koi Mil Gaya weren't you taking a risk with your career since you are perceived as a dynamic action hero?
Hrithik: There's a lot of mental conditioning that my industry succumbs to - here its all about trying to fit into the mould, as to who eventually becomes a hero. Its all evolving; slowly we have transcended this and we are becoming more real. Films are about a slice of life, its something you need to identify with and live a journey that will inspire you and help you vent your emotions in your own life. I have been a movie star but it's a consequence of being an honest actor. What came first, the chicken or the egg? You'll never know.
I have been taking risks, which appear as risks from somebody else's perspective, but its not a risk for me because I have my passion there. For Koi Mil Kaya I was passionate about it, and I knew that. How can this be a risk? It's a risk if I am afraid but I was completely convinced about Koi Mil Haya.
Desiclub.com: How do you manage to stay so honest to yourself, so grounded?
Hrithik: I think I have become aware of my journey. We have to come to terms with one's perspective of the world, and finally realize that we are all basically the same, you and I are the same - all of us here are the same - basically at the core of things, we just have these little walls built around us that we need to build so that we feel protected. We are in our little boxes trying to connect with the walls afraid to show each other what we are truly about.
So, from God's point of view, we look pretty stupid. We are in boxes, all the time, still trying to show our good side, and hide the other aspects, which are part of all of us. I think that's a thought that grounds me. I am not a star - I am me - and you are you - and we are the same, there's no reason to feel fear. I have lost the need to rely on my own judgment of other people, everyone has their own point of view, and that is the truth, so all's well.
Desiclub.com: What do you expect out of Kites?
Hrithik: My 2-1/2 years of effort and my heart, it's a different kind of film, its something I am very proud of. I can promise you that it's a good picture and I hope you'll come to watch.
Desiclub.com: After all that you have done, do you feel you have finally reached your goals in Kites?
Hrithik: Yes, that's what life is about. In my earlier years, I was looking at a Finish Line. It was a race for me and there is a dog behind me, coming at me, and I am running and he is gonna get me - and I have to reach that Finish Line or he's going to bite, and I have to reach my goal; that's how I was working before. I had to get there, there was fear, there was anxiety, and all that. Now when I work, I realize, there is no Finish Line, there is no dog and I am running because I like the breeze on my face.
We are always trying to get somewhere, and if we feel fear that if we don't, somebody will pull us down and life will attack you and you'll fail and you'll lose. Life is not about that. There are no bad experiences. Everything is good if you can just enjoy the breeze on your face, no matter what.
Desiclub.com: Would you say Kites is a Bollywood movie?
Hrithik: No, it's not fair to put labels on any kind of creative work. I don't think Kites is a Bollywood love story, it's a human love story. A film about human beings, that's supposed to touch your heart - a film that is honest and made from the heart. Whether from China or Hollywood or Bollywood, it will find its audience. It could be identifiable on an international platform. The Indian version is being distributed all over the globe. The U.S. release has Brett Ratner's interpretation that will cater to a select western audience.
Desiclub.com to Barbara Mori: How did you prepare for this role?
Barbara: I read the script, saw a bit of the movie shooting, took salsa classes in Mexico for the movie, went to New Mexico on rehearsals, discovering things about car chases.
Desiclub.com: How did you get to talk in English?
Hrithik answered for her. It was basically a translation of the English that Anurag had written, so Barbara gave it heart. She just interpreted it in the right way. She was basically the writer of all her lines.
Desiclub.com: Is acting in different languages different?
Hrithik answered again: It definitely changes things in that when I speak in Hindi and in English, there is a shift in stance. For her it must have been more than that, she was acting the entire film in English, which is not her first language.
Barbara added, Of course, its a bit different. Acting in your language and being directed in another language. For instance Anurag speaks English, but he sounded like he was speaking in Hindi, because he speaks so fast. Too many times I said, Anurag "I am not Indian, speak in English, and he would say, "I am speaking in English"." It was a bit difficult initially but once I applied myself it became easy. I went to New Mexico, and started shooting and was scared. But soon realized the fears are in my mind.
Desiclub.com: This was your first Hindi film. What made you decide to work in this film?
Barbara: Well the script, the story. I read the script and I was touched by the story, beautiful love story between two human beings who fall in love even if they don't speak the same language, and I found that beautiful. It touched my heart and I said, I want to be part of this. True love and honest.
Desiclub.com: How different is it from the kind of work you have been doing?
Barbara: Its completely different. Its my first English movie, my first action movie, my first Bollywood movie and big budget movie. So, there's a lot of difference between this movie and what I have done before. But, I think, they will love it, because, in Mexico, we love all this action also. Kites has this bit of everything, humor, we also love stories, drama and laughter and everyone will feel like they want to fall in love again. Because love is universal.
[Raj S. Rangarajan is a New York based independent writer. He covers trend stories on art, reviews books and films for media based in New York; Toronto, Canada; Seoul, Republic of Korea; and India. He can be reached at raj.rangarajan@gmail.com]
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