The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Not a simple love story

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 25, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Not a simple love story

Krrish (Hindi)

Director: Rakesh Roshan

Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra, Rekha

Life is all about braving the odds and emerging winner. Life is all about being Krrish, who is not blessed with material riches, but rich in all things money cannot buy. Fire cannot burn him, earth cannot hold him, and the wind cannot control him. Here is a man all his own. He can run, he can fly, and he can float. And thanks to Hrithik Roshan, who seems to grow with every film, matters little that he does very few films, Krrish is a delightful man.

He is innocent without being vulnerable, and he is a genius without knowing it. Hrithik invests his character with such nuances that you never suspected him of possessing. His subtleties of expression are as endearing as the lingering undertones of his speech. His voice modulation as an uncommon guy, not technically savvy but god-gifted, is superb. Priyanka Chopra as the journalist - we never see her filing a story or reporting one for her channel though - who discovers she is in love with the specially-abled boy, is a big let down. Wonder what was the compulsion for director Rakesh Roshan to cast away pretty Preity Zinta who did such a terrific job in "Koi... Mil Gaya"?

Then the director commits the ultimate sin in Bollywood: He signs Rekha and assigns her the role of Hrithik's grandmother.

Enough for performances, but what is Krrish all about, beyond an Hrithik Roshan show all the way. Well, no surprises in the story department. It is the tale of a boy who lost his similarly gifted father before he was born, and mother soon after. Reared by his grandmother, shunned by society, he develops qualities that separate him from the vast sea of humanity. The world lives in the cities, his world is in the forests. Of course, tourists do raid his hideout, and our man manages to fall in love with one such gal he saves as she falls off a parachute. You see what we meant when we talked of his being able to fly and float.

But it is not a simple love story. The man has a score to settle on behalf of his father... .and... . Enough of storyline that is predictable enough. What is not the case with special effects. They lend a unique appeal to the film. Of course, Hrithik makes it seem all so plausible even if editing could have been better. The special effects are a real technological marvel.

So, is Krrish as good as "Koi... Mil Gaya"? Not quite. The original, simply put, was original. And superb. But this desi Superman take is not a bad film for a one-time visit. Just lower the index of expectations a wee bit, and prepare to be enthralled by the magic of technology.

ZIYA US SALAM

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