If I had pre-conceived notions that a film would not click, ’Koi... Mil Gaya’ was one such. I am sure that Hrithik Roshan must not have slept since the past one week at least. Last evening, his heart must have been in the mouth when the press guys and gals transfixed their eyes and minds on his performance and his dad’s new baby ’Koi... Mil Gaya’. Meanwhile, his dad, Rakesh Roshan was sweating at the intermission in the press show. The fear was understandable, the curiosity was expected. Hrithik’s dynamic screen presence and looks had failed to salvage ’Mission Kashmir’, ’Na Tum Jaano Na Hum’, ’Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage’, ’Mujhse Dosti Karoge’ and the recent ’Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon’ from nose-diving at the box-office.
However, 45 minutes into the film and I had cast my apprehensions away. Both, father and son would soon be laughing their way to the bank. They have a winner in their hands. ’Koi... Mil Gaya’ cannot fail.
’Koi... Mil Gaya’ is perhaps the cleanest film that I have seen in recent times. A must-see for you and your family. If you are a parent and you don’t take your kid to see this one, I am sorry to say that you are a lousy parent. The portions between Hrithik and the alien have been handled very well. The children angle is far better than the one in ’Brahmachari’ and ’Mr. India’ put together. On the kids front, the sardar and Hansika Motwani steal the show.
Mukesh Rishi delivers as good as he’d delivered in ’Sarfarosh’. Rajat Bedi looks a handsome bully and hence suits the character as a T. Johnny Lever as a Sindhi constable tickles your ribs. Prem Chopra with a new wig looks stylish to the core, while Rajiv Varma is strictly okay.
Rakesh Roshan has only three scenes, but watch out for him in the scene where he argues with the space technicians. In the eighth project starting with ‘K’ (after ‘Khudgarz’, ‘Khoon Bhari Maang’, Kishen Kanhaiya’, ‘King Uncle’, ‘Karan Arjun’, ‘Koyla’, ’Kaho Naa ... Pyaar Hai’ and of course ‘Koi… Mil Gaya’), he needs to mark a longer role for himself. (Have you logged in, Roshan Sr.?)
The ageless beauty Rekha gives a sterling performance akin to ’Khoon Bhari Maang’, though here role here is far shorter. Watch out for her when she erupts against the youngsters who have needled with her son. If I wasn’t seated with my press colleagues, I would have stood up and clapped for the way she says, “If being normal is like you, I am happy that my son is abnormal.”
Priety Zinta looks pretty, but she could have asked for some of her costumes to be one inch shorter, sorry, longer. Her relationship with Hrithik based purely on compassion and humanity, has an unusual romance reminiscent of Balu Mahendra’s classic ’Sadma’.
(There, Kamal Haasan had played the nurturing role to the child-like Sridevi. Here, Preity plays the guardian angel and confidante to the mentally-challenged Hrithik).
There is no sexuality between the two. Even in the duet ’Idhar chala udhar chala’, there is purity and innocence. It is heartwarming (and a refreshing change of course) to see that after a long time, Hrithik does not find himself opposite a glam-pout act, else the chic would have stood out like a sore thumb and spoiled the film’s timeless texture. Watch out for her in the basketball match, observe the crouch in her when Hrithik’s so-called ‘Pandavas’ battle against odds and observe how she lets herself loose when these guys start calling the shots.
Now, to the main point. Hrithik Roshan gives a resounding slap to his detractors who thought that ’he’s finished’. Here is an actor par excellence who has unfortunately never been given a strong subject. The amount of hardwork he has put in to look and speak like a mentally challenged guy is worth going miles to see. I cannot think of any other actor who could have done this role, not even Ajay Devgan who pretended to be mentally sick in ’Deewangee’. Watch out for him in the scene where the bullies smash his scooter to pulp. Watch out for him in the scene where Rekha tells him that he has failed in his class yet again. A big hug to Rakesh Roshan for resurrecting his career and saving Indian cinema from losing such a phenomenal talent. Hrithik would have been lost to the woods, had this director like his previous ones, failed in his endeavor. Sooraj Barjatya should apologize to Hrithik for having made him almost a clown in ’Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon’. (Have you logged in, Sooraj?).
What stands out in the first place is: How many heroes in contemporary times would have dared to risk going against their images and accept such an unconventional portrayal? Such a big risk has not been taken by any male Bollywood actor at Hrithik’s age, never before has a male character of such kind been played in the history of Indian cinema.
The music is pleasing. The song ’It’s magic’ has been choreographed brilliantly. Other highlights of the film include a superbly shot basketball match and the scene in which the alien is captured. The production values of this one should not be compared to those of ’ET’ (the film from which this one is rumoured to have been inspired by). In fact, nothing of it should be compared to its counterpart ’ET’. Half of our population does not know that a film titled ’ET’ had ever released. Let them see ’KMG’ and not form needless and avoidable comparisons.
By taking on the alien subject, Rakesh Roshan has proved his exemplary vision as a producer and virtuosity as a director. The end would have been preferable on a sad note. But I guess, Roshan Sr. is still in that 1975-1980 ka times, where ’all’s well that ends well.’’
Endorsments of Coca-Cola etc. are dime-a-dozen and a few glitches (like, toy scooters run faster than real mobikes) are starkly evident, but that does not take away the good feeling you come out with.
I have purposely not touched upon the story. Some of you must be knowing it. For those who don’t, I should not spoil your fun. ’Haan, koi... mila zaroor hai.’ The title has worked. Hrithik Roshan is back!
Rating:
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(This is the review which I wrote on teenstation.com on 8th August, 2003.)