It is a kid’s movie and yet watchable by adults. The usual sentiments, fight, romance fill this otherwise neatly packaged movie. So you have the "beta, ja, dikahde sari duniya ko..." bit from an otherwise normal mother (Rekha) who has shown that neither age can wither her...(don’t rememner the full quote); you have the retarded son who can still romance a pretty girl and you have the pretty girl charmed by his innocence first and floored by the sudden "adulthood" that he achieves.
What sets it apart that it is all done in a nicely and neatly scripted plot that haves you moving forward constantly instead of letting anyone langour in self-pity. People around Hrithik have accepted his mental status. Kids love to play with him for he is like them but the elders don’t throng around Rekha or Hrithik pouring useless sympathy. School has a problem with the boy adn they are candid about it. And if there is a good teacher who encourages Hrithik, then there is the impatient one whose balding head shows that he is not ready to lose any more hair on this chap.
What jars is the grown up "boys". The villainy is unwarranted. While it is believable that there will be some who will be unsympathetic and make cutting jokes, their willingness to show their brawn on this fellow seems slightly out of place. It probably could have been handled differently.
Similarly, an always stylishly dressed Preity doing nothing other than driving here and there and giving room for idle talk could have been handled differently. However, what is commendable is that she treats him as he should be - as a boy and does not consider him a prospective hsband till his mental faculties achieve adulthood under the spell of the alien’s magic.
The alien is sweet, has a good sense of humour and has been "characterised" well. No stereotype here. It is very endearing.
Overall it is a good movie. There will always be places where one can question the logic. But that’s not what Indian cinema is about. So let’s give Rakesh Roshan credit for venturing into areas that have not be done before in a neat package.