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Sunday, May 24, 2009

Kabir Bedi's Character in "Kites"

AS the hype around the Hrithik Roshan-Barbara Mori-starrer Kites reaches dizzying heights, Kabir Bedi makes a quiet comeback as Kangna Ranaut’s dad Kabir Bedi
in the film. But he hasn’t visited Cannes to sell the film to international buyers. “Only Hrithik and Barbara from the cast have gone there. It’s more a sales visit. I would’ve loved to go, but it’s something I’d prefer to do on my own steam as it’s Hrithik’s film,” explains Kabir, who returned to India in November.
Prior to that, he was in Italy for a year-and-a-half shooting for a televised series. “When I returned, I wanted to do Bollywood films. It’s important now that I do films in India as I’ve done enough work in Italy. It lets people know that I’ve made a comeback and for good. My heart was always in India. The long periods of staying abroad and constant travelling got to me,” maintains Kabir.

In Kites, he plays the owner of a Las Vegas casino. “He’s a powerful person, flamboyant and almost loud in his choice of clothes. My portion has been entirely shot in Las Vegas. Kangna’s my daughter in the film, with whom Hrithik falls in love. I’m a very uncool dad and have animosity towards my daughter’s lover,” states Kabir.

But isn’t Hrithik supposed to be in love with Barbara Mori in the film? “There are many shades to the story. He falls in love with one, and pretends to fall in love with the other,” he explains. As for the couple’s off-screen romance that’s occupied ample media space, Kabir says, “Nobody asked me, I don’t know what the truth is. As co-stars, they seemed to have gotten along well, and that’s how it should be.”

Kabir’s confident that Kites will make waves. “Kites is a powerful story, very different from run-of-the-mill Bollywood films,” he says, adding, “Anurag is an extraordinary director. And it’s always a special joy to work with Hrithik as I have known him since he was a little boy. I have seen him on the sets of Khun Bhari Maang. I even share screen space with Barbara, but the interaction is non-verbal.”

He’ll also be seen in a small but pivotal role in Blue, and as part of a gang of rogues who con greedy people in Showman. “Now, we have some amazing young directors like Anurag in India, who, with time, will make some good international projects. What’s lacking here, however, is the ability to put together good, strong stories. Some real deep thinking should be involved as far as the story is concerned,” maintains Bedi.

Bedi himself feels deeply about the volatile situation in Burma, a country he spent part of his childhood in. He’s the official ambassador of the Burma Campaign in the UK. “I was there before the dictatorship took over. The Burmese are peace-loving and don’t revolt much. Democracy should return to Burma. They have my entire support,” shares Kabir.

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