As the hype around Hrithik Roshan-Babbara Mori starrer Kites reaches dizzy heights, Kabir Bedi makes a quiet comeback as Kangna Ranaut’s father 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. Its more a sales visit. I would’ve loved to go, but its something I’d prefer to do on my own steam as is Hrithik’s film,” explains Kabir, who returned to India in November.
Proir 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, and its important now that I do films in India, as I’ve done enough work in Italy. It lets people know that I have comeback and for good. My heart is always in India, and the long periods of staying abroad, and travelling constantly has 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 in Las Vegas, and Kangna’s my daughter in the film, whom Hrithik falls in love with. I an a very uncool dad and have animosity towards my daughter’s lover,” says Kabir.
But isn’t Hrithik supposed to be in love with Barbara Mori in the film? “There are many shades of the story, he falls in love with one, and pretends to fall in love with another,” he explains. As for the couple’s off screen romance that has occupied ample media space, Kabir says, “nobody asked me 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 the run-of-the-mill Bollywood types,” he says, adding, “Anurag is an extraordinary director and its always a special joy to work with Hrithik ans I have known him since he was a little boy. I have seen him on the sets of Khoon Bhari Maang. I even share screen space with Barbara, but the interaction is non-verbal.”
He’ll also be seen in a small but pivital role in Blue, and as a part of z 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 is however, the ability to put together strong stories. Some real deep thinking should be involved as far as the story is concerned,” maintains Kabir. He himself feels deeply about the volatile situation in Burma, a country he spent past of his childhood. He’s the official ambassador of the Burma Campaign in the UK, and says Burma has his entire support.