Do you skip past Bollywood films when you scan current cinema releases?
Well, not everyone does, clearly. Epic Indian romance Kites, produced by veteran Bollywood actor and producer Rakesh Roshan, has proved a surprise box office winner in the UK and the US. It’s the first-ever Indian film to scale the US top ten box office charts in its opening weekend and entered the UK box office at number 5 this week.
Starring top Indian actor Hrithik Roshan and South American screen star Barbara Mori in a tale of doomed lovers, Kites features the classic Bollywood mix of melodrama and big music and dance numbers.
Kites' crossover appeal may well be down to the fact it’s filmed almost entirely in English and Spanish and set in America and Mexico and has had the widest release of an Indian film ever. On its opening day in India, the film grossed £3million, the country's second highest opening ever.
Hot on the heels of its success, US action director Brett Ratner has rejigged the movie as Kites-The Remix, a shorter, racier version with less song and dance, which gets a worldwide release today.
