Reviewer's Rating 3 out of 5
Kyon Ki... (Because) (2005)
12aContains mature theme, moderate violence and threat of self-harm

With Bollywood more and more unwilling to take risks with new screenwriters, Indian filmmakers have increasingly looked towards Hollywood for inspiration, often resorting to shameless remakes. The latest film to get an Indian makeover is the 70s classic One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest. Directed by Priyadarshan, Kyon Ki... sees superstar Salman Khan step into Jack Nicholson's shoes as a young criminal who causes havoc in a mental asylum. While less impressive than the original, its entertaining fare nonetheless.

Khan plays Anand Sharma who is sent to Dr Khurana's (Om Puri) sanatorium for assessment after murdering a young woman. Is he mad or just pretending to be mad? While Khurana is a strict disciplinarian who uses brute force and oppression to tackle patients, his fellow psychiatrists Dr Sunil (Jackie Shroff) and Dr Tanvi (Kareena Kapoor) prefer a softer approach. But soon their caring methods are blown out of the water when Anand begins livening the place up for his fellow inmates by loosening a screw or two.

"UNNECESSARY ROMANTIC SUB-PLOT"

By transforming the 1975 Hollywood film into a musical and shoehorning an unnecessary romantic sub-plot between Khan's psycho and Kapoor's psychiatrist, Priydarshan makes Kyon Ki... a lighter and less complex piece of cinema. And by exploring the hidden and misunderstood world of the criminally insane through a likeable protagonist such as Anand, he keeps the audience safely on his side. But while Kyon Ki... isn't a must see for admirers of Nicholson, Bollywood fans may be intrigued to see Khan play an atypical hero with serious personality issues.

In Hindi with English subtitles.

End Credits

Director: Priyadarshan

Writer: Priyadarshan

Stars: Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Rimii Sen, Jackie Shroff, Om Puri, Asrani, Suneil Shetty

Genre: Bollywood, Comedy, Romance

Length: 161 minutes

Cinema: 04 November 2005

Country: India

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