Kites News : Barbara Mori's Spanish film to release in Hindi version

The stunning Mexican actress Barbara Mori plays the lead opposite the hot hunk Hrithik Roshan in his home-production ‘Kites’. The film, which has been in the making for close to two years and billed as the most expensive Hindi film to have ever been made, reportedly has some ‘intimate’ sequences between Hrithik and Barbara. Kangna Ranaut is the other heroine in the film.

The theatrical release of ‘Kites’ is getting delayed due to some reason or the other and is now scheduled to release in May as a summer bonanza for the youth. Even before Barbara’s first film in Hindi releases, Bollywood producers appear keen to cash in on the popularity and excitement generated by Mori’s presence in ‘Kites’ by opting to dub Barbara Mori's earlier Spanish films in Hindi.

The plan is to release Barbara’s Spanish movies after getting them dubbed in Hindi, the way Hollywood films are released countrywide. The first film likely to be released first in this way appears to be ‘My Brother's Wife’ (MBW) starring Barbara in the lead.

Popular Entertainment Network’s Jayantilal Gada has inked a deal allowing him to dub MBW in Hindi and release it in India. In order to get the viewers know who the sizzling Barbara is, Gada plans to release MBW 2-3 weeks after the release of ‘Kites’. Insiders say that in view of the fact that Barbara has some ‘really’ bold sequences in the film, Jayantilal could hope to make some profit.

For starters, MBW has Barbara playing Zoe, who wants to have a child but her husband Ignacio is unable to make her pregnant. She then goes ahead and has an affair with Ignacio's younger brother Gonzalo and gets pregnant. How far would that be accepted by the conservative Indian audience remains to be seen!

Spirited Afghanistan succumb to bouncers

India 116 for 3 (Vijay 48) beat Afghanistan 115 for 8 (Noor 50, Nehra 3-19) by seven wickets .

Afghanistan certainly weren't overawed, but struggled against short-pitched deliveries, losing five out of their eight wickets to bouncers. As promised India played as they would against a top team, setting up an easy chase and finishing it solidly - without flair and major hiccups. Noor Ali, compact against the quicks and happy to use his feet against spinners, was Afghanistan's best batsman by a fair distance, helping them recover from 29 for 3 with a near run-a-ball fifty. As a fielding unit, they looked like they belonged: tall left-armer Shapoor Zadran's pace impressed, as did the spin of Mohammabi Nabi and Samiullah Shenwari.

The Afghans have learnt most of their cricket in Pakistan, and Noor and Asghar Stanikzai, who scored 80 of the 115 runs, may well have been rescuing a Pakistan innings after a collapse. On the either end of their 68-run partnership, though, the Indian quicks used the bouncers well enough to secure two easy points.

Karim Sadiq, the other opener, showed early signs of nerves, playing and missing thrice before gloving Ashish Nehra down the leg side. Mohammad Shahzad, the bulky wicketkeeper-batsman, too tried big unwieldy shots and was caught down the leg side while the replays suggested that the ball might have gone off the helmet grille. The decision notwithstanding, it was clear the short ball was troubling them.

Match Meter India Nehra gets two in two overs: Nehra troubles Afghanistan early with pace and bounce, taking out Sadiq and Shahzad with well-directed short deliveries. India Noor and Stanikzai refuse to be rolled over: Afghanistan's best batsman, Noor, and Stanikzai rebuild the innings sensibly with a 68-run fourth-wicket stand, albeit at an average strike-rate. India India bounce Afghanistan out: Just as the partnership becomes threatening, Nehra and Praveen come back to remove three batsmen in four deliveries, off bumpers again. India Vijay, Yuvraj hurry up in home run:When it looks like India would take 17-18 overs, Sadiq offers a host of free hits, and India take 34 in three overs to hasten the end. Advantage Honours even

MS Dhoni, though, decided to give his spinners a healthy bowl - with immediate effect. Nowroz Mangal, Afghanistan's captain, didn't get a flowing start and ended up hitting Ravindra Jadeja's fourth delivery straight down mid-off's lap. A wicket-maiden, followed by three more tight overs, was a good way to come back to high-profile cricket for Jadeja, who was dubiously banned from the IPL.

Upon Mangal's dismissal, Noor and Stanikzai played sensibly. There were no needless fancy shots, no panic-stricken running as the two went about rebuilding. Noor, who started with a couple of leg-glances against Praveen Kumar, was more comfortable against spin, hitting Jadeja over extra cover for four, and maintaining a strike-rate of over 100 throughout. Stanikzai, though he seemed stuck against spin, pulled out the big shots over wide long-on to collect three sixes. All three Indian spinners got the treatment.

By then Dhoni had had enough with the spin and brought back the quicker bowlers. Zaheer Khan, who seemed to be lacking a bit on pace, was hit over extra cover by Noor, but Praveen and Nehra pulled Afghanistan back. Within four deliveries, Noor, Stanikzai and offspinning allrounder, Mohammad Nabi, were caught unawares on the front foot by bumpers. The backbone of the line-up gone, Afghanistan could manage only 18 in the remaining 2.4 overs.

Despite being put to the sword by M Vijay, Afghanistan didn't come apart in the field. They were energetic enough to save four certain runs off a Gautam Gambhir square-cut. A frustrated Gambhir jumped down the track next ball and found the fielder at cover-point on the full. They were brave enough to try spin inside the Powerplay: Shenwari trapped Suresh Raina with a straighter, quicker one in his first over.

By then, though, Vijay had got into his stride, having moved to 21 off 16. With Yuvraj Singh, struggling a bit before hitting a few sweetly, Vijay went about ruling out any chances of an embarrassment. Once close enough, thanks to an ill-disciplined over from Sadiq, Vijay tried the big hits. With 16 coming off that Sadiq over and two sixes two overs later, India moved from 67 in 10 overs to 101 in 13. Vijay missed a half-century on debut, but a satisfactory win had been ensured.

New Zealand start with tense victory

New Zealand 139 for 8 (Ryder 42, Murali 2-25) beat Sri Lanka 135 for 6 (Jayawardene 81) by two wickets .

New Zealand edged Sri Lanka in just the sort of cliffhanger the organisers would have wanted to kick off the World Twenty20 in the Caribbean. If McCullum is talked of as a match-winner, it is probably Brendon that one thinks of, but it was his brother Nathan who was the hero with an all-round performance, topped off by a six over long-off to seal a tense victory with one delivery to go.

On a track that lived up to it's pre-match billing of being sluggish, basic line-and-length bowling from New Zealand's slow bowlers was enough to curtail Sri Lanka to 135, despite Mahela Jayawardene's polished 81, his highest score in Twenty20s.

The balance swung from one side to the other through the chase: New Zealand looked in control after Jesse Ryder's power-hitting at the top, but tight spells from the two oldest players in the tournament, Sanath Jayasuriya and Muttiah Muralitharan, seemingly shut New Zealand out of the game.

When Ajantha Mendis nipped out Scott Styris in the 17th over, the asking rate was over 10 and half the New Zealand side was dismissed. Jacob Oram, though, kept the game alive with two consecutive hits over long-on for six to round off the over. Lasith Malinga sent down an over of patented hard-to-hit full deliveries in the 18th, and two wickets - of Oram and Gareth Hopkins - fell in the first two deliveries of the penultimate over to again put Sri Lanka in charge.

With 18 needed off nine, Daniel Vettori shuffled across and swung Chanaka Welegedara for four in front of deep square leg, and McCullum mishit a low full toss over mid-on to scramble three off the final delivery.

Ten off the final over, from Malinga, was still a tough ask. The first delivery was squeezed to mid-on for a single and they comically stole a bye after Vettori missed a full delivery - with McCullum charging down the track, both batsmen were at the keeper's end, Sangakkara lobbed the ball to Malinga who missed the stumps from a few yards even though he could have walked and taken the bails off.

McCullum then swiped a full delivery to long leg for four to reduce it to 4 off 3, making New Zealand fans believe again. A hard drive to long-on resulted in Vettori's run-out as he attempted a non-existent second, but McCullum's glorious hit over long-off for six off the penultimate delivery confirmed New Zealand's victory.

Match Meter NZ Sangakkara falls: The Sri Lankan captain's dismissal in the ninth over comes after a scratchy innings from Dilshan, which leaves his side floundering at 44 for 2 NZSL Jayawardene hits out: He slams Southee for a couple of boundaries in the 17th overto put Sri Lanka on course for a challenging total NZ Ryder fires: When he hits Murali over midwicket for six, New Zealand are in control at 65 for 1 after 8.1 overs NZSL Wily Jayasuriya: Guptill is bowled after being far too late getting his bat down to a quick yorker from Jayasuriya. New Zealand slip to 66 for 3, with both set batsmen dismissed NZSL Oram's big hits: Just at the match looks to be getting away from New Zealand, Oram powers Mendis over long-on for consecutive sixes to make it 26 needed off 18 NZ Nerveless Nathan: McCullum swings the third delivery of the final over for four to reduce the equation to four off three, and follows up with a six off the fifth ball to seal the game Advantage Honours even

Such a close finish didn't look likely at the halfway stage after Ryder and Martin Guptill piled on 62 in eight mostly trouble-free overs. Ryder feasted on some leg-side gifts, and also threw in some muscular hits over midwicket to race to 42 off 25 before being bowled by a quicker one from Murali.

Jayasuriya didn't get to bat, but showed his value with the ball, knocking out Guptill's middle stump with a quick yorker, before Murali got rid of danger-man Ross Taylor in the 15th over. Only sixteen runs came in the six overs after Ryder's dismissal, to propel the required-rate and ask for some late heroics.

McCullum had been superb at the start of the match as well, when handed the new ball, stifling the most explosive batsman of the previous World Twenty20, Tillakaratne Dilshan.

The big guns at the top of Sri Lanka's batting order carried on their form from the IPL: Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara, who had forgettable campaigns in India, scratched around looking uncomfortable, while Jayawardene, who was close to his best towards the end of the tournament, was rarely troubled in his first outing as an international Twenty20 opener.

Jayawardene made virtually all of Sri Lanka's runs during the early stages of their innings. He started off with a powerful swat over square leg for six off Shane Bond, then finessed McCullum through covers for four. On a pitch where pace was a disadvantage, Bond was expensive: Jayawardene taking him for two fours in the fourth over.

The best phase of Sri Lanka's innings was a fluent 59-run partnership between debutant Dinesh Chandimal and Jayawardene. The pair began cautiously, with an over of singles off Vettori, before Chandimal boosted the innings with a big six over long-on off Styris in the 11th over - the first boundary for 35 deliveries. Jayawardene then took charge again, picking off the bad deliveries on offer to hit a boundary an over. A stunning parried, overhead catch from Taylor ended Chandimal's stay, and series of yorkers from Tim Southee kept the runs down, before a raft of outfield catches restricted Sri Lanka to what still proved a competitive total.

Sri Lanka now need to win on Monday against Zimbabwe, who have surprised Australia and Pakistan in the warm-ups, if they are to avoid early elimination.

Bret Michaels might be ready to rock in weeks

We cannot take Afghanistan lightly: Dhoni

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Thursday warned his team-mates against taking unheralded Afghanistan lightly in their Twenty20 World Cup opening match on Saturday, saying any slip-up against them can put his side out of contention for super eights.

"If you ask me, I would not consider our opening match against Afghanistan as a practice game. I don't take my opponents lightly. At the end of the day you have to win whichever team you play," said Dhoni, ruling out complacency in the Indian camp.

"I don't know much about them. It is good in a way because if we know too much about a side then you are thinking too much about them. However, our preparation will remain the same as if you are playing the best opponent in world cricket," he said.

"We can't really relax against whichever team you are playing. At the end of the day you are representing India and you have to be at your best when you turn up on the field," Dhoni added.

Afghanistan have risen from the depths of the fifth division league to rub shoulders with the best in the cricket world. Their attitude, confidence and determination are aspects that India and South Africa, who have been drawn in Group C along with them, should be wary about.

On the criticism for not playing any warm-up game before the start of the tournament, Dhoni said his side does not need such matches as they have shaped up well.

"We don't actually need to play a warm-up game as the way we have shaped up after the long journey, there wouldn't have been any good coming out of it. It is good that we can rest and have a rigorous practice session tomorrow and get back into the groove and prepare for the match against them," said Dhoni.

India's most successful captain was not worried much about the injuries to some of his key players.

"It is part and parcel of cricket that people get injured. But at the end of the day we have replaced them (Sehwag) with the best possible players available.

"We are just hoping that we won't miss them on the field. We are hopeful that people who have come as replacements would step up to the occasion and perform," he said.

Delving on Yuvraj Singh's injury-riddled form, Dhoni said, "He bats at number four and the individual he is, he can easily play the big shots. There aren't enough grounds in the world that are big enough for him not to clear."

"These big hitters have a big impact on the game. Somebody like Kieron Pollard or (Andrew) Symonds are the kind of players who can take the game away from the opponents in three or four overs. It is a big stage for him (Yuvraj) and, as we have seen of him, he loves challenges.

"His utility as a bowler also comes into play. He did well against some of the best teams in the IPL. So it is good that you have more part timers in the bowling department as it gives us more options than just playing five bowlers," he added.

DEEPIKA PADUKONE ON THE COVER OF THE VOGUE INDIA MAY 2010 ISSUE

Now Kites Releases in Spanish

Confirming this development Sanjeev Lamba, CEO of Reliance Big Picture, said, "Yes, we are indeed on the verge of closing a deal for a Spanish version of Kites. While the Hindi and English versions would cater to a mass audience across the globe keen on seeing Hrithik Roshan, we must not disregard Barbara Mori's fan following in the Spanish belt."

While the Hindi version of Anurag Basu's film will be released on May 21 and the English version a week later, the Spanish version will come little later.

"The only difference between the Hindi and English versions would be the length. Brett Ratner, who has edited the English version, took out all the songs and some of scenes which were seen too Indian in spirit. Otherwise both versions are the same in spirit. Our western audiences don't have the patience to sit through lengthy foreign films. The English version is super fast and snappy," said Lamba.

The length of the Spanish version is expected to be the same as the English one. According to Lamba, the global interest in watching Hrithik romance Barbara Mori puts Kites in a very different league from other Bollywood films.

Reliance Big Pictures is now looking at releasing a larger number of prints globally than even 3 Idiots, which had opened with 1,700 prints in India. Kites is expected to top that figure with approximately 1,750 prints in India.

"We will release around 2,300 prints across the world. There will be 250 prints in the US and 100 in the UK," said Lamba.

The producers are looking at Kites as the Indian film that would finally crack the Western market.

Kites is not what the Bollywood formula is perceived to be in the West. The language of love is universal. We're hopeful that this film will get a new profile of western audiences interested in Indian cinema," said Lamba with fingers crossed.

Barbara is expected to play Hrithik's host in Mexico when the Spanish version of Kites releases there. In a manifestation of a cultural exchange programme, she has even offered to do a Spanish film with Hrithik.