Kites will be the hit of 2009

Director Anurag Basu is pensive about handling his latest project that has Hrithik Roshan and a 50-crore budget."For me it's a huge responsibility to get Kites to live up to the hype it's generated," says Basu, "the budget of the film is very high - Rs 50 to 60 crore and this would make it the biggest Bollywood film project."

Doubling the pressure would be the fact that producer Rakesh Roshan's last film Krazzy 4 was a dud. Though a lot of the Kites budget is likely to be spent notionally on the star, who is the producer's son, the locations will be expensive.

Basu says: "the schedule is 80 days and we're shooting in New Mexico, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. New Mexico has a vast landscape and is famous for its geography. Since the film's name suggests a wide area, this is perfect for us. For the city shots, we'll be filming in

Albuquerque."

Kites is Basu's first project with an A-grade actor in Hrithik, for whom this will be his first film after Jodha Akbar and the birth of his second son earlier this year. Basu's last film was 2007's Life in a Metro (Shiney Ahuja, Shilpa Shetty) and before that he was a part of the Mahesh Bhatt team (directing Gangster and Murder).

Kites will be released in English and Hindi and Hrithik will romance two women: 30-year-old Uruguayan actress Barbara Mori and Kangana Ranaut.

"Hrithik's character will be dashing and energetically crafted," says Basu, "I think after his ethnic look in Jodha Akbar this look will be also be remembered by all his fans. He plays the role of a smart Las Vegan boy who can defraud anyone. His look will be European and will be seen mostly wearing hats." Basu postulates confidently that "Kites will be the hit of 2009."