Review: Ki and Ka fails to break gender stereotypes

**1/2

Ki & Ka is a romantic drama Bollywood film written, directed, and produced by R. Balki. R. Balki hs previously given us some amazing films like ‘Cheeni Kum’, ‘Paa’ and ‘English Vinglish’,  The film follows a young, married couple reversing the gender roles placed upon women and men in Indian society.

From the time the first teaser released, the film managed to garner a lot of curiosity. Be it the unique pairing of Arjun-Kareena, the catchy title, the reversal of roles, the red high heels sported by Arjun in the poster and trailers; everything has been intriguing. Does the film manage to fulfil the expectations the trailers created? 

The film opens with the grooving track HighHeels in the opening scene. Kabir (Arjjun Kapoor) has got a degree in business but doesn’t want to get into the rat race because it destroys family life. Kabir meets Kia (Kareena Kapoor), an advertising professional and they quickly tie the knot. They are opposites- she is ambitious and he a homemaker. Everything is perfect- Ka wakes up early, lays out hot food for his office-going wife and mum-in-law (Swaroop Sampat). Ki delivers campaign ideas to her advertising agency and keeps climbing up the corporate ladder. As expected, jealousy raises its ugly head and things start turning sour in their marriage. 

Will they be able to survive the challenge? Are men supposed to be the bread-winners of the family? All this is discussed in the next part of the film. 

Performance wise, Arjun fails to convince us of his aversion to jobs. Kareena Kapoor is sultry and drives the film on her able shoulders. She smoothly transitions through the different emotions of the film. She essays the role of an unapologetic married professional with grace. Swaroop Sampat and Rajit Kapoor (Kabir’s orthodox father) do decently. The icing on the cake is a cameo by the senior Bachchans- Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan as themselves.  

There are scenes which were meant to be funny but seem annoying like Kabir wearing a mangal-sutra and inviting women for kitty parties at home and gossiping.  

The first quarter (not even half) of KiAndKa is entertaining but the rest of the film fails badly. Too many clichés- repetitions of gender defined roles in society is killing. Mr. Balki-we have seen it before in many films and television shows before and we have seen it in real life too. What this film truly lacks is subtlety, something that was in right proportions in all Mr. Balki's previous films.

The film doesn’t break any stereotypes. It could have if it told us anything differently or said there is no need at all to define roles. 

If you want to watch the film, watch it for Kareena Kapoor, the Bachchans and the groovy songs. Else, watch some other film.

-Review by Dolly Bolly