However, Hrithik's wife Suzanne need not spend sleepless nights. For despite the passionate lip-locking scene between the Indian hunk and the sexy actress, Hrithik maintains that all he was trying to do is make Barbara "comfortable."
"A lot has been said about the kissing scene in Kites but let me tell you the film is not about sex, lust, passion, animal instincts. It is a beautiful sensual love story. As far the kiss is concerned, I was trying my best to make Barbara comfortable while she in return was trying to do the same," Hrithik said, clearing the air about their relationship.
Agrees a source who claims to be a close friend of the Bollywood star.
"There is a scene in the movie where both Hrithik and Barbara are supposed to jump from a tall building. During the shooting, Anurag wanted to include a kissing scene before the death-defying stunt. Hrithik agreed and gave Barbara a peck on her cheek. But Barbara would have none of it. 'Given the same situation with your real-life wife, Suzanne, would you kiss her on the cheek?' she told Hrithik who was floored by her logic," the source said.
"Hrithik took a few seconds to recover but realized that Barbara was right. So he immediately hugged her and kissed her on the lips the way real-life couple would do in a similar situation," the source added.
When contacted, Hrithik confirmed the incident but said the media blew the whole incident out of proportion. "Barbara was right. However, there is nothing distasteful about the scene. Why are we even talking about kissing? Is that such a big deal? Hasn't our cinema grown up? Yes, there's kissing scenes in the film. But nothing to make me squirm. In fact, I'd be more than happy and completely comfortable watching those kissing scenes with my wife, son and parents when the film is released," Hrithik said.
According to Hrithik, the movie Kites is "a love story" and hence there is nothing unusual about the kissing scene.
"It's about people in love. And what do people in love do to express their mutual feelings? In fact, it was Barbara Mori who made me realize how silly we look on screen while shying away from expressing love naturally," Hrithik said.
"I wouldn't give any attention to the rumor. It doesn't matter as long as it is something to do with my film. Barbara is a great girl, a great co-star and friend. And I am very proud of my film. If tongues wag, I can't help it. It doesn't matter what people say," the miffed actor said.
As for Barbara, she refused to be dragged into the controversy and merely said she was "extremely overwhelmed" by the Indian hospitality.
"Kites is my first experience of working in an Indian film and I must say it has been extremely overwhelming. I am glad that the film is being marketed at the Cannes film festival and looking forward to the response the film gets," she said.
Meanwhile, senior Roshan has approved the passionate lip-locking scene.
"Why is the media making a big deal about the kissing scene? There has to be some intimacy between Hrithik and Barbara because they're playing a couple in love. Hrithik had to kiss Barbara, what else could he do? Sing songs with her like we do in our Hindi movies? It is his job as an actor to do what the filmmaker tells him. If as a filmmaker I can watch Hrithik jumping from a five-storey building in Krishh, why should I be uncomfortable watching him do a kiss? It is his character in Kites who is kissing Barbara. It is just a job," Roshan Sr. said.
Daddy dear has also cleared the air about the relationship between Hrithik and Barbara, who are attending the Cannes Film Festival for the promotion of Kites.
"Barbara has finished all her work for Kites. We don't need her for the film until the global premieres of Kites begin this Diwali (in October). Hence, there is no question of her coming down to Mumbai now for Kites," Rakesh Roshan said.
Lately the media has been portraying Hrithik and Barbara as Bollywood's hottest lovebirds and said that Hrithik had invited the sexy actress to India as he feared for her health because of the swine flu.
However, with daddy dear clearing the air it seems Hrithik's wife Suzanne has nothing to worry about!!
ABOUT KITES
The story of Kites, an ambitious international film produced by Rakesh Roshan's Film Kraft and promoted by the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group-promoted Big Pictures, is kept under tight wraps but a person in the production unit agreed to briefly share the story.
"It is a love story...the love story of a young salsa dance teacher (Hrithik Roshan) who falls in love with a Latino girl (Barbara Mori). Problem is they do not know each other's language and yet the two communicate and grow very close to each other. Meanwhile, a wealthy girl (Kangana Ranaut) who is Hrithik's dance student, who falls madly in love with her handsome tutor. The film then turns from a romance to a thriller and circumstances force them to split," the source said.
Kites, whose global distribution rights have reportedly been sold for a whopping Rs.150 crore, releases in India in October.
