Hrithik comes of age. Review on Koi Mil Gaya

Koi Mil Gaya is a film that could have created history.

Hrithik Roshan , as a young man , with the mind of a Class 7 boy, gives a brilliant performance, one of the best that Bollywood has seen in the last 10 years.

In this film, Hrithik is the son of a space scientist ( Rakesh Roshan) who tries to contact aliens. They also contact him.

An alien spaceship arrives when he is driving. The car crashes, and he dies. This scene is very well shot.

Hrithik grows up and plays with children of his mental age. He is bullied by people, especially Raj, son of the District Magistrate (Prem Chopra).

Preity Zinta is the daughter of the DM's old friend, who comes to the town after a long time.

Initially, she thinks that Hrithik plays his pranks purposely. Raj and his friends beat him up. But later she becomes his best friend.

I really loved the video of their first song together, ''Idhar chala main....''.

Now, one day, Hrithik gets his dad's old computer out, and sends signals (I don't know how the machine still worked). The aliens come, and leave. But one of them is left behind.

He is small and is in danger from wild animals. Hrithik and Preity save him. They call him ''jadoo''.

In return of the favour, ''Jadoo'', repairs hrithik's mind.

Now hrithik pays Raj back for all his misdeeds. Their basketball match is worth watching.

Note: Hindi film villains now have a new sporting weapon other than hockey sticks to beat the hero up. Its a basketball.

The film is good till here (about 70 %).

Now Rakesh Roshan does the incredible job of turning such a wonderfully different film into the stereotype garbage we are used to.

Hrithik promptly falls in love with Preity. He can play , study and dance very well. He gets a promotion to class 10.

Hrithik and Preity dance, and Hrithik beats the villains up. His biceps become huge......

Now , the police is searching for the alien. Hrithik decides that the best way to save him would be call his ship and send him back.

He sends the signals. But police gets the alien before the ship arrives.

But in true hindi film style, Hrithik accomplishes the job.

It was a greta sacrifice, as his powers are lost and he becomes like before .

But wait. Hrithik and Preity must get married , right. So the ship returns to give him back his powers and goes.

The film is good in a number of points. The space craft and the alien has been well created. They are eminently believable.

The alien is human like, a welcome break from the stuff Hollywood churns out.

I don't think any film has focussed on the alien so much or given it so much time in the film.

The cons........ Even Rakesh Roshan must know that you cannot send ''sound'' waves into space. Sound needs a medium to travel.

The ending, indeed the last 30 %, is stupid and much different from the rest of the film.

Why the hell was Hrithik trying to ''save'' the alien from the authorities ?

Performances :

Hrithik As a child -- out of the world as a normal man -- usual stuff

Preity good

The film should be watched at least once.