Though Ki & Ka isn’t exactly Kareena Kapoor’s comeback it’s definitely a departure from the safe roles she’s accepted in the recent past, like her brief appearance in Bajrangi Bhaijaan.
So critics and fans have one question on their minds after the film opened: will Ki & Ka make Kareena cool again?
The fans and celebrities seemed to love her performance.
However, critics are more cautious in their praise:
Some say that the lack of chemistry between Kareena and Arjun is quite the downer:
According to Indian Express’ Shubhra Gupta, “…Kareena’s character is spot on. She plays it familiar but is svelte and lively enough.” but points out that “Arjun and Kareena give off precious little steam, despite all the canoodling on display.”
NDTV’s Saibal Chatterjee also notes the lack of chemistry: “The two leads smooch a great deal and are pretty active between the sheets. But somehow, owing to the lack of chemistry between Arjun and Kareena, they do not set the screen on fire.”
Filmfare’s Rachit Gupta chimed in with the same: “Arjun Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan look like they’re giving it their best shot. He’s striking a fine balance between being intense and charming. She’s looking absolutely gorgeous and even managing streaks of brilliance in acting. They don’t ever convince you of being a great couple.”
Hindustan Times’ Rohit Vas holds that Kareena may have been let down by the script:
“Kareena Kapoor’s best comes out in the scene where she delivers a long monologue on being manipulative. Only if the dialogues could have been as natural as her.”
Times of India’s Meena Iyer agrees: “Kareena is terrific, Arjun, endearing. But Balki’s writing is inconsistent. ”
“Kareena is somewhat more bearable to watch, even though she seems to be channeling an older, more cynical version of her character from Jab We Met (2007).”
