To celebrate the end of Ramadan, Bollywood superstar Salman Khan usually treats his millions of adoring fans – mostly young Indian men – to his latest brainless masala potboiler. The Eid release for 2014, ‘Kick’ follows in that tradition and it is yet another star vehicle for Bhai (brother), as Khan is adoringly known, to showcase his hammy antics and mash up the stock baddies whilst romancing yet another heroine half his age.
It opens with a train journey in Poland in which the pretty psychiatrist Dr Shaina (Jacqueline Fernandez, a former Miss Sri Lanka) meets her intended arranged match beau Himanshu (Randeep Honda), a police officer. Shaina reveals that she she was in love with Devil (Salman Khan), an adrenaline junkie who dumped her as he sought a higher ‘kick’. Himanshu tells her he is chasing an elusive masked thief. No prizes for guessing the identity of this bicycle-riding robber.
The plot is simply an excuse for Khan to trash guys who harass girls, make a smoke bomb, help star-crossed lovers elope, breakdance and steal from the rich to help sick, poor children. The target audience for ‘Kick’ will lap it up but the only enjoyment the discerning viewer will get out of this is an overwhelming desire to kick Khan’s butt.