So far I have seen 2 Krisna reviews.
One from Taran Adarsh @ indiafm is a cautious average
and
the other from Rediff with all thumbs up and inciting you to see Kisna.

Considering both reviews, I think Kisna will be a big Hit, especially in the Overseas and Multiplexes in India. That's where the money is.

Some excerpts from indiafm and Rediff reviews:

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http://www.indiafm.com/reviews/05/kisna/index.shtml

Kisna

Contrary to expectations, KISNA is not similar to the Academy Award nominated period film LAGAAN. The comparisons are obvious since both LAGAAN and KISNA look at an Indian’s fight against the tyranny of Britishers.

Frankly, KISNA bears a striking resemblance to Michael Mann’s widely acclaimed masterpiece THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS [1992; starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe], a love story threatened by overwhelming circumstances.

Wait, there’s one more film Ghai takes the inspiration from – the all-time favourite TITANIC.

Despite two classics as the reference points, KISNA works only partly. It starts off brilliantly, but runs out of steam as incident after incident unfolds. And by the time it reaches the finale, the viewer is simply exasperated!

KISNA takes off very well and the initial reels keep your eyes glued to the screen. This, despite the fact that the story and flashback unfolds exactly the way TITANIC starts. Ghai, the master film-maker, successfully recreates the pre-independence era and introduces his characters skillfully.

By the time the film reaches its climax, the lethargic pace at which the story unfolds, coupled with the been-there-done-that kind of situations, dilute the impact considerably.

Subhash Ghai’s choice of the subject is perfect – a love story, if made well, always strikes a chord with cinegoers – but where KISNA falters is in its undernourished and uninspiring screenplay. The proceedings, more so towards the second half, are so lackluster and jaded that despite Ghai’s mature handling of some scenes, the outcome is not up to the mark.

Ashok Mehta’s cinematography is of international standard. Absolutely flawless. The locales of North India are simply breath-taking. The chases and the sword fights [Tinu Verma] are excellent.

The musical score [A.R. Rahman, Ismail Darbar] is rich and melodious, but when viewed with the story, only two songs register an impact – the title track deserves a special mention. ‘Hum Hain Is Pal Yahan’ has a haunting tune, while the English track should be deleted instantaneously for it acts as a major hindrance in the narrative.

The real hero of the film is the British actress Antonia Bernath. She handles the difficult role with amazing grace, displaying the various emotions with élan. Her performance can be best described in one word – outstanding!

Isha Sharvani is a confident actress, but she suffers due to a sketchy characterization. Yet, it must be said that she comes across as a fine performer. Also, she’s an accomplished dancer; her dances are awe-inspiring

Despite more or less favourable but cautious review this is what Taran predicts for BO performance:

On the whole, KISNA does not meet the colossal expectations that you anticipate from a Subhash Ghai film. At the box-office, the film would meet with mixed reactions.

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http://in.rediff.com/movies/2005/jan/21kisna.htm

Kisna should have been called Katherine!


Kisna is a really big film, the kind that hasn't been seen in Bollywood since Lagaan or Asoka, and one can arguably say that it has better period detailing than both those films. It is calculated to appeal to audiences abroad, which it should do with ease. A lot of the movie seems tailored to fit into a Western perspective of India -- at times it is explanatory to the level of seeming tiresome to crowds thronging multiplexes.

The story is refreshingly different, and wills you into a suspension of disbelief as Hindi cinema invariably sets out to do. It's a fairy tale, and you need to accept it as that. But Kisna is visually stunning, right from the Lord Of The Rings-style credits, and quite an enjoyable fare.

There's only one big flaw: The film should have been called 'Katherine'.
(What a criticism. This is ultimate thumbs up)

Kisna is a character quite incidental to the film -- the kind of flat, vanilla hero who we easily tire of, like Superman or Rajnikanth. He's self-righteous, morally staunch, obviously deft during fisticuffs, and can, because the music demands, wield a pretty darned mean flute. The most uninteresting person in the film, he's played adequately by Vivek Oberoi.

Katherine Beckett, on the other hand, is a masterstroke. Several foreign faces have hit Hindi shores with great rapidity, only to vanish in a flash of blink-and-miss glory, but this is not one of them. Subhash Ghai has indeed done it with Antonia Bernath – a star has been born.

Antonia's first shot, laughing gleefully as her car trundles toward her childhood home, is dazzling, and sets the scene for the rest of the film. As we go on, Kisna becomes a showcase for Antonia, a fantastic actress, who just happens to be classically beautiful. The film is hers.


In her scenes with Vivek, we are exposed to the vast difference in acting capabilities between the two. Bernath is overpowering when she needs to be, and meekly understated with equal fluency. Her teardrops are authentic, and her dialogue delivery is excellently modulated. She's plodded through the Hindi with considerable élan, and given her character the believability it so earnestly requires. Even in Lagaan – the comparisons are inevitable – you don't really feel for Rachel Shelley, who plays Elizabeth Russell. Here, Antonia takes on the spotlight, owns the scenes she's in, and steals the show.

The real strength of Kisna is in its casting.

Sushmita Sen makes a dazzling appearance in a scene that even present generations would now recognise as an ode to Mughal-e-Azam, and tosses in a fillip of glamour at a time when the film needs it the most. The story comes charging at you from the beginning, a simplistic mix of emotion and thrill, and isn't allowed to flag or drop.

The film is cunningly crafted, and you have to marvel at the cleverness displayed by the director. The songs are superbly picturised.

Isha Sharvani, all over the film's posters, is a non-actress marvelously relegated to pure background, and the role of a vivid music video. The 20-year-old dancing girl is barely allowed to stand straight, each scene involving fascinating contortions, several times snaked around ropes. These circus moments act as visual relief, and are obvious awe-candy for the Western audience.

(and the ultimate thumbs up for Kisna is:)
Kisna is a return to form by a director who knows exactly what he's doing.
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I personally dont see much hope from ghaii!
He is another super greedy, super commercial director!

He is trying to cash on poularity of theme of Lagaan (while Vivek is no AAmir) and he no Asutosh! even Music is a hoch poch between Lagaan/Yaadein/devdas etc!

He tried to cash on hype on Vivik, he got few years ago, after company the way ghaii tried to cash on Hrithik for yaadein! but Vivik is a dead horse now who wins no bets!

Ghaii, saw Sush giving successful/ matureoomph in MHN!! He robed her on any copst to do a number to improve marketabilty of his LAME looking venture! but with all GALORE of SRK/AISH and ISHQ KAMINA could not help SHAKTI! in any manner!

So, my bottom line! If not disaster like TSUNAMI Ghaii is facing another DOOM! here!

That reminds me THE FABULOUS review rediff gave to YAADEIN! UNBELIEVABLE!

"" GHAII did it what audience wanted!! successfully! he will have you eating from his hand" not the exact words! but close!! My foot!!

and I cant get over after years! Faddy's praise for the film!! Kaisi kaisi yaadein!! LOL.
My apologies faffy yaar! Bura na manayo!! Aaj Eid hai!

For me, just the song "Jub Dil Miley" by Sukhvinder at 120 dB was enough for "Paisa Vasool".

I have seen it. The only thing worth talking about is Antonia Bernath which is talented and shines even when the rest around her stinks. The film is a disappointment. Borrows from Lagaan, Mother India, Devdas... The Indian students in the audience were often laughing when no humor was intended. Some parts are decent, but other parts are pretty awful.

rita, tell your guyanese family that crappy movies like Kisna are also not worth a pint of parrot's pee!

i thought the movie was absolutely terrible at places and made very little sense. nothing seemed to have logic behind it. 4/10

You took my words lol. I think because of such patrons zulm stinks too, 4/10 now!

my post is corrected! I dont agree myself with theon's first comment!

I have corrected my post! I dont share sentiments with theon on first part of his post! it just got involved in quote and I ammended that!

You can address/take that issue with theon now ! on man to man /woman basis!

Early box office report suggest that Kisna is a disaster.

i could have told u much earlier than that KISNA was gonna be a box office flop

I saw Kisna Yesterday. A simple old story (Radha-Krishan), nicely depicted on mid 20th century Indian characters.

Vivek Mushram - Hritisha Bhatt pairing was nice. Whether intended or not, fear ran through spine whenever Amrish Puri was on screen.

Sushmita acting was fine, but I'm no fan of Mujras (perhaps this was the way of life in those days in those places where story took place) and this chapter definitely seems forced. Without it, the film would have been faster paced. There would be no Sushmita though.

Music and songs were good and would have sounded better with DTS/ DD and plenty of bass.

May be, expectations were more, but the same film without any hype might have done better.

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http://www.boxofficeindia.com/

BOX OFFICE UPDATE-22nd January 18.00 IST

Kisna gets the poorest opening ever for a Subhash Ghai film.It is even worse than Pardes and Taal,the other Ghai films which did not open well.But these films managed to pick up but there seems no chance of that for Kisna.Yesterday was a holiday(Eid) and collections were not even 50% and this morning the film has dropped further.The film is better in big theatres but that is due to the advance booking.
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Yes the film end credits do have DTS logo (along with DD) but as always, no DTS prints in theatres. Not even those theatres that have excellent DTS and no DD. Why?? No body cares.

Ghai struggles to come to grips with changing audience tastes and his own inability to come up with anything new, from an empty fount of creativity.

This has to be Ghai's next worst venture after YAADEIN! Nothing was new, every 'twist & turn' (if at all that) was predictable. Allusions to Hindu philosophy were used like a poor whore all through the film. If this is Ghai's way of including subtext then God help us all! It is this compulsive obsession of Ghai's, that his audiences are idiots or nincompoops, which will lead to his downfall again and again.

As mhafner points out, the only saving grace is Antonia Bernath. This gal's talented and will do well in her career. Everyone else in the movie is probably trying to do what Ghai asked them to, or actually showed them how to since he is known to act out scenes to his actors, and fails rather miserably.

It copies everything from JUNOON to LAGAAN. The cinematography is by and large very poor. The dialogues by Javed Akhtar are abysmal in most places. Isha Shravani's better off joining a circus. Her contortions are inexplicable and the need for which in the film's context were lost on me in any case! Vivek Oberoi is wasted. I wonder why I ever thought this guy was talented ! Except COMPANY he has not impressed me in one film afterwards!


A total waste of time. Ghai goes into that bin of filmmakers, whose movies I will henceforth not waste prime monies watching on the big screen. Pirate DVDs will have to do and I hope that hurts MUKTA Arts' bottom line!

Kisna is also playing in Windsor.


"Kisna"

Playing this week at:

Palace Cinemas
300 Ouellette Avenue, Windsor, ON
Fri, Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu: 7:30
Sat, Sun: 2:00, 7:30
Fri, Sat night: 10:45

Windsor-Detroit, combined together, is a big center (easy border crossings and touching cities) for Indian shows. Usually, this market is not tapped properly.

I wonder if Indian films are shown in Detroit theatres??

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Kisna can't be a box office disaster because of overseas revenues. Kisna premier (in India) collected close to one crore rupees for charity.

I was first one to vote as such! ghar ya bahar! irrespective![/list]

I just saw the first hour tonight (the fire alarm went off about that far into the movie, and the audience had to evacuate; apparently, the ceiling was caving in!), and I'd say wait for video.

Ghai tries hard, but this is nothing more than a mish-mash of Titanic, Asoka, Gadar, and a whole lot of other films relayed in a sub-par manner. I suppose I'll reserve judgment until I watch the end (on video), but I'm a little thankful that I didn't have to sit through it all.