The OG Superhero:
A character in HanuMan makes a valid point, when all Southern film heroes act like they have superhuman strength, how is a genuine superhero to prove his worth? Prasanth Varma finds the solution–a touch of mythology.
The influence of Hollywood’s superhero films and SS Rajamouli is visible in the happily derivative film that even lists its heroes and hat-tips them. An intriguing prologue shows a kid obsessed with superheroes, who grows up craving power. Michael (Vinay Rai) manages a bullet resistant costume with the help of his scientist buddy (Vennala Kishore), but he wants to move from being a cut price crime fighter, to world domination. Which will later lead him to Anjanadri, a village that time seems to have forgotten, though with its massive Hanuman statue and scenic beauty would have quickly become a tourist attraction.
Running about the village using his skill with the sling shot to compete for mangoes with a chattering monkey (voiced by Ravi Teja), petty thief Hanumant (Teja Sajja) also hangs out with his milkman sidekick (Getup Srinu) and admires Dr Meenakshi (Amritha Aiyar) from afar. The village is ruled by the evil Gajapathy (Raj Deepak Shetty), who enforces taxes on the residents and beats to death anyone who refuses. (The village has buses coming in, but no telephones and no policemen!).
In trying to save Meenakshi from dacoits, Hanumant is badly wounded but also accidentally finds a shining gem, that heals his broken bones and gives him the strength to smash walls and throw villains’ henchmen “higher than South films” (their words!). Michael learns of Hanumant’s superpowers and arrives in the village with his helicopters, drones, hi-tech vans and multinational bodyguards. He claims he wants to help the village progress, but all he wants is the gem.
Hanumant is not in the least affected by his sudden physical prowess, and uses it mostly for his own amusement. It is when the village is threatened that he even figures out what it means to be given the gem and how he has to fight destructive forces—but in the next installment of the series, Jai Hanuman. Michael and his gizmos are formidable, but not asura level.
As a superhero origin story, HanuMan picks up a long- established template, but Prasanth Varma does not seem to have heard of editing, either on paper or on the machine. Every scene is drawn out, the comedy tracks are awful, when the tension has built up, the death of a character (complete with weepy funeral song and rites) serves little purpose. When he wants to inject some fun into it, the film brightens up—like the fight sequence with old ladies singing, dancing and making pickle in the background.
Watching the Hindi dubbed version is a bit disorienting, and the region-specific references are missed. The performances are loud by today’s standards and the special effects patchy. If the story engages, the other flaws can be ignored, but this one barely keeps above boredom level.
Teja Sajja is agile and a decent actor, but not charismatic enough to watch in almost every frame. It all comes together towards the end, when the mythological links are made clear and the devotional aspect is dialled up, to prepare the ground for the sequel. In keeping with the mood of the times—and Lord Hanuman on top of the popularity charts (Disney is releasing Season 3 of The Legend of Hanuman this week)—it will require divine help to vanquish evil.
(This piece first appeared in rediff.com)
