The year 2024 has begun on a great note for the Telugu film industry with the release of Prasanth Varma’s HanuMan starring Teja Sajja, Amritha Aiyer, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Vinay Rai, Vennela Kishore and more.
The film successfully launches a superhero franchise of Varma who is known for his experimenting while staying true to several cinematic roots including the seamless inclusion of mythology.
HanuMan adds a feather in the cap of Desi superhero cinema
If you have ever attempted to search for a Desi superhero franchise then you might have been disappointed. There are only a handful of saviors of that world that have saved their films from tanking at the box office this includes Krrish, Mr. India, Veeran, and Ra.One.
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The major roadblock in creating a superhero movie in India beyond the VFX is that our cinema is filled with leads who easily showcase superhero strengths without the requirement of radioactivity.
Due to this, it is commendable how HanuMan manages to pull off a superhero theme by holding onto the tried and tested skills of filmmaking as opposed to trying to adapt the Western hits for Indian audiences.
Everyone clapping 👏 after movie complete,you can imagine how much they liked it.#Hanuman #PCX pic.twitter.com/B5DMJ42l9q
— Mohan Kumar (@ursmohan_kumar) January 11, 2024
The film is set in a sleepy fictitious village Anjanadri, where people barely manage to survive. Anjanadri also faces the expectable difficulties including barbaric, oppressive practices, and backward society.
In this sleepy town, the lead Hanumanthu (Teja Sajja) and the villain engage in a superpower struggle. The film uses this theme to reference many superhero films from Superman to Spiderman while making it clear that Hanumanthu’s strength is joined with his cultural roots.
Much like the film which doesn’t shy away from adding comic scenes, love stories, side plots, music, and dance sequences along with the staple action, adventure, and fantasy elements of a superhero movie.
HanuMan’s seamless adaption of mythology
The movie’s name and theatrical posters give the impression that it will ride on the devotional angle matching the political climate of the nation. However, the divinity of Indian mythology doesn’t overpower the film while creating its base.
The interval block is mind-blowing. Goosebumps level. #Hanuman pic.twitter.com/05xfoY4IL8
— Sam Mathad (@sameermathad) January 11, 2024
The film gives a nod to the story of Hanuman, a monkey diety while building the world of HanuMan. It also smartly incorporates the Sun as an integral part of the story further strengthening its connection with the story of deity Rama’s devote, as per Film Companion.
However, that is where the film’s uniqueness ends. The storytelling that engages the audience in the first half faces many blocks ahead with the exploration of subplots and side quests, as per the Deccan Chronicle.
VFX of #Hanuman will be a case study in coming months for all the filmmakers in India & abroad.
The kind of result they have managed to achieve in fraction of a budget is simply UNPRECEDENTED.
I am smelling a BLOCKBUSTER IN MAKING ALREADY !!
Cinephiles- DO NOT MISS THIS… pic.twitter.com/nBr4yttqZq
— Sumit Kadel (@SumitkadeI) January 11, 2024
Its VFX is also limited with a couple of standout moments among the many done and dusted shots featuring less-than-ideal CGI effects. That being said, it is still a film that provides a platform for the development of Varma’s Cinematic Universe.
It also promises a familiarity and delightful mix of humor, myths, and action that many desi superhero films fail to build upon. Lastly, the HanuMan movie succeeds in engaging the audience in the Anjanadri universe which can easily get bigger and better with polished narration and VFX.
