Indian cinema needs its own superheroes

By Shambhavi Upadhyay

Raipur: From Shaktiman to Krishh, India has had its fair share superheroes in the past. But in the recent times there has been an initiative in the Indian cinema to try and create not just conventional but also more believable and everyday superheroes in the form of ‘Mard ko Dard Nahin Hota’ (MKDNH) and ‘Bhavesh Joshi’.

With Rohit Shetty’s ‘Cop Universe’ doing wonders in the box office, there have been talks to work on a superhero cinematic universe based on comic books such as Raj Comics’ Bhediya and Shakti just like Marvel Cinematic Universe.

There are a lot of inconsistencies with the way this genre has been tackled so far. Gone are the days when the audience could be satisfied with subpar special effects and plot line. Exposure to international cinema has not just introduced the Indians to a wide range and variety of cinema but has also improved the general quality of the industry with innovations in technology and other aspects such as the narration style.

“I think there is a certain element that is expected out of a superhero movie. A thrilling action sequence which is in all honesty practically unimaginable is what makes it unique and enjoyable and that is heavily dependent on CGI. I watched ‘Flying Jatt’, and I felt that the story was quite alright in terms of a superhero movie, but better CGI and better villains would have made it effective and engaging in the true sense,” says Anish Agarwal, an 18-year-old college student, a huge superheroes fan.

As a fan, Anish feels that while Indianizing a particular movie is essential to cater to an Indian audience, but the unnecessary songs and dances take a lot away from the seriousness of the plot. “it’s not that we can’t make movies without those, we did that for ‘Baby’,” he says.

There is a great potential that lies in the gold mine of India comic literature when it comes to superheroes, from enthralling backstories to engaging super villains. “Talking about the superheroes from our comics like Raj Comics’ ‘Bhediya’, ‘Shakti’, ‘Nagraj’ and ‘Doga’, they have so much potential. Mythological characters would not only appeal to the Indian audiences but also make the plots more believable,” he says. For instance, Shakti derives her power from Goddess Kali, these are some common Gods that could be attributed and made real in an alternate universe which brings all these characters together.

Avid comic readers like Shubham Singh, have their own view points about Indian superheroes. He feels that the plot lines though need to be reworked to create a new universe. “I believe the major problem with Indian storylines is, that we create powers according to the situations, comparatively speaking Marvel has always focused on tackling current issues with existing powers. There are upgradations in the same power of course, but a guy whose strength is fire for instance will not suddenly start controlling water too,” says Shubham.

Indian superheroes hold a place on their own. However, the fan base is not a huge and Marvel’s superheroes. “While MKDNH and Bhavesh Joshi had a great storyline, I think they lacked in marketing. If that is done right, they would get a much larger audience,” he says.

An Indian cinematic superheroes pantheon is something comic fans dream of. They want to see more investment from production companies in this genre so that the Indian superhero can be as big as the Marvel world. Amen to that dream!

This story was first published in the The Times of Bennett print edition (February 2021), a student-run initiative of The Times School of Media, Bennett University.
(The writer is a first year student of BA (Journalism and Mass Communication) of The Times School of Media)
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