Movies

The Return of Hanuman, a series and not a sequel to the country's most successful animation film Hanuman (as projected through film), makes all tinsel town eyes glued to the box office barometer. The reason is simple and straight as Bollywood sees a promising future in the animation world in coming years. In 2005, the super success of 'Hanuman' made the entire film industry peep into the intricacies and technicalities of the animation world. It resulted in success of animation techniques in many films but full-fledged animation films in child-fiction segment like 'Krishna', 'My Friend Ganesha' and 'Bal Ganesha' failed to create the austerely charm of 'Hanuman'.

The Bollywood trade as well as and the producers are pinning hopes on animation films as their second best resort to hi-profile multi-starrers. The big hike in star prices and lack of available dates has focused all attention on the animation industry but the discouraging results of tell other stories.


Anurag Kashyap's directed 'Return of Hanuman' is presumed to be the costliest warfare in this genre. Kashyap has so far had a mixed year with critically acclaimed docu-drama 'Black Friday' and a washout in the form of poorly conceived 'No Smoking'. 'Return of Hanuman' holds major significance for him as well as for Bollywood as the latter is banking on the country's most successful animation film.


'Return of Hanuman' alienates itself completely from the concept of mythological animation drama projected in 'Hanuman'. The film has a contemporary modern world outlook where Lord Hanuman wishes to return to earth through the mischievous adventures of a modern day kid. 'Hanuman' had a huge success thanks to the engrossing narration that collaged effectively with impressive animation techniques and heart-throbbing music.


Earlier, 'Vaah Life Ho to Aisi' tried to mince and mix mythological characters and fictionalize it humorously in modern world decorum but results were neither promising nor encouraging. 'Return of Hanuman' takes all sorts of liberties in both characterization as well as narration in trying to rejuvenate these formulations. The film projects the voice over of many present day celebrity characters to evoke hilarity in the execution. It succeeds to a large extent in the first half but the second half is a bit dragging when the "asurs" from "Shukra Graha" attack planet earth.


Generally speaking, the success of an ideal animation film depends upon its impressive animation techniques, well-sketched caricatured characters, enthralling narration, crisp dialogues, imposing background music and finally tight screenplay that can crisply describes the entire eventful happening in the two-hour plus package. "Toonz Animation", the mastermind behind all animation wizardry delivers substantial work in executing of many enthralling scenes. The chirpy talk between Hanuman and Narad is hilarious while the caricatures of Rahu and Ketu are aptly designed. The film entertains but the fervor is restricted to some well-executed sequences.

'Return of Hanuman' starts off with Lord Hanuman showing great interest in visiting planet earth in the form of an ordinary human being. The song "Aasman Ko Chhukar", a fun-filled track where he experiences all the seven wonders of the world along with playing all major sports is the biggest highlight. The film picks up brilliantly and now it's all shouldered on the basic plot of the film. Lord Hanuman is blessed by Lord Brahma to return to Earth in the form of a kid called "Maruti". It's all due to the Shukracharya's curse that Earth has become hell and it's all up to Lord Hanuman to save fellow human beings from the ultimate disaster of baddies and "pralaya" (the final destruction of earth).

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The scene where 3-month-old Maruti seeks admission in school evokes great laughter and is animated well. Maruti starts going to school and his peculiar adventures start taking place when he accompanies gloomy kid Minku. The football match sequence is another enthralling animated move that really sets the pace of the film. It is followed by many wild and madcap escapades where Maruti pulls himself and his friends out of trouble. The insatiable appetite of kid "Maruti" turns headache for the entire village. It even separates his bosom friend Minku and Munni from him.


The mysterious bunch of bad guys (One eyed man, Gabbar Singh, wolfs etc), hostages all men of the village and now captures Maruti in their evil web. The savior comes in the form of "Vaanar Sena", led by dude monkey who had voice over of Shahrukh Khan. The self-proclaimed Gabbar Singh along with "One eyed man" is defeated by "Vaanar Sena".There is some breathtaking "Matrix" style of animation where Maruti saves himself from volley of bullets. There is also amusement in the voice over of stars like Raj Kumar, Sanjeev Kumar and Amjad Khan for the main villain of the film.

The scenario shifts towards "Shukra Grah" where "Shukra TV" announcers (sportingly funny) spread the news of loss of magical wand. Rahu and Ketu appoint two of their army men (in form of bees) to capture this magical wand from earth. The climax of film is all about fight for this magical wand and the final fight between "asurs" and Lord Hanuman on earth.

'Return of Hanuman' is an impressive piece of fiction with some finely delivered hilarious moments in the first half and enthralling moments in the second half. If compared to its predecessor 'Hanuman', it won't be as enterprising or bankable as far as the box office reports are concerned. The concept of mixing present day humor in mythological characters may be difficult to digest for every body while the low promotion has also failed to create buzz for the film. Tapas Relia's music is the highlight but the fun is simply restricted to enthusiastically fictionalized "Aasman Ko Chhukar" and to some extent in "Dhishum Dhishum". "Toonz Animation" has delivered potential animation work but it's still not up to quality mark depicted in 'Hanuman'. It was believed that 'Return of Hanuman' would be setting new records in Indian animation industry but the most successful animation flick 'Hanuman' still leads the show.

'Return of Hanuman' is expected to be enjoying X-mas vocational weekend benefits but there is nothing ground- breaking that film promises to offer. Recently, there was another impressive animation film 'Bal Ganesha' that had great attributes, both in animation as well as in narration, but still it proved a damp squib at the box office.

Bollywood has still to learn basic aesthetics of good animation films from Hollywood to make this a substantial genre for hoi polloi. 'Return of Hanuman' is likely to be appreciated by child-audiences but the magnitude of success is simply unpredictable. Do watch out for better surprises in Yashraj's 'Roadside Romeo' and 'Ghatotkach' in the coming year!
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