HanuMan movie review: Fun, visually stunning lesson in how to use mythology in modern cinema, Adipurush can take notes

Director: Prasanth Varma

Cast: Teja Sajja, Amritha Aiyer, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Vinay Rai, Getup Srinu, Vennela Kishore

Where to watch: Theatres

Rating: 3.5 stars

In what can only be described as Rangasthalam meets Brahmastra meets Minnal Murali, HanuMan is the best start to the year Telugu cinema could have had. Yes, I know, Mahesh Babu’s Guntur Kaaram has come out on the same day and will probably mint far more at the box office. But HanuMan is a more important film. With a budget that is only a fraction of bigger tentpole films, it gives you some amazing visual effects, splendid world building, and the childlike innocence of superhero films that has been missing in most mega films in India. HanuMan is by no meansa perfect film but it is a good start in the right direction for Prasanth Varma’s new cinematic universe.

HanuMan follows Hanumant (Teja Sajja), a good-for-nothing young man in the fictitious village of Anjadhri, who finds himself bestowed with the powers of Lord Hanuman in a neat twist of fate. With this, he first tries to impress his crush, the local doctor Meenakshi (Amritha Aiyer), and then turns protector for the village itself. But where there is a superhero, there must be a supervillain. The power draws Michael (Vinay Rai), a superhero-obsessed vigilante who won’t stop at anything to obtain Hanumant’s powers.

HanuMan is a simple story. It borrows elements from Indian mythology, mostly from the Ramayana and the depictions of Lord Hanuman and his exploits in the various oral and written traditions of Hinduism. But it succeeds where the likes of Adipurush or Ram Setu failed because it treats the source matter carefully and with due reverence. Prasanth Varma understands just how sensitive and respectful he needs to be while adapting it all.

First things first, despite the vociferous proclamations of Jai Shri Ram and songs borrowing lyrics from popular bhajans, HanuMan is not a religious film. It is a superhero film that uses mythology and religious elements, blending them with science and spirituality quite neatly. There are ample references to pop culture elements, ranging from Spider-Man and Superman to Baahubali and Pushpa and even Rajinikanth’s superhero image, all done quite organically. The film is self aware, almost breaking the fourth wall in many places, making it a fun watch.

The world building of HanuMan is top notch. The backstory and references to Lord Hanuman are done impactfully. The constraints if the budget are visible only scarcely because director Prasanth Varma uses natural shots and wide angle quite effectively to portray grandeur in scale. The visual effects are commendable indeed. They do not feel amateurish or badly done in any frame. Perhaps the makers of Rs 400-500 crore films like Adipurush and Ram Setu can borrow an element or two from here the next time.

The performances are nothing to write home about honestly. Teja Sajja looks the part as Hanumant and does a neat job without really excelling. Amritha Aiyer as Meenakshi has a different, not stereotypical role but little scope of doing much with her performance. Vinay Rai is a good villain but fails to bring the menace of Michael’s evil intentions to the screen. The actors do ham a bit, going over the top in the most intense scenes, true to the Telugu mass genre. That is where the film loses its slickness.

Another aspect that tests the audience’s patience is the illogical, wayward way in which the plot moves forward. Gunfire, arson, bombs exploding – everything is happening in this village and yet nobody is bothered. The suspension of belief id slightly higher here. The climax brings the biggest fail in the form the villain’s all-conquering power suit that looks like something assembled in a school science project.

But full credit to Prasanth Varma that despite these handicaps, he delivers an exciting and whistleworthy climax fight scene, which looks like it belongs in a superhero film. And then the epilogue (no spoliers) brings one of the most exciting sequences seen in Indian films of late, rivalling even Brahmastra’s epilogue in terms of scale. Where HanuMan truly wins is in establishing Lord Hanuman’s stature as a giant of God, towering above mortals. That awe he inspired despite not being fully present on screen is all in the writing and direction.

HanuMan is a good stepping stone for Prasanth Varma, a filmmaker known for his experimental cinema, or at least a penchant for flirting with different genres. The film is the first instalment in a franchise and if it is successful, it will give the filmmaker more to play with in terms of scale and budgets. I, for one, can’t wait to see what he has in store for us after this.