A broad, familiar story arc that we associate with superhero films has to do with an underdog character, bestowed with superpowers, taking on an enemy who wants to use the superpower for destructive purposes. In these stories, the tropes are familiar. The success of such narratives lies in how the writers and directors make us root for the underdog character and what he/she stands for, while enjoying the larger-than-life possibilities that arise from the clash between good and evil. HanuMan, the first film in the superhero universe created by director Prasanth Varma, follows this template and draws just enough from the chapters of the Ramayana, to narrate a Chandamama-like story laced with pop culture references and fun, massy segments that Telugu cinema is known for.
The opening segment acknowledges the influence of Marvel and DC superhero films through the character of a boy who hopes that he, too, will be a spiderman after being bitten by a spider. However, this sets the stage for a superpower-thirsty maniac Michael (Vinay Rai) who goes by the moniker M. While M’s world is high on technology and the city’s night skyline is dotted with high rises, Prasanth Varma contrasts this with the town of Anjanadri, flanked by mountains, valleys and a larger-than-life rock carving of Hanuman.
The underdog in this story is Hanumanthu (Teja Sajja), a happy go lucky guy who lives with his sister Anjamma (Varalaxmi Sarathkumar). Anjanadri is set in the parallel world of Akhand Bharath whose inhabitants range from people who have been untouched by urbanisation to a monkey named Koti (with voiceover by Ravi Teja). Sweeping drone shots show a picturesque Anjanadri that is reminiscent of a few fictional kingdoms we have seen in superhero films. The large Hanuman rock carving, at a later point, is effectively used to stage heroic moments, in a nod to Rajamouli’s Baahubali.
