Hanuman Returns: Preview
Hanuman Returns, hopefully, to end the year 2007 with a bang and make sure that the year 2008 is going to be Ravan-free. The expectations on this film are very high – even though it is not a sequel of Hanuman. Well, I am really excited about this film. I am no’ little kid, but I like animation films. Will the film meet my expectations/excitement? Why aren’t people excited about the film as much as I am?
I watched Hanuman the other day – I still enjoyed the film – albeit the film having heaps of flaws. I did/do not like the narration – it is too quick – and if I remember correctly, the film was promoted as a movie about baby Hanuman – but the movie shows everything! Then the movie is not synced properly. Basically, there were so many technical flaws. I found The Jungle Book to be a lot technically better than Hanuman. But those are also the reason why I like the film so much. It is an Indian film. Indian characters. Indian story. Indian colors. I like the film for the same reason as why we love TV dramas like Akbar-Birbal, Vikram-Betal, Krishna, Mahabharat, etc.
You know, I think, you can tell a difference between an Anime and a Pixar/Disney movie by just comparing at the colors/drawing they use. It is completely different from each other – different styles. An Anime is more likely to be a dark film – more human characters, and a Pixar/Disney film is more likely to be technically brilliant – and more animal characters – and it looks quite real. And both kind of animations is appreciated. This is a rough generalization.
What I am trying to say here is that, we should keep our animation style and improve the technical aspects to get rid of the amateurish tag. Because, that is the only way I see the Indian animation improving and getting appreciated. Forming a JV with either Disney or Pixar, is a good thing, but Roadside Romeo is not going to be a good product. Technically it will be brilliant – but the film will be a joke – the film won’t have an Indian feel to it nor an universal feel. Disney would have been far better to form a JV with an Indian based animation house rather than with Yash Raj.
Anyway, back to Hanuman Returns, when I first read or heard concept of the film – baby Hanuman in the 21st century, I had an expression of – ‘what the…’ – I imagined the film would be a farce – as they would have hipped the movie and dumbed down the movie so much to make the film very commercialized. I just could not digest the concept. But I was proved wrong when I saw the promos of Hanuman Returns. The promos are quite impressing. I am warming up to the concept – the fusion between 21st century and the mythology – although the sketches weren’t that all – but it were..chalega. I hope this film is far more tight than Hanuman was – better voices used – I do not want to hear voice of the ‘Shaktiman’- no third person narration – and the film is just about baby Hanuman – not his entire life! Plus, the film does not look any cheap – like Bal Ganesh/Krishna did. This is a far more superior product than Bal Ganesh/Krishna.
The soundtrack is impressive as well. Thankfully, they have not ‘disconized’ (or remixed) the album to sell the film to children. Tapas Relia – music director of Hanuman Returns has composed an attractive album for everyone – not just for one section of audience. Dishoom Dishoom is my favorite song from the album – the song is on same wavelength as on ‘Akdam Bakdam’. Dishoom Dishoom will be a hit song amongst the kids. I do not like ‘Superstar’ song, though. I am talking like a kid ‘ere. Erm, this kind of films sort of brings a kid into you.. you know..
I do not think the film will be releasing in UK or overseas, which is a shame. So I will have to wait for the DVD. I would really have liked the distributor at least testing the overseas market, if not giving Hanuman Returns a full throttle release. Hanuman Returns, is a family movie, an animation film, a mythological film, and believe me, NRIs are sucker for those kind of movies. Having a limited overseas release would have been suffice.
I am not aware of how the film has been promoted or publicized in India. I do not think the film is needed a lot of marketing. The film will sell it self even if it is not stunning. You just need to make consumers aware of the product. But since the film is releasing during the festive period, so it should do a good business, and perhaps better than what Hanuman earned. I hope so. I want this film to work big time, so people again jump on the animation bandwagon and hence, keep pursuing with Indian animation, but invest a lot of money to churn better quality animation films.
By the way, Hanuman Return, is a real film – the film is as real as Krrish or Dhoom were, in fact, it is more real than Krrish or Dhoom.
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Verma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
I love the promos of the movie. Lets hope the entire flick is as good as the trailer. I like the music especially Daler’s song used in the promo.
I think marketing is not done properly. When Hanuman was releasing my newphew was aware of the release but for this he is not aware that sequal of Hanuman is releasing. I also feel the same. Promos and videos are not seen as frequently as Welcome and Taare zameen par’s promos are seen.
i liked mukesh rishi’s voiceover in Hanuman .. anyways waiting for part 2
The kids in India have a more hectic life than their elders. The kids have a long day – school, tuition and then other activities like dance/music/sport. I do not know if they would get time to watch TV! Anyway, the festive period and one clear week.. should work in favor of Hanuman Returns.
‘Sides, parents will take their kids to watch
‘Welcome’‘Taare Zameen Par’ and they might see poster of Hanuman Returns…Sahi Bola Goonda
i really like Daler’s song…i’m already recommending this film to my little cousins…hope it turns out to be very entertaining…
Goonda Bhai, count me in! I am also looking forward to this film. Liked the first one for few reasons, a true blue Indian mythology hero transposed to the contemporary animation form, then our own sweet memories of telly Ramayana, then the quick paced flow, and that cool OST with the track, ‘mahabali maharudra’. Was fun. Looking forward to this one too.
Indian kids are definitely caught up, but they do find time for their beyblades, power rangers, pogos and nickels, so will they for the sequel considering the fact how they lapped up the first one.
I liked the paci(y)ness(whatever the heck that means) in songs of thif film, liked Dhishum dishum, blackhole, superstar and the musical Hanuman Chalisa(I am very happy that finally such a lucid form came out, it simply continues to flow). Superstar is pucca world klass stuff.
oh yeah, Hanuman Chalisa, so surprising…. a good blend of flute/piano/guitar… most would have hipped the song or just had Dandia/Garba/Bar band sort of music.
and luckily, there is no rubbish english (c)rap in any of the songs.
the soundtrack of hanuman 2 is out ? whr can i get it ? recomment some good songs yar
filmibhai,
you can listen to ‘Hanuman Returns’ soundtrack at MusicIndiaOnline. It’s a legit website, a good website.
I am also checking out Sunday & My name is anthony gonsalves(jeez such a long fu**in name).
Sunday is good popcorn stuff, like fool n final.
Me love the Instumental Medley track in Hanuman Returns too.
thanks HG .. any link to dwnld frm ?
no, buy the soundtrack or legally download the soundtrack, don’t be stingy.
:-D
arey ‘bhagwaan’ ke liye is album ko to chhod do, lol!
‘no, buy the soundtrack or legally download the soundtrack, don
I too have loved the promos of Hanuman Returns. Waiting eagerly for it.
Hurray,
Tommorrow morning,there is a Private Screening of
“Hanuman Returns” for us,
In Kerala, where I work these days,.
in “Toonz Animation India”, who did Animation Production of “Hanuman Returns”:)
it vill be the biggest hit of the millineum coz the the film has outrageous outlook.:d/
am heart broken…no first day first show(that I eagerly awaited) for me as it was CANCELLED here at PVR PRIYA
@$%)&^%$#
PVR: KITNE AADMI THE?
(H)ANU-FAN: The Child In Me
PVR: SHOWWWW CACELLED!!!!!!!
:(
Why would they have a show at 10 o’clock?!! The kids would be still sleeping or at school…
The film did not get a good review from Rediff.
I do not get the reviewer – Sukanya – she prefers a film like ‘Welcome’ – appreciates all the masala and cartoonness (stupidness) in the film and here in Hanuman Returns – an animation film – she criticizes all that.
And how can it be homage to OSO – when Hanuman Returns was completed before OSO and was meant to be releasing a week before OSO?
Saw the film first day first show and thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this cool, cheeky, irreverent fun-flm!
Congrats Anurag for yet another feather in the cap! Please keep up this good work!
Fatema
[Admin Note(HG): Please refrain from posting illegal websites.]
@HG
kids sleeping at 10 o’clock? Are you talking about college ‘kids’?
I remember when I was in middle school I used to get up quite early, gave up that bad habit as soon as I went to class IX :D
may be things have changed :-<
hey they hav a 10 o’ clock show so that schools can bring buses full of kids to the watch it and shout JAI BAJRANGBALIII!!!
and HG when r u catching it?
thx neeraja
how does one direct an animation film ? duh !
kshtiij, the film is not going to get a release.. where i live, so will have to wait for the dvd!
uh huh sorry for that. blunder!
the artist(s) who designed Hanuman’s face deserves to be credited .. boy hanuman looks cuute !! :x
@ HG They altered some dialogues of Hanuman Returns aka The return of hanuman only after OSO..Like narad muni saying Om Shanti Om instead of Narayan Narayan.. I havent seen the movie but i read this article in the newspaper and someone from percept confirmed that they did this after watching OSO.Also they changed the name of the movie from Hanuman Returns to The return of Hanuman due to numerological reasons.
By the way can anyone tell me if KKC is a dark movie.. I havent seen that movie
Alone, was that OSO – bit news in a print media? I cannot find a link for it.
Apparently, they spent around 2 Crores, to change the name! I want to get a hold of that numerologist, then bribe him…..
I have not seen KKC.
Yea print media ( mumbai mirror)
They spend 2 crore without any effect.. half the city is still plastered with the poster of Hanuman returns and ppl have that title on their mind
and i tght business is all abt logic :D
http://www.indiafm.com/movies/trivia/13406/index.html
thats exactly the article that was printed in MM
@Goonda, How do you know Roadside Romeo will be a bad product? Have you seen the movie or are you making illogical judgements just to get some ‘wah-wah’ from your ilk.
because i saw the teaser – i have read the short synopsis of it – and i did not like any of that. i think, it will be a farce. I am allowed to judge a book by cover, aren’t I?
“illogical judgements just to get some
lagta hai anurag kashyap aur khalid mohammed ki dosti ho gayi.. slightly sarcastic but not bad review of hanuman returns by him
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=1e8da446-9b86-421b-91b8-19ca4ad15b9a&MatchID1=4625&TeamID1=1&TeamID2=6&MatchType1=1&SeriesID1=1165&MatchID2=4617&TeamID3=3&TeamID4=4&MatchType2=1&SeriesID2=1163&PrimaryID=4625&Headline=Review%3a+EMThe+Return+of+Hanuman%2fEM
My take!
http://www.businessofcinema.com/boc/?file=story&id=6381