Introduction:
Hanuman is a movie genre of action and adventure with touches of Indian myths and an updated plot. They have a newcomer called Teja Sajja who plays the role of Hanumanthu, who is into chivalry and, transforms as a protagonist in the made-up story of ANJANADRI opposed to it. It ranges from right against wrong, bravery, and love and spirit victories.
It has a star-studded cast like Amritha Aiyer, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar and Vinay Rai; the movie is appreciated for its VFX and storytelling sequences. So, this becoming the first movie for the superhero genre launched in the Indian cinematic world, HanuMan has an ambitious goal to set a new pace. In the fictional village of Anjanadri, where the protagonist, Hanumanthu (played by Teja Sajja), embarks on a journey of self-discovery and heroism. The film explores themes of good versus evil, the significance of courage, and the power of love and community.
Release Date:
Hanuman was out for theatrical release on 12th January 2024. The movie is a Telugu movie and the first movie of Prasanth Varma Cinematic Universe (PVCU), where Prasanth Varma is the director. Many people created a buzz waiting for its release in the theatres because of the uniqueness of the idea and the earlier successful movies directed by Samantha. The film generated significant buzz before its release, thanks to its unique premise and the director’s previous successes with films like Awe and Zombie Reddy.
Crew:
| Role | Person(s) |
|---|---|
| Director | Prasanth Varma |
| Screenplay | Scriptsville |
| Writer | Prasanth Varma |
| Producer | K. Niranjan Reddy |
| Editor | Sai Babu Talari |
| Music Director | GowraHari, Anudeep Dev |
Cast:
| Actor/Actress | Character Name |
|---|---|
| Teja Sajja | Hanumanthu / Hanu-Man |
| Revanth Reddy | Young Hanumanthu |
| Amritha Aiyer | Dr. Meenakshi |
| Praanya P Rao | Young Meenakshi |
| Vinay Rai | Michael / Mega Man |
| Vikas | Young Michael |
| Varalaxmi Sarathkumar | Anjamma |
| Samuthirakani | Vibhishana, King of Lanka |
| Vennela Kishore | Dr. Sirivennela “Siri,” Michael’s friend |
| Raj Deepak Shetty | Gajapathi |
| Satya | Gunneswara Rao, a shopkeeper |
| Getup Srinu | Kaasi |
| Rohini Noni | Meenakshi’s friend |
| Rakesh Master | Puli Raju, Gajapathi’s henchman |
| Ravi Teja | Koti, a monkey (voice-over) |
Story:
Action was built around the interesting background of the beautiful though relatively backward village of Anjanadri. Hanumanthu, an elder brother who idles away his life, has a sister Anjamma (Varalaxmi Sarathkumar). The action shoots even further higher when a man of character, named Michael (Vinay Rai) who looks very vicious to dominate the villagers comes into the picture. An immature and power-crazy Michael attempts to capture Anjanadri and anyone who tries to stop him, just to gain superpowers.
The life of Hanumanthu enters a cinematic mode when he stumbles upon divine Rudra Mani and then is shown to be a strong protagonist in the same line as Mutyth Hanuman. This transformation brings the movie the expected hero/villain tussle where Hanumanthu has to fight Michael and save his village from destruction. The movie also has an affair of Hanumanthu with Meenakshi (Amritha Aiyer) who is a doctor who takes up the cause of the poor.
Review:
Audiences and critics have had quite favourable thoughts about HanuMan overall. The symbiosis of mythology and superheroic motifs and the final effect of powerful actors and good special effects have been noted.
Plus Points:
- Engaging Narrative: The story shown in the movie is rather fascinating as it combines an Indian epic and the idea of the new Indian superhero. Thus, the major ideas of individual and community transformation are popular with viewers.
- Strong Performances: Teja Sajja has done a very good job as Hanumanthu and he has moulded himself perfectly from a thief role to a hero role. Varalaxmi Sarathkumar has provided a sensational performance for the character Anjamma and makes the audience believe the portrayed character has power. As for the movie, Amrita Aiyar is quite good and is willing to more than perform the role of Meenakshi. The element of Visual effects (VFX) used in the HanuMan movie are apt and add beauty to the movie. l Indian mythology with a modern superhero narrative. The dual themes of personal growth and community empowerment resonate well with audiences.
- Visual Effects: The visual effects (VFX) in HanuMan are noteworthy, enhancing the film’s overall appeal. The use of CGI with live-action shots is effectively used to offer the audience a good view of the occurrences happening around them.
- Direction: One major aspect of the movie direction done by Prasanth Varma should not be overlooked and greatly attributed as a strength in making the movie. He cares about the importance of emotions and manages to give the audience both humour and action. The film is rather internationally paced, and it sustains its high level in the second part where the action is on.
- Cinematography and Music: Dasaradhi Sivendra has done a good job of capturing the impressive locations of Anjanadri and showing off the hardcore action sequences. The background scores & music composed by Anudeep Dev, Gowra Hari and Krishna Saurabh are beneficial for an emotional feel that suits the movie’s plot.
Minus Points:
- Pacing Issues: Some of the audiences also argued that the tempo of the shooting was slow in the first part of the shooting. As observed there were instances in which the scene was elongated and this may not be very good since interest has to be maintained at such high standards.
- Predictable Plot Points: Still, as the film tells rather a great narrative, some of the twists in the plot of the movie may look stereotyped for someone, who is a faithful follower of superhero films.
- Character Development: While the main characters were built up successfully, some of the side characters could have been fleshed out successfully which should probably have added more value to the book.
- Length: As it approaches 150 minutes in length some viewers may feel that the length of the movie is excessive. A shorter version of it can improve the overall visual experience.
Technical Aspects:
As a result, HanuMan has a high standard of production and this implies that a lot of effort was invested in the performance of HanuMan. Production of the film was made on a big budget as the directors were able to make vivacious sets and quality effects.
- Cinematography: One of the best aspects is cinematography; the beautiful landscape shots and varying positions during actions are/site. The job that Dasaradhi Sivendra possesses appears to have a synergy with the tone and mood of the movie.
- Editing: In this regard, the editing performed by Sai Babu Talari is quite good but there are a few scopes left that could have controlled better while framing scenes.
- Production Design: Not only in music but I think in art direction also the kingdom of Anjanadri was well depicted and even the costumes they wear show the class of the people.
Performance:
Among all the other elements of a movie, is Screenplay done by Teja Sajja gives the lifelike image of Hanumanthu which forms the connecting link. That is why the audience is identified with his character and believes in carefree young men and fearless warriors. Varalaxmi Sarathkumar has done a wonderful job of playing the character of Anjamma and she kind of brings in a nice stability for the film.
The role of transformation through the program has been enacted by the lead dancer who is also an actress Amritha Aiyer for the character of Meenakshi. The numbers go further up with the supporting cast like Vinay Rai who plays a negative role in the film giving a lot of meat to the plot and thereby making the film all the more moving.
MoviePopTime Review:
This is a nice interesting film based on superheroes in Telugu with a Mythological touch to the movie. In general, I had rather pleasant impressions of watching it all thanks to the bright visuals and a good cast.
Teja Sajja rises from the small-time pickpocket, Hanumanthu the protagonist of the film to an extraordinary superhero. The rest of the stars like Varalaxmi Sarathkumar and Vinay Rai, support the plot of the movie in a better way. The techniques of making films are fine with good VFX that supports the plot, some of the scenes especially of the climax require better direction.
The storyline may have been slow until the second half but it was more than compensated by a rather suspense-filled ending that gave me goose pimples. Hence, as much as suggested in the above materials, it is possible to recommend HanuMan to a specific audience, that has watched the mobile films where superheroes are presented and is concerned with Indian myths and legends.
Conclusion:
Hanuman is a monumental piece of Indian cinema and its mythology combined with action and good actors make for a good film. The film which was directed by Prasanth Varma came up with a good plot as well as had considerable production design which places the movie in between the superhero films.
Despite a few weaknesses, HanuMan is worth watching for its appealing plot, strong technical aspects, and solid performances. As the first entry in the Prasanth Varma Cinematic Universe, it introduces an exciting new Indian superhero with sequels and stories in the pipeline, marking a valuable addition to the genre.
Despite some minor flaws, such as pacing issues and predictability, the film’s strengths far outweigh its shortcomings. The engaging narrative, technical brilliance, and powerful performances make it a must-watch for cinema lovers.
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