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| Adhira and Jai Hanuman will come after Teja Sajja's HanuMan. |
Review of HanuMan: The first movie in Prasanth Varma's cinematic universe, directed by Teja Sajja
Review of HanuMan: Prasanth Varma only helmed three films prior to HanuMan, and with each one he tried something new. HanuMan, starring Teja Sajja, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Amritha Aiyer, and Vinay Rai, inaugurates the Prasanth Varma Cinematic Universe (PVCU). Like its titular character, the movie started out as a bit of an underdog but may end up being a success story (also read: HanuMan is culturally rooted, not religious: Director Prasanth Varma)
Small-time thief Hanumanthu (Teja) leads a carefree life with his sister Anjamma (Varalaxmi) in the made-up village of Anjanadri, which is surrounded by nature, a large statue of Hanuman, and an underdeveloped sense of isolation. When Hanumathu discovers a totem that gives him the ability to do much more with his life, it draws the attention of Michael (Vijay) and his friend Siri (Vennela Kishore). A sequence of events puts Anjanadri and the world in jeopardy, and Hanumanthu must rise to the challenge.
HanuMan review
HanuMan seems like any other superhero origin story on paper: an underdog who is frequently ignored by everyone until he gains superpowers; a hilarious sidekick (Getup Srinu) who does not think his lanky friend can have superpowers until he proves it; and so on. It is all fun and games until the stakes get higher and there is a great show of strength after a "all is lost" moment. However, Prasanth does it all so brilliantly that you almost do not mind.
A monkey named Koti (Ravi Teja), Srinu, Satya, and other characters create funny moments in HanuMan, which takes its sweet time to get into the thick of things. Sunishith and Rakesh Master also make cameos, with references to their histrionics on YouTube.
When Hanumanthu finds out he has superpowers and enjoys using them, the movie picks up speed. HanuMan also demonstrates why it is so difficult to establish a superhero movie in Telugu when actors like Mahesh Babu, Pawan Kalyan, Allu Arjun, and Balakrishna play regular people and make bad guys fly in mainstream theaters even in the absence of superpowers.
The film's core is the tale of an underdog, akin to Lord Hanuman, who fails to see his own strength, and the bond he has with his sister, who receives a moment of fame when she defends him.
What doesn’t work
The film dabbles in a love story starring Meenakshi (Amritha) and sets up another villain (Raj Deepak Shetty), both of which almost lead to nowhere after a strong beginning that demonstrates just how dangerous Michael can be. It just makes you wish the film had spent more time dedicated to Michael, delving deeper into his need to have power at any cost.
However, some of the film's most important moments, particularly an emotional sequence and the climax, are diluted a little because you can not help but notice that the CGI is not as good as the ambition is. The helicopter shots also look amateurish. HanuMan's VFX work is top-notch when introduced to Anjanadri, with a drone-like shot that stays with you.
The PVCU universe
Aside from Dasaradhi Sivendra's cinematography, Prasanth does a good job of drawing you into the world of Anjanadri. The music of Anudeep Dev, Gowra Hari, and Krishna Saurabh also helps with that. While the song Avakaya Anjaneya does not add much to the story overall, it is entertaining to watch Hanumanthu come into his own while beating up some dacoits while a folk song plays in the background.
More than anything, HanuMan has a little bit of everything families look for in a Sankranthi fare. The film keeps you entertained for 2 hours 38 minutes and seems like something children would love. With the sequel, Jai Hanuman and Adhira starring Kalyan Dasari, it remains to be seen how Prasanth carries the momentum forward.