If a hero is one who saves lives, a superhero is one who does it in style without breaking into a sweat. A superhero boasts a mastery of skills and strength beyond human capabilities or imagination.
Hollywood has churned out innumerable such superheroes and their counterparts — a superhero is incomplete without a super-villain to battle against.
Let’s shift focus to the Indian arsenal of superheroes. When we think about superheroes, the first one we think of is Shaktimaan, of course!
He was something of a Superman for the kids of the 90s. They grew up watching the mighty Shaktimaan tackle his enemies to emerge victorious, and enjoyed the goofy photojournalist Pandit Gangadhar Vidyadhar Mayadhar Omkarnath Shastri. All Shaktimaan needed to conceal his identity was a bucktoothed smile and spectacles hanging from his neck (wears glasses, works at a newspaper, has superhuman powers; does that sound like someone else you know?).
Teaching morals
The TV show was later made into a movie as well. At the end of every episode, there was a short sequence where Shaktimaan taught the young viewers morals and values; this was something original about the superhero. The Indian superhero quilt is rich with its patchwork of exciting characters.
Hindi comics
Much like the DC and Marvel universe, we have “Raj Comics: The Home of Indian Superhero Comics.” Raj Comics started out in 1986 and has since created many superhero franchises. The comics are primarily in Hindi. Two of the most famous superheroes from the RC bandwagon are Nagraj and Super commando Dhruva.
Samit Basu’s ''Turbulence'' is an interesting read for those looking for superhero fiction that’s not in graphic or comic form. ''Turbulence'' talks about unsuspecting humans suddenly acquiring superpowers. What’s unique about the superhumans in this story? Not all of them have extraordinary powers. There’s Aman – the human WiFi. He can tap into any network and hack his way into high security servers in a matter of minutes using just his mind. Then there’s Tia who can replicate herself spontaneously, therefore literally making copies of herself. Vir is an Indian Air Force pilot who can fly at super speeds even when he’s not in a plane. He is also bulletproof and strong enough to move mountains. Uzma is Super Like-Me girl: everyone likes her the instant they see her. Isn’t that a superpower we’d all like to have?
All these superheroes seem to have derived their powers following a dream each of them had aboard a flight to Mumbai. A few days after the flight landed, all the passengers begin to die or disappear. It is clear that someone is hunting them, but who and why? And then there’s the most important question of all – how did they get their superpowers? Will they lose their powers just as suddenly as they acquired them?
Did you know?
There is an Indian version of Peter Parker of Spider-Man fame. He is called Pavitr Prabhakar. The top of the Spidey costume and a dhoti combine to make his super-suit. He lives with his Uncle Bhim and Aunt Maya. Unlike Peter Parker, Pavitr Prabhakar was granted the powers of a spider by a Yogi he encountered while running away from bad guys.
Nagraj
His name translates to “Snake-King” or “King of Snakes.” Nagraj is more than just a snake-charmer; he’s almost a Superman with slithery friends. He has super-strength, can fly, and even has psychic powers. His reptilian counterpart has regenerative abilities and can spawn serpents from thin air. His suit is a bright green with white scales running down the front. His character also caters to the respect and deity-stature that Indian mythology gives to serpentine creatures.
Super Commando Dhruva
He is Aquaman, Batman, and Captain Nick Fury in one entity. He’s Aquaman because he can communicate with animals and sea creatures, and can breathe and talk underwater. He is Batman because he lost his parents, vows revenge, and is also one of the best detectives out there. He is Nick Fury because like him he is a master strategist and tactician. He sports a yellow leotard over a blue spandex bodysuit, a brown belt with a star-shaped buckle, and a pair of brown shoes. In a sense Super Commando Dhruva is not only an awesome character, but a justice league in himself. Yet, he is humble, down to earth, obeys the law, and best of all disarms his enemy without killing him. It is interesting to note that the creator of Super Commando Dhruva (Anupam Sinha) wanted to portray a character that children could relate to and try to emulate . Some other interesting characters from the Raj Comics are: Doga (The Vigilante who uproots evil), Inspector Steel (Cyborg Super Cop), and Super Indian. Most of these Super Heroes give us a feeling of deja vu. Though they are similar to the characters from other comic book franchises, the stories themselves are interesting and vivid.
