Homegrown superhero film Minnal Murali thin on special effects

First there was Shaktiman, then there was a series of Shaktimans in various garbs. Next came Mr India and then the differently enabled Krish.

And now there is Minnal Murali from down South, Minnal being lightning in Malayalam.

The good thing about original Indian superhero movies is that all of them are a result of some natural hit, be it lightning, or powers from outer space or a potion.

And the other good thing is that all of them are entirely Indian and pretty original characters rooted in the sights and sounds of some nook or cranny of India.

 

The third and final goodness? They are fun to be with and carry their superpowers lightly on their shoulders.

Murali Minnal is one such who lives in a small town in the remote south where one reaches or exits by boat.

Directed by Basil Thomas, the film courageously pins its pivot on an unknown tailor with ambitions to go abroad and make something of himself.

Until of course lightning hits Tovino Thomas and he gains immense powers which include breaking down doors with mere touch, pulling back a bus from a cliff end and also fighting a counterpart who too is hit by the same lightning and gains magnetic powers.

So there is a super hero here for you and there is a super villain and the twins meet towards the end for a climax.

Why this Indian superhero will work? Mainly because they are rooted in very Indian ambience.

Then, they are very you and me struggling with life’s events the same as a man next door would have. The best thing about this superhero is that he is entirely human with all human failings of a common man.

You understand his powers come from a quirk of nature and he too struggles to understand the changes overcoming him.
The super villain on the other hand is slightly crazy and turns destructive in the face of unrequited love.

So what’s the glitch? Technology and CGs do not match up to any Shade of say a Marvel domain and the story is more commonplace than it is superhero.

Even the climax somehow fails to use technology to make it the film’s big moment of clash and victory of good vs evil.

On the whole, however, with realistic expectations and an understanding of budgetary and other limitations you may applaud Basil’s effort.