Lord Hanuman has always been one of the central characters in the ancient epic Ramayana. He is the son of wind and fondly known as Vayuputra. A popular deity in Hinduism, Hanuman’s mention can also be seen in Jainism and Buddhism. On Hanuman Jayanti today, let’s take a look at the many avatars of the brave, heroic Hanuman from various animated features.
Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama
The first animated Ramayana, Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama which surfaced on kids channels and YouTube saw Hanuman in all his glory. Strong built, muscled body and fierce devotion made the character stand out. The beautiful animation and illustrations have been carved on everybody’s mind, and this version of lord Hanuman holds a special place in our heart. This Indo- Japanese traditional animation feature film was directed and produced by Yugo Sako.
Hanuman
Released in 2005, Hanuman is the first animated feature film that got a theatrical release directed by Kshitij Singh and produced by Percept Pictures and Silvertoons. The animation which was entirely done in 2D, was created by Kakarakaya Pulsu. This movie depicted Hanuman’s life from birth, giving the audience a glimpse of cute baby Hanuman which became a hit overnight.
Hanuman Returns
Directed by Anurag Kashyap, Return of Hanuman released in December 2007. It is a children’s film and has been rated as an Educational Film by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) as it deals with the issue of global warming. The plot of this film follows Hanuman, who is reincarnated as Maruti lands up at the village of Bajrangpur and saves a boy from being bullied by local hooligans.
Hanuman : Da’ Damdaar
Directed by Ruchi Narain and released in 2017, Hanuman : Da’ Damdaar saw a different animation style. Produced by R.A.T Films, celebrity actors like Salman Khan, Raveena Tandon and Javed Akhtar gave the voice for this film. The illustrations and backgrounds in this feature were more colourful and bright. In this film Maruti prays to God to make him the bravest kid in the world. His prayers are heard and they lead Maruti into a series of jungle adventures.
Hanuman Vs Mahiravana
The latest release to have Hanuman in the most realistic avatar was the movie Hanuman Vs Mahiravana which was released in 2018. Produced by Green Gold Animation and distributed by Yash Raj Films, the feature was a 2D and 3D stereoscopic adventure. The film is about Hanuman and his attempts to free Lord Rama and Lakshmana from the clutches of evil wizard Mahiravana, the son of sage Vishrava and the brother of Ravana, the king of Lanka.
With intricately designed effects and background frames, this feature took the character of Hanuman to another level and has raised the bar for the future movies. With stunning visuals this film is a good entertaining piece for all age groups.
