Toonpur ka superhero

wogma rating: Add to that never-watched 'To Watch' list ^(?)

quick review:

Even if it might be the best animation film to come out of Mumbai, it is not good enough. There's an attempt to cram everything seen in films from Hollywood in one film, whether or not there's room for the concept. Yet, it might not be a bad entertainer for kids with some caramel popcorn handy.

Director: Kireet Khurana

Cast: Ajay Devgan, Kajol, Amey Pandya, Chinky Jaiswal

Running time: 105 minutes

Genres: Action, Adventure, Animation, Kids

More Movie Info

Toonpur ka superhero - Preview

Munni vs. Sheila isn't enough, is it? We have to have a Loveena vs. Katrina, in a kids' animated film, no less. Is the idea to develop our kids into thinking it ain't a movie till it has an item number in it?! Even if the article is speculation, the trailers do have a Loveena character trying to exude oomph and get Aditya (Ajay Devgn) interested.

So much so that Aditya's wife (Kajol) is actually insecure with Loveena dancing around her husband. Not to mention that Aditya himself is insecure about his role as a father. All of this could lead to a good story, but that only time will tell.

Meanwhile, I'm excited to see any kind of development in animation. The characters look like they are right out of an Indian comic strip. They don't look primitive and they don't make you cringe like say they did in Krishna. Unfortunately, the way they talk and the things they talk about are pretty much like your every other Hindi film - exaggerated and loud.

Not to mention, one of the other main characters who is a child is a Hindi movie buff. So, it's only a warning for us to gear up to a lot of Bolly references. Ajay Devgn has been tweeting a lot about his characters. This one and a few before it give us glimpses of what we can look forward to other than a few funny lines and visuals from the promo.

We here cannot harp enough that moviemakers need to spend their more of their budget on writers. But when it comes to animation, no justice can be done to the story without a handsome share to the animators. And yet, you need a good writing - story and dialogue - to be anywhere close to the kind of entertainment that animated films from the west offer.

Even with animated films from Hollywood, I've always enjoyed the film better if there was a specific reason for the film to be animated rather than a story in which animals just replace humans, like say our very own Roadside Romeo so that the film can be in animation. Toonpur Ka Superhero looks like it has a good enough premise for cartoon characters to run the show. Let's hope I enjoy it with my kids.

Music reviews:
music aloud - "4/10"

Bollywood Hungama - "2/5"

- meeta, a part of the audience

An exciting start introduces you to a gamut of cartoon characters who largely represent real-life stereotypes but have potential to entertain. Unfortunately, the length of the film is restricted by the attention span of the target audience, clearly under 10. Hence, no justice can be done to any of those characters. So, you are left with a mish-mash of characters that just about stay together as a story. A story of a father wanting to be a hero for his kids, so what if it is fighting cartoons with the help of cartoons.

I'm sure kids below ten will enjoy the film, its gimmickry, slapstick included. But, I don't really like the idea of well-endowed women trying to move it and attract the attention of a man they woo by calling him handsome and hot. More so because these women are animated and meant to entertain kids

Sure, there's more to the film than the vamp, the anti-vamp and the wife who's insecure of women in sketch. I liked the bit where a dad's presence at a school race is more important to a child than the race itself. Similarly, it felt warm to see the importance a dad gives to his son's admonition and name-calling because the dad sees truth in it.

But this warmth fizzles out as characters are introduced and you are disconnected slowly and surely from one and all. You don't root for anyone and you aren't scared for anyone's safety because of the threat the villain poses. In fact, the villain isn't given enough screen time to make an impact at all; most of it is hogged by Ajay Devgn and his childish antics.

This is even more evident when some room is given to "rub-doot", a cartoon eraser. Those 5-7 minutes of his screen time are thoroughly enjoyable. I wish more such fun times were spent writing meatier bits for other characters. Over and above being superior to animation done thus far, we need some superior writing - animation or not. The wonderful glimpse you get makes you wonder, why you couldn't have had more.

For those few moments, I just might send my kids to watch the film. Or maybe will have them wait for the DVD to be out on rent. Or maybe not. Or whatever.

- meeta, a part of the audience

24 reviewers^(?) - 8 yays 5 so-so 11 nays

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

Thumbs up, by Naresh Kuma Deoshi, Apun Ka Choice : ...The screenplay is twisted to convenience in the closing reels... full review

Thumbs up, bigoye.com : ...India’s first live action animation film with some very funny and amazingly sketched characters... full review

Thumbs up, by Taran Adarsh, Bollywood Hungama : ...TOONPUR KA SUPERRHERO blends inventive animation with old-fashioned values to deliver a decent family adventure. This one's an underdog! ... full review

Thumbs up, by Blessy Chettiar, DNA : ...Kireet Khurana’s cartoons are adorable but reinforce cheap stereotypes... full review

Thumbs up, by Sarita Tanwar, MiD DAY : ...the coming-of-age of Indian animation films... full review

Thumbs up, by K K Rai, STARDUST : ... Kajol, who plays the part of Ajay Devgn’s wife and mother of his kids, tries to do her best in whatever little scope she gets in the film. She is as fresh and vivacious as ever in this animated flick.... full review

Thumbs up, by Nikhat Kazmi, Times of India : ...Generously sprinkled with easily identifiable characters and a story that reiterates the need for families to bond and good to prevail over evil -- sweet, simple, succinct kiddy themes -- Toonpur Ka Superrhero is great goodwill-hunting Christmas fare.... full review

Thumbs up, by Spicezee Bureau, Zee News : ...perfect festive film... full review

So-So, by Baradwaj Rangan, Blogical Conclusion, The New Sunday Express : ...The intent, apparently, is manic mayhem hewn to video-game rules, but the result is… Well, is there any point carping about a mix of animation and live action aimed squarely at kids? ... full review

So-So, by Pankaj Sabnani, Glamsham.com : ...a step in the right direction for Indian animation industry... full review

So-So, Movie Talkies : ...Though the live action animation interaction is a bit jarring at some points where the production values slip, for the most part they meld nicely.... full review

So-So, by Noyon Jyoti Parasara, Now Running.com : ...Kajol has relatively lesser job to do but is good in what she does.... full review

So-So, by Sonia Chopra, Sify Movies : ...A simulated video game and a song with a Rabdoot are the highlights... full review

Thumbs down, by Bobby Sing, Bobby Talks Cinema.com : ...If only Kireet Khurana, the director, had taken more care of the content than the execution, the project could have been the talk of the town this Christmas.... full review

Thumbs down, by Deepa Gahlot, Film Impressions : ...actors like Ajay Devgn and Kajol look like they’d rather be somewhere else… strange since thy produced the film... full review

Thumbs down, by Mayank Shekhar, Hindustan Times : ...The connect is somewhere lost. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Rajeev Masand, IBN Live : ...it has neither the visual wizardry nor the engaging storytelling that recent films like 'How To Train Your Dragon' and 'Toy Story 3' have allowed us to embrace.... full review

Thumbs down, by Kaveree Bamzai, india today : ...Har peeli cheez dhokla nahin hoti (everything that is yellow is not a dhokla), says Big Ben. Indeed. And every cartoon film is not funny.... full review

Thumbs down, by Shubhra Gupta, indian express : ...The bad guys are a little better, especially a sharply-dressed, motorcycle-riding Yamdoot, or is it Ramdoot, who does a great energetic dance : this is where the film shines, and you wonder why this same skill isn’t evident in the rest.... full review

Thumbs down, by Komal Nahta, koimoi : ...an average entertainer but its chances at the box-office aren’t too bright because the audience is not used to enjoying animation characters.... full review

Thumbs down, by Anupama Chopra, NDTV : ... Debutant director Kireet Khurana is ambitious but not imaginative enough... full review

Thumbs down, by Sukanya Verma, Rediff : ...Although Rubdoot, a Bollywood fanboy and motorcycle-riding version of Yamdoot, breaking into a Robin Williamseque Genie dance, has the potential to change that. Again, a patchy job on him prevents from making that breakthrough. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Janhvi Patel, StarBoxOffice : ...Kajol is nothing out of the ordinary. You wonder why the choosy actress chose such a movie. ... full review

Thumbs down, by Mr Care, Upper Stall : ...The oddball characters that make up the animated ensemble suffer from this underdeveloped script, and we never really get a chance to empathize with them.... full review

11 tweeters^(?) - 7 yays 2 so-so 2 nays

Ramharibasnet: AJ deserves a success with 'Toonpur Ka Superhero', afterall a good movie should work.

RameshbhatTwitt: Toonpur ka superhero is a good movie. Rave reviews on HT and Times is uncalled for. Critics need to see it from kids lens.Recommended 4 kids

rai_pankaj: Toonpur ka superhero nice movie kids really enjoyed it!!!!

oneil555: Great animation work on the movie Toonpur Ka Superhero.., I thought it was different from other movies blend between live and animation!!

NabilahFitrey: 'Toonpur Ka Superhero' ♥. @ajaydevgn, Kajol, and the entire Toonpur casts ! Lovely & awesome animation. ♥ ;)

Ajay71187: hi ajaysir i like ur film very much. toonpur ka superhero is now bollywood ka superhero

29RAHUL29: TOONPUR KA SUPERHERO IS VERY SWEET AND NICE MOVIE FRNDSSSS PLZ GO AND SEE.......... U WILL BE ENJOY REALLY...............

mynameiskhan94: merry xmas if u want ur xmas to be good dont go 4 tmk,children go for toonpur ka superhero n grownups do anything but not movies

faria_zafar: Went to see Toonpur Ka Superhero with Kulsum. Not a great movie but not bad either. At least Kulsum enjoyed and that is what matters

Mom_Kids_Mom: Toonpur Ka Superhero: Like a child's scrawl: You know that feeling you get when you see a little boy sticking hi... http://bit.ly/enpREV

IamOnir: Had to take my niece for the loud and terrible TOONPUR Ka Superhero. We really need good children and cartoon films

6 readers - 3 yays 2 so-so 1 nays

Yay! Thumbs Up, by hammad naeem : 50

Yay! Thumbs Up, by prabhakardalvi : "Toonpur Ka Superhero takes you away from the daily hassles.

Yay! Thumbs Up, by Vikramjeet Singh Mann : super entertainer

So-So, by Microsoft Office 2010

So-So, by pool tables

Nay! Thumbs Down, by Bollywood movies

This page has additional observations, other than the ones noted in the main review.

Parental Guidance:

Violence: Loads of bubblegum fights and videogame type of violence
Language: clean
Nudity & Sexual content: cartoon women wooing Ajay Devgn with their sex appeal
Concept: Good vs. Evil
General Look and Feel: Animation

Detailed Ratings (out of 5):

Direction:

Story:

Lead Actors:

Character Artists:

Dialogues:

Screenplay:

Music Director:

Lyrics:

Toonpur ka superhero - Cast, crew, links

Official Sites:

Website Facebook [Facebook page of Toonpur ka superhero]

Wikipedia

IMDB

Banner:

Eros Entertainment, Big Screen Pvt Ltd

Producer:

Director:

Lead Cast:

, Kajol

, Amey Pandya, Chinky Jaiswal

Supporting Cast:

Sanjay Mishra, Manoj Tiwari, Satish Sharma, Delnaz Paul, Shereveer Vakil

Story:

Screenplay:

Dialogues:

Cinematography:

Editor:

Background Score:

Action Choreography:

Music Director:

Lyrics:

Costume Designer:

Art Direction:

Running time:

105 minutes

Reviewer:

meeta

Language:

Hindi

Country:

India

Genres:

Action, Adventure, Animation, Kids

Comments (4)

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prabhakardalvi

"Toonpur Ka Superhero" Movie Review
http://www.bollywoodchaska.com/content/toonpur_ka_superhero_movie_review-2390/
"Toonpur Ka Superhero takes you away from the daily hassles, traffic jams, deadlines and soaring onion prices. And it also makes for a great outing with your kids. Well, what better bargain can you get for
a cinema ticket? This film is total enter’toon’ment."

prabhakardalvi has given this movie a Yay! Thumbs Up("Toonpur Ka Superhero takes you away from the daily hassles.). prabhakardalvi has posted 2 comments and has rated 2 movies. See prabhakardalvi's page for more details.

Bollywood movies

I don't think its entertaining for kids either. Not even the target audience likes this.

Bollywood movies has given this movie a Nay! Thumbs Down. Bollywood movies has posted 1 comments and has rated 1 movies. See Bollywood movies's page for more details.

hammad naeem

mujhe ya bhot achhi lagi

hammad naeem has given this movie a Yay! Thumbs Up(50). hammad naeem has posted 3 comments and has rated 1 movies. See hammad naeem's page for more details.