Until last week, Bollywood had only made one film about the power of invisibility, 1987’s Mr India, an ahead-of-its-time comedy drama directed by Shekhar Kapoor (of Hollywood’s Elizabeth franchise fame).
Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt’s sci-fi thriller Mr X was released on Thursday, starring Emraan Hashmi as the invisible man – so with almost 30 years separating the films, we decided to compare them and decide whether or not the modern take on the idea is better than the classic 80s film.
Mr India
This is the story of goofy, sensitive Arun – portrayed by the wonderful Anil Kapoor – a poor violinist who is bequeathed a blingy cuff that can render the wearer invisible at the press of a button.
Arun, with only the greater good in mind, uses the power to help those in need and, spectacularly, to foil a plot by the Machiavellian Mogambo, played by Amrish Puri in what had to be the defining role of his career, to rule India.
In the course of his adventures, Arun wins over the bumbling journalist Seema (Sridevi at her manic, funniest best), who is on assignment to find out more about mysterious sightings, so to speak, of the Invisible Man.
Mr India was a box-office hit, went on to become a cult classic and ranks among the 100 greatest Indian films of all time. Mr India's hold on the public's imagination has been so strong that no other Bollywood filmmaker has dared to challenge it. Until Bhatt came along.
Mr X
Mr X is the story of elite cop Raghu, played by Hashmi, who is wronged by his corrupt colleagues. Left for dead after an explosion, he's given an experimental drug that makes him invisible, and uses his power to avenge the wrongs done to him (see our full review of the film, below).
The superheroes
Arun is the typical boy next door – charming, just the right amount of silly and with a heart of gold. He looks after a bunch of orphans, wears the same battered hat and threadbare coat throughout the film and is endearingly vulnerable. Importantly, he doesn’t change a bit after acquiring his life-altering gadget, and remains his happy-go-lucky self.
Raghu, on the other hand, is a hotshot cop with an insufferable swagger who almost becomes a victim of his own success. Once he discovers his superpower, he goes on a revenge spree without once stopping to think about the many, far better uses he could put it to, to help people. So much for being a superhero.
The superpower and its uses
Arun becomes invisible by wearing a special cuff and can control his appearances and disappearances. Raghu, unfortunately (or should that be fortunately?), is rendered permanently invisible when an untested medicine is given to him after he nearly dies in a bomb blast. This, we find, is decidedly unsafe. And definitely not as cool as a gadget.
The special effects
Mr India was released 28 years ago, yet isn't so far behind Mr X in terms of the visual effects. While Mr India stunned audiences of the late 1980s with its sophistication, Mr X, despite being a 3-D production, lacks the mind-blowing special effects that an audience expects of a film made in today's high-tech world.
The art of romancing invisible men
While Mr India hit it off with the fiery Seema, Mr X has to make do with Siya, portrayed by Amyra Dastur, who spends a lot of time either looking serious or sexy. But Siya is no Seema. How could she be? Sridevi is one of the finest actresses India has produced, and the touching scene in which she brings sweets and pastries to Arun's hungry orphans is a tear-jerker. Sridevi is also a gifted comedian – check out the sequence in which she disguises herself as Charlie Chaplin for an undercover operation.
Note: the song sequence, Kaate Nahi Kat te Ye Din Ye Raat, in which she romances her invisible lover, is pure Bollywood gold.
Mogambo means business
Puri's line "Mogambo khush hua" (Mogambo is pleased) has gone down in Hindi-film history as some of the best dialogue by a villain, second only to Amjad Khan's Gabbar the bandit saying "Kitne aadmi they?" (How many men?) in 1975's action drama Sholay.
Arunoday Singh, playing the baddy Bhardwaj in Mr X, isn't a patch on Puri, mostly because Bhardwaj is only after a paltry promotion at work and isn't intimidating in the least, while Mogambo has crazy eyes, an awesome costume and a grand plan – to rule India. Puri died in 2005 at the age of 72.
The verdict
Mr India wins for its adorable, unlikely superhero, the spunky leading lady, who is as gentle with orphan children as she is fearless in the face of evil megalomaniacs, and a villain – complete with a castle and deadly bombs – who remains unchallenged in Bollywood nearly three decades later.
Mr X loses for having none of the above and a selfish superhero to boot. How Bhatt must be wishing he was invisible.
artslife@thenational.ae
