Hanu-Man

Hanu-Man (also marketed as HanuMan) is a 2024 Indian Telugu-language superhero film written and directed by Prasanth Varma and produced by K. Niranjan Reddy under Primeshow Entertainment. It stars Teja Sajja in the title role, alongside Amritha Aiyer, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Samuthirakani, Vinay Rai, Vennela Kishore and Raj Deepak Shetty. Set in the fictional village of Anjanadri, Hanu-Man is the first installment of the Prasanth Varma Cinematic Universe. The narrative follows Hanumanthu, who gains the powers of Hanuman to protect the people of Anjanadri, ultimately facing off against Michael after encountering a mysterious gem. Officially announced in May 2021, principal photography began on 25 June 2021 in Hyderabad and concluded by mid-April 2023. The film features music composed by GowraHari and Anudeep Dev, digital marketing by Manoj Valluri under Haashtag Media, cinematography by Dasaradhi Sivendra, visual effects supervision by Venkat Kumar Jetty, and editing by Sai Babu Talari. Released on 12 January 2024, during Sankranti, Hanu-Man received positive reviews for Prasanth Varma's direction, screenplay, the cast's performances, the portrayal of Lord Hanuman, background score, visual effects, production design, and action sequences. The film broke several box-office records, grossing ₹300–350 crore worldwide, making it the fourth highest-grossing Telugu film of 2024, tenth highest-grossing Indian film of the 2024, one of the highest grossing Indian superhero films and the eleventh highest-grossing Telugu film of all time. A sequel, Jai Hanuman, is currently in development. At the 71st National Film Awards, the film won 3 awards: Best Film in AVGC, Best VFX Supervisor, and Best Stunt Choreography.

Plot In 1998, in Saurashtra, Akhanda Bharath, a young Michael becomes obsessed with superheroes. After an accident caused by his attempts to fly, his parents explain that superheroes are not real, prompting him to kill them in a fire. In the present, Michael operates in Mumbai as the self-styled superhero Mega Man, using inventions created by his friend Siri, but longs for genuine superhuman abilities. The story centres on a divine gem created from a drop of blood shed by Hanuman after he was struck by Indra, which fell into the sea off South India. The gem grants Hanuman's powers. Nearby lies Anjanadri, a dystopian village ruled by the tyrannical polygar Gajapathi. Hanumanthu, a petty thief, loves Meenakshi, granddaughter of the village school headmaster. Meenakshi opposes Gajapathi's oppression and urges the villagers to resist. To eliminate her, Gajapathi stages a fake bandit attack. Hanumanthu rescues Meenakshi but is badly injured and thrown into the sea, where he unknowingly acquires the divine gem. He is later found unconscious by his sister Anjamma and friend Kasi. His wounds heal instantly, and he discovers that sunlight activates the gem, granting him immense strength that fades without it. As Hanumanthu unsuccessfully tries to convince Meenakshi that he saved her, Kasi realises the source of his abilities. When Gajapathi challenges Meenakshi to a wrestling match, Hanumanthu defeats him using the gem. Declared the new Polygar, he instead abolishes the office and proposes democracy, earning Meenakshi's admiration. Michael and Siri arrive in Anjanadri under the guise of CSR, with Michael secretly seeking the gem. Although he attempts to expose Hanumanthu's powers during a festival, Hanumanthu conceals them. Becoming more mature after recognising Anjamma's sacrifices, he arranges her wedding. Siri later kidnaps Hanumanthu on Michael's orders to learn the source of his powers. Hanumanthu escapes with the gem, rescues Meenakshi, reveals himself as her childhood protector, and they confess their love. He also warns Gajapathi to respect Meenakshi and govern responsibly during the forthcoming elections. Investigating Michael, Hanumanthu discovers his plan to destroy Anjanadri and seize the gem. Michael confesses that he murdered his parents and attempts to kill Siri by setting their tent on fire. An elderly sage, disguised as Hanumanthu, defeats Michael's men and returns the gem. At Anjamma's wedding, Michael falsely accuses Hanumanthu of stealing his ancestral gem. Hanumanthu tricks him with a fake gem, exposing his deception. During the ensuing battle, Anjamma is killed, leaving Hanumanthu grief-stricken. Believing the gem has failed him, he throws it away. Michael then releases toxic smoke that freezes the villagers. As Hanumanthu loses hope, the elderly sage reveals himself as King Vibhishana from the Ramayana and inspires him to fight. With Siri's assistance and Gajapathi's help, Hanumanthu destroys the drones spreading the smoke by keeping the gem with Koti, a monkey. Michael nevertheless captures Hanumanthu, steals the gem and attempts to escape by helicopter. Hanumanthu breaks free, destroys the helicopter, and kills Michael. The gem is destroyed, and Hanuman's power is absorbed into Hanumanthu. The gem's destruction awakens Asuras (demons) and Lord Hanuman, who emerges from the Himalayas and appears before Hanumanthu, heralding the beginning of a greater battle.

Cast

Production

Development The producer Niranjan Reddy approached director Prasanth Varma to direct a film for his banner after watching Zombie Reddy (2021). After successfully directing Zombie Reddy, Varma announced his fourth film on 29 May 2021, coinciding with his birthday. It was announced that the film will be the first superhero film in Telugu cinema. In an interview with Deccan Chronicle he said, "the film is inspired by the Hindu God Hanuman", adding "As for the title of the film, Prasanth says he chose it because it was a dedication to many who, when they think of any superpower or a superhero in Hinduism, we remember Hanuman. In the film, the name of the protagonist is Hanu-Man", regarding the title of the film. The film was funded by the American NRI film distributor, K. Niranjan Reddy, under Primeshow Entertainment. It was made on a shoe-string budget of ₹20 crores. During the teaser launch event held in Hyderabad in November 2022, Varma revealed that the production budget increased six times from the initial valuation. Hanu-Man is the first installment of the Prasanth Varma Cinematic Universe (PVCU).

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