Minnal Murali: The art of balancing pastiche to create an engrossing film

The 2010s have been dominated by superhero films with both Marvel and DC releasing back to back blockbusters. While Marvel has had an edge in recent years in terms of box-office success, DC appears to have big plans for the next decade. But despite the success of the genre across the globe and in India, the regional film industries in the country have been reluctant to commit to the idea of an Indian superhero. Of course, there have been odd hits such as Krrish starring Hrithik Roshan, but the film was generic and bland. As is the case for most Indian superhero films with the exception of maybe Mr India starring Anil Kapoor and Sridevi which was well made for its time. The task facing any potential new superhero film was one that was daunting, but one that had the potential to break new ground for Indian cinema.

Basil Joseph’s Malayalam film Minnal Murali has become the surprise flag bearer for Indian superhero films. The new film released on Netflix has earned plaudits for its authenticity, setting, and interesting characters. It has steered away from several cliched tropes of superhero films such as a one-dimensional villain, a large metropolitan under attack, and an unblemished superhero who could do no wrong. Instead, it has taken a few elements from classic superhero films from Hollywood and added its own unique style to elevate the film to a far greater standard than it had any right to be. It is by no means a complex and thought-provoking tale like The Dark Knight or a commercial blockbuster like Avengers: Endgame.

The film resonates with the audience in the same way that Christopher Reeve’s Superman did when it was released in 1978. Directed by Richard Donner, the film was the first superhero adaptation that was considered a genuine blockbuster and redefined the genre. Minnal Murali is likely to reverberate across industries in India in a similar fashion. In fact, Tovino Thomas’s performance shares a few similarities in terms of how the local community has warmed up to their new hero. But the film’s core themes are homages to several adaptations. The most obvious one would be DC's ‘scarlet speedster’, The Flash. Both Murali and Barry Allen (The Flash) are imbued with their unique abilities after being struck by lightning. While Murali is unable to run at the speed of light like Barry, he has superhuman strength, agility, and telekinesis — a mix of the Flash, Captain America, and Jean Grey.

The film has adopted a similar approach to how the Duffer brothers created Strangers Things by paying homage to 80s horror, sci-fi, and fantasy films — several of them being Stephan King’s stories. In other words, pastiche is an integral part of Basil’s narrative for Minnal Murali. Unlike the American counterparts, Minnal Murali does not have the luxury to take inspiration from nearly 75 years of comic book material. Instead, it has used comic book history and visual cues from the west. The scene where Jaison/Murali is reminded by his adoptive father of his responsibilities has the ‘Uncle Ben and Peter Parker’ trope written all over it. All it was missing was the iconic, “with great power comes great responsibility” dialogue. There is also a nod to Zachary Levi’s 2019 film Shazam!, in how Murali/Jaison tests his new powers with the help of a young family member.

While these tropes are understandably similar, there is something refreshing in the way the villain Shibu has been written. In fact, an argument could be made that Shibu has a better arc than most Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) villains. Shibu’s arc and his life’s story is a tragedy — a tragedy that compels the audience to feel empathy towards the character. Guru Somasundaram essays a convincing performance as the troubled villain. Interestingly enough, none of the characters have ‘black and white’ narratives, the bit of grey is evident even in Tovino’s Murali.

The film is by no means perfect, but it is definitely a step in the direction of a genre that remains untapped in India. The possibility of regional superhero comic books gaining popularity cannot be ruled out either. The story has left room for a potential sequel with more superheroes and supervillains. The film is also a testament to the quality of the new age of Malayalam cinema.