Superman (Telugu)

Superman (Telugu) 1980 Directed and written by Madhusudan Rao V. Are you are familiar with how Superman got his powers from Hanuman and got revenge on three evil cowboys? If so, then you know all about the Telugu language Superman! Everyone else, read on to be amazed! This Telugu cinema borrows from the Western Superman but manages to also follow the revenge films popular at the time. This is by far not the only Indian take on Superman. It isn’t even the most famous. That honor goes to the 1987 Hindi version of Superman that is generally considered the Indian Superman. That production even lifts scenes directly from the original 1978 film. But that was the FOURTH Indian Superman (This one is generally called Telugu Superman and is the third made) as there were two Superman films in the 1960s, Superman (directed by Mohammed Hussain and starring Jairaj and Nirupa Roy and there is no good information online about this film besides that) and Return of Mr. Superman which started out as another Superman film but got its title and concept altered slightly because the director was friends with the director of Superman. This title is available on VCD and we got a copy! There is also another film Dariya Dil that has a song and dance number where a character wears a Superman costume, but as that is the extent of the superhero antics it is not a true Indian Superman film. You must learn about the Tollywood film industry – the Telugu film industry, also known as Cinema of Andhra Pradesh, is the Southern Indian film industry. The main language is Telugu, hence the name (There is also a Tollywood nickname for Tamil cinema, but that is a whole different beast.) The Telugu film industry is believed to be the most prolific film producing industry currently (several other regions have also claimed that) NTR is the man! Rama Nandamuri Taraka Rao is what you get when you combine Elvis, Jackie Chan, James Bond, Cunyet Arkin, and John Wayne. Only ANR (Akkineni Nageswara Rao) even approaches him in popularity. NTR entered film in 1949, and eventually found fame in dozens and dozens of mythological films produced by the southern Indian film industry at that time. It is hard to even look up information about NTR without running into dozens of pictures of him in mythological garb. NTR starred in over 280 films, not counting the ones he wasn’t the main character in. NTR became a director and producer later, and eventually a politician. Unhappy with the current government of his own state and the corrupt party ruling it, NTR became the founder of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and served as Chief Minister of the state of Andhra Pradesh. India has a parliamentary system like Britain, so keep that in mind when you read the political things that happened. He served on full term, then when he was out of the country for open heart surgery one of his aides caused him to lose power, but the chaos caused no political mandate in the assembly, forcing the Indian government to appoint a new minister, who handed power back to NTR after a month’s time and NTR called for new elections. He served on for a second term, but after suffering a stroke he was unable to run for reelection on a third term and lost out on office for five years, until he was sufficiently recovered and ran again, getting elected minister for a third time in 1994. The TDP party encountered more turmoil in 1995 where it effectively shut NTR out, and NTR reformed a new TDP party but died in 1996 before any new action could take place. The TDP party continues to exist to this day as the most powerful regional party in India. NTR introduced many reform acts for common people, including equal inheritance rights for daughters, as well as price controls on rice for poor families and taking on corrupt officials. NTR had seven sons and four daughters across two wives, his son Nandamuri Balakrishna is considered another great Telugu actor and his grandson N. T. Rama Rao Jr. is a current young superstar in Telugu cinema, although he is criticized for imitating his grandfather too often. An NTR-only website could stay in business for years reviewing his films. Recently, scores of classic Telugu cinema has hit DVDs, to the point where the market is flooded and you can find old classics all over the place for cheap. So you have no excuse not to be able to see an NTR film. But please read this review first, so that way you don’t leave us mid-article! This presentation is in Telugu with no subtitles, but we don’t need no stinking subs! Raja (NTR) – Raja is just a boy when his parents are murdered by Evil Cowboys. He prays for strength from Hanuman and becomes Superman. But Raja still has his normal life, so he runs arond being a good guy. For a complete NTR biography, read the summary above of consult your local library. Superman (NTR) – Superman has the power of Hanuman the monkey god and thus wears a giant H on his chest instead of an S. But everyone calls him Superman, even the song and the film title, so he is Superman. Superman kills people in cold blood for vengeance’s sake. Jaya (Jayapradha) – she married producer Srikanth Nahata, who was already married with children and did not divorce. Both Jayapradha and Srikanth Nahata’s previous wife agreed to share him. Jayapradha joined the Telugu Desam Party in 1994 but eventually broke away and joined the Samajwadi Party, where she was elected to local parliament in 2004 and reelected in 2009. Miss Lee (Jayamalini) – Evil Wonder Woman who dresses like a Valkyrie and can walk through walls. She also makes deals with the devil and can call up demons. Is Evil Cowboy III’s girl, but also wants to seduce Superman. Jayamalini has starred in over 500 movies in languages such as Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, and at least one English (English version of Shalimar.) Jayamalini was known for playing vamp roles. She eventually retired from films (I did not find a date) and married a policeman and had a daughter, who she has forbidden from entering the movie industry. Cousin Lakshma (???) – Superman’s cousin Lakshma was raised with him and wants to marry the son of Evil Cowboy III, but Evil Cowboy III is against it because he is a jerk. So she cries. Aunt (Pandari Bai) – Pandari Bai (or Pandharibai) was a prominent heroine of Telugu film in the 1950s and 60s, and eventually became a mother figure. By that time she was playing the mother to stars who she was the lover to years earlier. she died in 2003. Evil Cowboy I (???) – After killing Raja’s parents, Evil Cowboy I went on to control elephants in the forest and sent them to kill people. He was stopped by Superman, who turned the elephant on him. I don’t know who played him. Evil Cowboy II (???) – After killing Raja’s parents, Evil Cowboy II went on to control a gang of slavers and cannibals in a desert region in Southern India. Apparently, that is pretty common. He also has some super laser weapon that is powerless against Superman. I don’t know who played him. Evil Cowboy III (Kaikala Satyanarayana) – Evil Cowboy III is the evilest of all the evil cowboys. He leads the other two and is a big businessman. He was given a scar during the murder of Raja’s parents, which he covers with a goatee. Kaikala Satyanarayana has acted in over 777 films. He was introduced to the film industry by NTR, and became a popular villain actor. He entered politics in the 1996 Lok Sabha elections being elected for Machilipatnam constituency. I am told Satyanarayana is the king of all nine Rasas and hence the title NAVARASA NATANAA SARVABHOUMA has been synonymous with his name. I don’t know what that means. Raja’s family is in a cave that is shrine to Hanuman the monkey god guy, there is a big statue of the monkey god (that actually doesn’t look much like him, but whatever) Back at their house, the family is preparing an offering of valuable gems for Hanuman. Things are much too happy for their own good until three crazy cowboy robbers stroll in to the house, shoot dad, grab the loot, and shoot mom when she smacks one of them. All of this happens in front of young Raja. The cowboys also shoot the Hanuman priest who was at the home because I think he is Raja’s uncle. Raja goes to pray before the statue of Hanuman, his praying is shown to us in song form. Raja stabs himself in the stomach (?!?) and blood splatters on Hanuman. Hanuman statue then starts flashing as he comes to life. Hanuman is HUGE! And he looks nothing like the goofy statue. Giant Hanuman picks up the tiny child, and breathes a beam of light onto him, then puts him back down. Raja is now healed, and Hanuman disappears. Raja has been given super strength, and the power to toss cobras! His skin resists cobra bites, and injection needles. Thus he is now Superman! Begin titles! The Superman theme plays. Not that Superman theme, the Telugu Superman theme! It will play every time Superman does stuff, so you can download it here and jam along as Telugu Superman continues. Raja is now a grown man, he grew up to be NTR to be exact. Raja stumbles across an older couple tied up by the side of the road. Their daughter and son were kidnapped by rapists in a van/school bus-ish vehicle (I don’t know how to describe it) and the goons are trying to rape the girl (and the son also maybe? I am not sure) in the back while a presumed third rapist is behind the wheel missing out on all the action. Superman Raja gets in his tiny car and drives after him. No flying? Bus rapists aren’t a big enough emergency to fly over? The rapers pause their raping to pour a bucket of gasoline out the back window, then light a match. This sets the road on fire. Raja stops the car instead of just driving off the road around the mess. Raja steps out of the car AND IS SUDDENLY SUPRMAN!!!!! Superman flies over the flames..well, his doll does! Then he flies to the van/bus and beats the crap out of the rapists, who all get on the roof to fight him. You see that,...