5 Indian comics that surely deserve a movie

There have always been words round the campfire on a movie based upon some hindi comic book. More than anything, it lets the fans go on a roller coaster dream of imagining their favorite comic book converted into a movie. So here is a fanboyish look at the comic books I want to see made into movies and at the same time keeping the viability of the prospect in tact

5) Sawdhan Doga/Kaun Bada Jallad - 



The  legendary arc ran over 2 comic books, Savdhan Doga and Kaun Bada Jallad. Tarun Kumar Wahi brought the coming together of two (now three) of the most masculine characters that Indian comic fans have ever seen. The story revolves around the kingpin of underworld in Mumbai - Michael, who is ambushed by Doga and flees to Assam to save his arse. Doga does that, remember "jadd se ukhadna and not just playing around". So Doga in his crusade of wiping off the kingpin from the face of the earth travels to Assam in order to bring the awesome sauce for readers. In Assam, Michael comes out to be the brother of Kobi/Bhediya beloved Zen and by sheer cunningness, he gets protection of Bhediya and keeps on his drug business from Bhediya's fort. What ensues is a head on between the 3 jallads along with Doga meeting some of Bhediya's foes like tanna-tanna. The end sequence reveals all the truth and a fierce bond of friendship between Doga and Kobi/Bhediya (Doga is already friends with Anthony and Inspector Steel - who would still want Doga to be under arrest for being a vigilante) but not before this
This is when Kobi gulps the drug prepared by Michael that induces unparalleled strength on consumption. Everything ends well but not after brilliant display of superheroics from all of our beloved characters

4) KhooniKhandan/Ateet/Jigsaw - 


This arc ran over 3 issues and peeped into some of the dark secrets related to SCD's family and heritage
Believed to be born to circus stars Shyam and Radha, Dhruv's parental background goes back to the streets of Paris. Shyam, whose real name was Raghuvanshi is shown as a killer in France who ran away from the cops there and started to work in Jupiter Circus after arriving in India. The arc introduces SCD's Uncle, Aunt, Cousin and grandfather and unveils the mystery surrounding the estate and the fortune owned by them. It also brings on the villain Jigsaw who in the end comes out to be the master planner behind Raghuvanshi being framed for a murder and the overall plan to confiscate the estate from him. The epic battle concludes at the top of Eiffel Tower and a sentimental end shows Dhruv meeting his grandfather. The arc is also notable for its depiction of relationship between Dhruv and Commissioner Rajan who initially breaks the news to him about his father being a runaway criminal. A must read for the comic lovers and a highly probable arc to be converted into a movie.


3)Chanakya ka Beta- 



Most people are not even aware of the wonders Ram-Rahim created in the pulp genre for a long time before being materialised into comic books. Termed as secret agent 001/2, Ram-Rahim were the heroes much before the creation of Nagraj and other Raj comics messiah!! Manoj was the order of the day then.
Ram Rahim had this amazingly incredible arc with Dracula, running over 7 different issues. This was 1983, check out for yourself

And probably the first multi-starred superhero comic of all times was dracula ka pretjal, which featured the whole MCU (Manoj Comic Universe) from Ram-Rahim to Crookbond-Motu. Indra, Bhootnath, Trikaldev, Ajgar and 'Aakash ka Jadoogar - Jembo'. I still distinctly remember the date when it was released, it was the same day when Raj Comics released 'Doctor Virus' and 'Bhokal ki Talwar' - 23 April 1993. But then it was the onset of RCU and decline of MCU, unless Mahendra Jain and Sandeep Gupta tried to give one final push. ANd hence came up, Chanakya ka beta. A story going back to detective works of the Indian Jasoos. This one is a thich digest over 95 pages covering how Ram-Rahim uncover the dirty underworld by being undercover, taking shades and playing cool. This is Sherlock back again, masterminding the eternal destruction of the Mafia in Mumbai. Compared with their previous endeavors such as fighting immortal Dracula and going to different galaxies to save aliens, this one is pretty mediocre but then again, the Indian detective supreme are doing here, what they do best. A must read and easy one to be converted into reel!! Ram-Rahim FTW!!


2) Sher ka bachha - 

Well there is not much left that hasn't been discussed about 'Sher ka bachha' among cult fans. It still remains one of the most believable, real life tale that a superhero saga can endure (Read Christopher Nolan)


It was 1997, the double action year of Nagraj and Super Commando Dhruv, still it was the year that gave us best Doga comics. Khaki aur Khaddar, Thandi Aag, Khooni Paheliyan and Sher ka Bachha. Most of these stories were pulsating, dark and revealed the true nature of being a vigilante. That Doga is based upon Punisher is a true story but whats more true is that Doga's conscience has been played with more often in a shorter span of time. So this one deals about Doga's deconstruction. The internal conflict between being a self-righteous, brutal, kickass vigilante and being a social man with a real life. Things are intensified by many political moves, Monica's insistence on uncovering Batman, Cheetah's guilt of not telling her despite knowing the truth and Doga's dilemma of not letting Cheetah live as he knows the secret. It all amounts to an inter-weaved clash of ideas and egoes, a subtle multi-layered tale by Sanjay Gupta and Wahi sir. The results are disastrous, Suraj gives up his identity as Doga to be with Monica and crime reaches its pinnacle. Another tale that deserves mention here is 'Khaki aur Khaddar', another Doga classic released just after 'Sher ka Bachha' where Monica is forced to make Suraj becom Doga again when the city is pushed directly into the hands of mob and politicians because of his absence.

Another tale told beautifully about a constable becoming an MLA and conspiracies surrounding Doga.

Enough said time for Numero Uno

1) Pratishodh ki Jwala - 


This was the time, this was the time!! 1987, first comic of Super Commando Dhruv. There were conflicts about what was going to be the choice for 5-2, but for the first spot, I always had this one in mind, only this one. The story of an innocent kid seeing a business rivalry taking the lives of his parents. The sole survivor of a conflagration, the boy described by Anupam Sinha sir as "aasmaan me chamak rahe dhruv taare ke samaan, jo apradh ko khatm karne ki apni pratigya pe atal hai". This issue may not be the classiest of all SCD issues but this was the inception, this was the beginning of a stellar career and life that this little boy was going to endure over the years. This issue also gave birth to Jubisco, the first arc-enemy of SCD's life, Jupiter Circus, Inspector Rajan Mehra (who would later on become Commissioner Rajan Mehra), Shweta and a whole new reason for kids to believe that you dont need to have snakes coming out of your hand to fight crime. SCD by far remained the most popular of all RCU's characters, gaining praise of many, including his arc-nemesis Chandakaal. This particular one is indeed touching

Jubisco made a comeback in 'Behri maut' and again in 'Nagraaj aur Bugakoo', Jupiter Circus got several mentions again but what came out of this seminal work was Super Commando Dhruv. The brightest star in the galaxy of Indian Super Heroes

Jai Hind


22 comments:

{ Unknown } at: July 23, 2012 at 6:53 AM said...

The khazana series of Nagraj too deserves a movie/trilogy of its own

{ IdiotAtul } at: July 23, 2012 at 7:25 AM said...

Ah and what about bhokal's triology where all his sons &daughters die? Dhruv and doga's sharvnash will also make a good movie.

{ Ravenholm } at: July 23, 2012 at 7:32 AM said...

friends thanks for the advice but feasibility of making into a movie has also been a consideration! Khajana series has way too much bravado and will need special effects!! Similarly the bhokal series will need incredible technical effects

{ Unknown } at: July 23, 2012 at 7:34 AM said...

i just cant get over raj comics, DC, Marvel everything is secondary to me.

{ Yogesh } at: July 23, 2012 at 7:40 AM said...

While I have grown up reading Raj comics.. I remember reading some of Ram-Rahim's books (Wondergirl series if I remember correctly).. and I was instantly in love.

Good old days! :)

{ Ravenholm } at: July 23, 2012 at 7:44 AM said...

@Yogesh: Dude you remember Wondergirl? hehe, then there was jembo (Aakash ka jadoogar) in the same arc

{ Am } at: July 23, 2012 at 8:46 AM said...

Very Nice and well Explained :)) Ram rahim ka jaan ke bda dukh hai

{ Unknown } at: July 23, 2012 at 10:25 AM said...

What about Doga/Dhruv's Nishachar!

{ Ravenholm } at: July 23, 2012 at 9:33 PM said...

Yeah Nishachar was on my mind, but then I thought by that logic I would put Nagraj and Super Commando Dhruv before that!! and Then I could only use 5

{ hitesh sharma } at: July 30, 2012 at 7:07 AM said...

MOSTLY RAJ COMICS ARE ILLOGICAL AND KIDDISH , WHERE ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE IN ITS UNIVERSE...THE LIST YOU HAVE MADE IN THIS ARTICLE IS REALLY GOOD..REST OF THE COMIC BOOKS ARE BETTER BE IN PRINTED FORM, MOVIE WOULD SUCK THOUGH. I LIKE KHAZANA SERIES BUT NAGRAJ IS CERTAINLY IMPOSSIBLE TO LOOK BELIEVABLE ONSCREEN.
HE WOULD LOOK UGLY THROWING SNAKES AROUND THE STREET, WEARING PINK UNDERWEAR AND METAL BELT. THE ONLY CHARACTERS I THINK CAN MAKE IT BIG ARE DHRUVA AND DOGA. BUT THEY HAVE TO CHANGE DHRUVA'S DRESS-CODE. THE YELLOW AND BLUE COMBINATION SUCKS FOR A FILM. DHRUVA'S STYLING CAN BE ON THE LINES OF G.I. JOE SOLDIERS. BHERIYA IS ALSO GOOD (THE ORIGINAL ONE FROM THE 90'S, NOT KOBI AND BHERIYA SERIES)

{ nihilistbliss } at: August 3, 2012 at 4:13 PM said...

Nice article...I read comics in the 90s only...after that Raj comics went after churning out large quantities with shitty quality...

But if ever there was a plot (No Less than The Avengers), it was Pralay..if I remember correctly, it came in '97...Nagraj, SCD..of all the multi starrers..this one had a real plot worthy of a movie...others were force-fitted mostly...

if only Indian film-makers had that kind of budget..

{ Unknown } at: August 10, 2012 at 12:00 AM said...

There was once a Comic character in Tulsi comics called "Angara", basically a hindustani lookalike of Rambo(+ bruce lee) who was made out of the body parts of different animals (Cheel ki aankhein, Gainde ki khaal, lomdi ka dimaag etc etc), he had some pretty interesting comics(commando dragon, angara ka yudh etc etc), "angara ka yudh" was a multistarrer which also had Jumboo(another Tulsi comics character, he was a robot with human head), I just remembered after reading your article ... thought that I will just share and see if anyone remembers them .... (there was this another character called Tausi )

{ Unknown } at: August 10, 2012 at 12:08 AM said...

contd : Tausi was basically Tulsi comic's version of Nagraj, in Fancy Lungi and designer jewellary ....

anyways :- One character who will actually look good on screen is CrookBond (Chela of James Bond)... I mean just think about it .... his comic books had mad scientists, freaky gadgets, below-the-belt humor, wimpy sidekicks ... I wd definately love to see him on big screen .....

{ scorpio30 } at: August 10, 2012 at 1:15 AM said...

Yeah I remember tausi, jumbo, angora
they have entertained us in our growing year

For movie SCD is the only choice but he need to change his costume

{ Crismil } at: August 30, 2012 at 6:53 AM said...

Bhool gaya doga is the best one from doga.sher ka bachcha is also second best.
I m a mad doga fan

{ Ashish Tiwari } at: September 8, 2012 at 11:36 AM said...

Most of these books are available on the site http://pyaretoons.com enjoy more than 3500 comic books there

{ Unknown } at: November 15, 2012 at 5:29 PM said...

Hey great article... i didn t know someone so deep into Indian comics... i always dreamt of fighting crime like SCD... Bravo..
P.S. - i think SCD s "Maine maara Dhruv Ko" and it s sequel "Hatyara Kaun" deserves a mention here

{ Unknown } at: December 23, 2012 at 10:38 PM said...

rajiv raj
what about scd first spl grand Master Robo. It is the first comics of dhruv life's love interest"Natasha" and greatest villain of scd life.
it also deserve a movie on lots of side like swarna nagri and modus operandi of robo.

{ Unknown } at: December 23, 2012 at 10:40 PM said...

i think every single issue of scd life could be converted into movie. it is possible on the ground that scd fighting sequences are of logical and not illogical too much like of other rcu heroes.

{ Ravenholm } at: January 7, 2013 at 1:27 AM said...

Thanks Friends :)

{ Kinkar } at: October 17, 2015 at 10:46 PM said...

Its such an old blog post, don't know if anyone is following it right now. It has been constructed so wonderfully. From Doga point of view Dogamar and Andha Doga could be made into thrillers. I like khadi aur khaddar the most tho followed by sher ka bachcha. As for SCD u chose the best posibl to start the journey.

{ Kinkar } at: October 17, 2015 at 10:47 PM said...

Its such an old blog post, don't know if anyone is following it right now. It has been constructed so wonderfully. From Doga point of view Dogamar and Andha Doga could be made into thrillers. I like khadi aur khaddar the most tho followed by sher ka bachcha. As for SCD u chose the best posibl to start the journey.

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