Review: Move over Superman, 'Ashoka the Hero' is here

Film: Ashoka the Hero (U) (Animation film)
Director: Gaurav Jain
Rating: **

Superman and Batman can take a hike. The newest superhero is in town. Director Gaurav Jain’s Ashoka is a eight-year-old boy who drinks milks, plays just enough, does his homework, and listens to Mum.

Innocently cute Ashoka’s ambition is to help people, just like his policeman father did, and make the world a better place. His dad was killed while foiling a robbery attempt. Ashoka was still a toddler at the time. With no memories of his dad, Ashoka aspires to become like him.

He meets Masa, an old sage who is actually the son of emperor Ashoka. Masa entrusts little Ashoka with a magical medallion, boosted with the power of the Sun. Ashoka, the chosen one, should use the medallion to save his city from misfortunes.

Dressed in a red and green outfit and eye mask (we miss the cap), Ashoka the Hero stops a plane from crashing, landing it in the middle of Mumbai's CST and fights khalnayak scientist Dr Ferno on the Bandra-Worli sea link. All these elements will most likely make Mumbai kids familiar with these monuments squeal in excitement, though others may feel lost.

The quality of director Jain’s animation is a far cry from that seen in recently released cinematically appealing animation films like Toonpur Ka Superrhero, Despicable Me, Toy Story 3, etc. Ashoka’s characters look like rough sketches powered with motion in Flash.

The voices aren’t impressive either. But for a run time of little over an hour, Ashoka packs in a lot of action and emotions. Parents of restless kids would view this as a boon.
 
The war sequences in red and black silhouettes merit special mention for cinematic excellence. They reminds one of the animation scenes in the recently released Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 1 but aren’t as effective.

Ashoka makes for a light weekend watch with your child, but don’t expect to leave the theatre overwhelmed.