CAST: Abhishek Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, Kay Kay Menon, Jaya Bachchan;
DIRECTOR: Goldie Behl
Superheroes who save the world are still, despite Hrithik Roshan, a Western conceit. The Roshan lad wore a zig-zag mask, which hid half his face, and a flowing cape: he spoke Hindi and romanced Priyanka, but he looked faintly like Superman.

Abhishek takes on the mantle of the next Bollywood superhero — a totally desi ‘mahapurush’ avatar — in a white tunic embossed with golden stars. He also speaks Hindi and romances Priyanka, but looks nothing like Superman. He doesn’t even, sigh, have a mask.

What he does have is a mean-and-nasty mother-and-son duo making his life miserable. Every so often a blue rose petal floats in to comfort him. And then one day, he acquires, in rapid succession, a gem-studded bracelet, a gorgeous female bodyguard (Priyanka), the knowledge that his own mother Rani Jayati Devi (Jaya) abandoned him when he was a young child, and that he is not an ordinary mortal, but a Drona, keeper of the faith. Which he has to save from the evil jaadugar Riz Raizada (Kay Kay).

Oh, this could have been such a wonderful fantasy, harking back to ancient Indian tales of intrigue and mystery, full of tilasmi nagris, and jaadui talwaars. The special effects are absolutely fabulous; the top-notch quality is a first for Indian cinema. But the plot’s ludicrous. Goldie Behl filches from here and there (Harry Potter, Lord Of The Rings come instantly to mind), and gives us a slow, slack story.

... contd.