Jhinder Bandi

You've asked about "Super"-and yep, there are actually two notable films with that title, each quite different. Here's a breakdown to help clarify:

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1. Super (2010 American Dark Comedy / Superhero Satire)

Director & Writer: James Gunn

Stars: Rainn Wilson (Frank D'Arbo / Crimson Bolt), Elliot Page (Libby / Boltie), Liv Tyler, Kevin Bacon, Nathan Fillion

Plot: A broken-down fry cook adopts the persona of a vigilante, "Crimson Bolt," to rescue his wife from a drug dealer-armed only with a pipe wrench and misguided drive-soon joined by a chaotic sidekick.

Tone & Themes: A subversive and unsettling take on superhero tropes-gritty, violent, darkly comedic, exploring moral ambiguity and blurred lines between justice and obsession.

Reception:

Box office: Grossed about $593,933 on a $2.5 million budget-modest returns.

Rotten Tomatoes: ~49% critics, mixed reviews; Metacritic: around 50/100.

Cult following: Gaining traction among fans of R-rated, offbeat superhero content as a cult classic.

Fan commentary from Reddit reflects love for its boldness, tone, and Wilson's performance:

> "Rainn Wilson brought so much heart and passion ... emotionally moving..." "Dark, cruel, funny and a little bit out there for a superhero film."

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2. Super (2010 Indian Kannada-Language Political Drama)

Director / Writer / Star: Upendra

Co-star: Nayanthara

Genre: Futuristic political drama with dystopian themes, starring around the year 2030 in India.

Plot: Subash, a successful NRI, takes on the challenge to change India. He returns home, becomes a Chief Minister, and drives civic responsibility, blending political satire with idealism.

Reception: Critically acclaimed for its screenplay, concept, and Upendra's style. Noted for its sharp dialogues, satirical take on politics, and strong performances.

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Spotlight: The American Super (2010) Highlights

Feature Details

Director James Gunn Genre Dark comedy / superhero satire Main Cast Rainn Wilson, Elliot Page, Liv Tyler, Kevin Bacon Plot Summary Ordinary man becomes vigilante Crimson Bolt to save his wife; chock-full of violence and moral complexity.

Tone Violent, darkly comic, unsettling-definitely not mainstream superhero fare.

Critical Reception Mixed - ~49% on Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic ~50/100 Cult Status Gaining fans for its daring approach and Wilson's vivid performance.

Voice of fans from Reddit:

> "Super is entirely street level... because real life gets ugly and messy, so does Super."

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10 Star to the cast, excellent drama, cinematography is powerful, strong play,

Watching this is a pleasure.

My highly recommendation to the the audiences to just go and watch this extreme power pack movie which gives you goosebumps, well done to the makers and the entire team.

This is pure indian cinema.

Jhinder Bandi is a classic remake of the memorable tale of "The Prisoner Of Zenda" by Anthony Hope. It features a heavyweight star cast including the godfather of Bengali movies, Uttam Kumar, the suave Soumitra Chatterjee, Tarun Kumar, Sandhya Roy, and others.

The story has underwent certain location changes to incorporate the Indian feel about the movie. The princely state of Zenda in Germany becomes Jhind in Rajasthan. And the capital city of Strelsau becomes the City of Joy, Kolkata. But apart from that more or less everything is kept in theme. Uttam Kumar plays the unfortunate king/vagabond who is lured into portraying as the king. Although according to the book and the original Prisoner of Zenda(1937), John Cromwell's classic depicts the king to be lazy, ruthless and harsh Tapan Sinha's version portrayals an innocent naive king who probably happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Soumitra Chatterjee plays the swashbuckling commander-in-chief. Tapan Kumar plays the evil scheming younger prince.

The acting is nonetheless superb. With such high profile actors the movie is bound to be good, and it was. This was probably the first time that Soumitra Chatterjee was in a negative role and he plays it to inch perfection. Given his good looks on screen the sword fighting sequence towards the end makes it a remarkable visual display. Uttam Kumar in comparison although given a far larger screen time appears quite mellowed down. He has his moments but surprisingly it didn't affect me that much as did Soumitra Chatterjee's part. If Uttam Kumar is the grand old man of Bong movies then Sandhya Roy, is most definitely the grand old lady. She plays the love interest of the king of Jhind and even though this is not a movie about romance there is some reel time given to show their blossoming love. It was probably due to social pressure that he had to include those unnecessary bits, thereby cutting back on some precious reel time which could have featured some more dialogs between the two princes.

The soft soothing background music by Ali Akbar Khan is melodious to the ear. The camera work is superb. There are exquisite scenes of Rajasthan be it the rugged hills or the sandy desert or the brilliant lakes. It's a tragedy that no production house has offered to bring out a DVD (or even so a color version) of this movie. A movie of such giant proportion is fast fading out with old reels getting partially damaged/destroyed. Initiatives must be taken to protect such treasures.

A true classic from a gem of a director. 8/10 !!!

The story has underwent certain location changes to incorporate the Indian feel about the movie. The princely state of Zenda in Germany becomes Jhind in Rajasthan. And the capital city of Strelsau becomes the City of Joy, Kolkata. But apart from that more or less everything is kept in theme. Uttam Kumar plays the unfortunate king/vagabond who is lured into portraying as the king. Although according to the book and the original Prisoner of Zenda(1937), John Cromwell's classic depicts the king to be lazy, ruthless and harsh Tapan Sinha's version portrayals an innocent naive king who probably happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Soumitra Chatterjee plays the swashbuckling commander-in-chief. Tapan Kumar plays the evil scheming younger prince.

Jhinder Bandi is a classic in every sense. With its rich storytelling, exceptional performances, and cinematic brilliance, it remains a gem of Bengali cinema that has stood the test of time. Whether you're a fan of historical thrillers, strong character arcs, or simply want to witness Uttam Kumar and Soumitra Chatterjee at their finest, Jhinder Bandi is an unforgettable experience. A true must-watch.