Rana Daggubati-Tinkle Comics unveil 'Minnal Murali': Indian superhero graphic novel
Spirit Media, led by Baahubali actor Rana Daggubati, has collaborated with Tinkle Comics to launch a graphic novel based on the Indian superhero Minnal Murali. Yes, you read that right! Per Variety, the announcement was made at the Mumbai Comic-Con event on Sunday. Minnal Murali is a celebrated 2021 Malayalam film—helmed by Basil Joseph—featuring Tovino Thomas as the eponymous superhero who gains superpowers after a lightning strike.
Why does this story matter?
Set in a picturesque village in Kerala, Minnal Murali narrates the tale of a hopeful tailor yearning to immigrate to the US, and a marginalized individual—both bestowed with extraordinary superpowers after a lightning strike ("minnal" meaning lightning in Malayalam). While the tailor employs his newfound abilities for benevolent deeds, the social outcast takes a darker path, embracing evil. Acquired by Netflix, the film enjoyed a direct-to-digital release. Now, a graphic novel adaptation promises to delve deeper into the superhero's origins.
'Minnal Murali' graphic novel to expand superhero's adventures
Daggubati reportedly expressed his excitement about the project, stating, "The debut of Tinkle's graphic novel Minnal Murali at Mumbai Comic-Con marks a significant milestone for reaffirming the love for Indian superheroes and comics." This project marks Tinkle Comics's first venture into the realm of graphic novels. The comic publisher, established in 1980 by Amar Chitra Katha, is renowned for original characters like Suppandi and Shikari Shambu.
Transforming successful film franchises into books
Preeti Vyas, President and CEO of Amar Chitra Katha and Tinkle, highlighted how this project exemplifies the successful transformation of film franchises into books. She stated, "This project is a great example of how a popular film franchise has been taken into the pages of a book." Gayathri Chandrasekaran, editor-in-chief of Tinkle Comics, shared her excitement about bringing a new Minnal Murali story to life in this dynamic format.
Meanwhile, a quick look at Daggubatti's other ventures
In addition to his involvement with Minnal Murali, Daggubati is engaged in various other projects. Notably, he is spearheading The Rana Connection—a talk show slated to premiere on Amazon Prime Video. The announcement of the show was made recently during the Prime Video Presents event. Moreover, reports suggest that Daggubati will portray a tech-savvy antagonist in Rajinikanth's upcoming October release, Vettaiyan. With these diverse ventures, Daggubati continues to expand his acting repertoire.
