It is based on an early and extremely exciting issue of the famous comic superhero ‘Parmanu’. Parmanu, whose real name is Vinay and who is a police inspector by profession, has been one of the most popular and memorable characters in the world of Indian comics. In this special issue, we get to see a deep and complicated story of justice, courage, terrorism, and corruption hidden within the system.
Raj Comics truly recognized superhero culture among Indian children and youth in the 90s. After Nagraj and Super Commando Dhruv, ‘Parmanu’ came out as a hero who linked science and law together. The powers of Parmanu are hidden in his special suit, which gives him the ability to control things at Parmanu level, disappear, change his shape, and release tremendous energy rays.
Detailed analysis of the story
The story begins with a building named ‘Crystal’ near the famous ‘Qutub Minar’ of Delhi. Here, the police receive news that the leader of the dangerous terrorist organization ‘Sapera’ is hiding in this building. The snake charmer is not a common criminal, but a traitor on whose head a reward of Rs 5 lakh has been placed.
Operation Crystal:
The Police Commissioner and D.C.P., along with a heavy police force led by Sathe, surround the Crystal Building from all sides. The strategy and preparation of the police are well shown in the initial part of the story. Landing commandos by parachute from a helicopter and carrying out a complete siege from below fills the readers with tremendous thrill. There is rapid firing from the terrorists, and they even use hand grenades. Seeing the situation worsening, Parmanu finally enters.
Sapera’s arrest and the skill of Parmanu:
The snake charmer tries to escape in a private plane, but this is where the powers of Parmanu can be seen in a spectacular way. He uses his ‘power-rays’ (Energy Lasso) to clamp the flying plane and force it to land (p. 8). The arrest of the snake charmer is shown as a major victory of the law, but this victory is not going to last long.
Retaliation and ‘fire rain’:
After the snake charmer is caught, his organization ‘Sapera Group’ does not remain silent. Professor Zaid, who appears to be the mastermind of this group, openly challenges the Delhi Police. The Sapera Group attacks a police station in Delhi with ‘fire bombs’. Parmanu saves the lives of policemen by reaching the spot, but the real objective of the terrorists is to create an atmosphere of fear. They drop leaflets from helicopters, which clearly state threats—
“if the snake charmer is not released, tomorrow Delhi will have ‘fire rain’.”
System and corruption:
A very important part of the story shows the corruption prevalent within the police department. Sub-Inspector Ajay, who is greedy, takes a bribe from the Sapera Group—50,000 rupees and a sweet box—to help them during curfew. On the other hand, Vinay, i.e., the real form of Parmanu, performs his duty with complete honesty and starts doubting Ajay. This confrontation clearly shows that a hero has to fight not only with external enemies but also with traitors within his own system.
Character illustration
Parmanu (Vinay):
The character of Parmanu is that of a hero living a double life. On the one hand, he follows the law by wearing a police uniform, and on the other hand, he crosses boundaries where common police cannot reach by becoming Parmanu. In this issue, his patience, wisdom, and timely decisions bring him to the fore as a wise and mature hero.
Sapera:
Sapera is a very cruel and stubborn villain. Despite being behind bars and suffering torture, a smile is clearly visible on his face, and hatred is clearly visible in his eyes. He is confident that his organization is fully prepared to cause havoc outside.
D.C.P. Sathe:
He is shown as an ideal and strict police officer who is not ready to bow down to terrorists. His dialogue—
“we will never bow down to these jackal furrows”—
clearly shows his strong intentions and courage.
Sub-Inspector Ajay:
This is the most hated character in the story. When the entire society is in crisis, he is only busy filling his pockets. His character brings out the bitter truth of society, where some people even put the security of the country at stake for a few rupees.
Art and Dialogue
Drawing (Illustration):
The artwork of this comic (Illustrator: Chavan) gives a completely classic Raj Comics feel. The choice of colors is quite bright and pleasing to the eyes. Parmanu’s yellow and green suit is clearly visible even in dark scenes and strengthens his presence. Action scenes attract special attention, such as when Parmanu catches a flying plane or when a massive explosion occurs in a police station. Movement and energy are clearly felt in these panels. The buildings and atmosphere of Delhi have also been shown in great detail, especially locations like Qutub Minar, which make the story more realistic.
Dialogues:
Tarun Kumar Wahi’s writing leaves a strong impact. The dialogues have the right balance of heroism and seriousness, which does not allow the story to feel overburdened. The language of the terrorists’ threatening leaflets creates fear, while the way Parmanu interacts with his “professor” shows his thoughtful nature. The story ends with tremendous suspense, where the reader is directly questioned—
“will Parmanu allow Delhi to rain?”
This question itself arouses curiosity for the next issue, ‘Fire’.
Social and moral messages
This comic is not limited to just entertainment, but contains many deep and important messages hidden within it. The biggest message is unity against terrorism. The story clearly shows that terrorism takes hold not just through weapons but by spreading fear, and if the public and the police stand together without fear, victory is certain.
Also, through Sub-Inspector Ajay, the dangerous consequences of corruption are directly highlighted. This character clearly warns that “it is the breach from within that destroys Lanka,” and that the weakest link in any security system is the corrupt person inside. Finally, Parmanu’s special suit shows the balance between technology and justice, where the power of science is used to protect humanity and raise hopes for a better and safer future.
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Critical Appraisal: Qualities and Drawbacks
Features:
The fast pace of this comic keeps the story thrilling from beginning to end and does not bore the reader at any point. The “fire rain” suspense emerges as the strongest part of the story. The special thing is that, despite being a superhero comic, the real functioning of the police has been given an important place in it. Scenes like curfew, press conferences, and blockades make it more down to earth and more believable.
Drawbacks:
In this issue, the villain’s strength seems somewhat weak, because the snake charmer himself does not appear to be doing much and has complete faith in his organization. If his direct confrontation with Parmanu had been shown, the thrill could have increased even more. Additionally, some torture scenes seem old-fashioned, which may feel a little outdated today, although this was common in comics of that time.
Conclusion
Overall, this issue of Parmanu is a fantastic and classic superhero adventure. It reminds us why Raj Comics ruled the hearts of Indian readers for such a long time. The perfect combination of action, emotion, suspense, and patriotism can be seen in the story. The character of Parmanu teaches that with strength comes responsibility.
If you are fond of Indian comics, then this issue must be in your collection. It not only carries forward the legacy of Parmanu, but also creates a world where, no matter how powerful evil is, an “Parmanu” always stands to stop it. This detailed review tries to touch every aspect of the story, and in the end, it can be said that Parmanu is a shining star in Indian comics history.
What is going to happen in the next issue, ‘Fire’, is the most exciting wait for this story. Will Parmanu be able to stop that mysterious “rain of fire”? Will Ajay’s betrayal come to light? These questions connect the reader more deeply with the world of Parmanu.
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommendation: A must-read for all superhero and thriller lovers.
