Bankelal is a hero in the history of Raj Comics who actually wants to become a ‘villain’ rather than a hero. ‘Yeh Jo Hai Bankelal’ is such a link in this series that takes us to that unique world of Vishalgarh, where every evil ultimately turns from a game of luck into good. The conflict between Bankelal’s jealousy and Raja Vikram Singh’s naive bravery is the real life of this comic.
As soon as we look at the cover page of ‘Yeh Jo Hai Bankelal’, we realize the special style of painter Bedi, which gave a distinct identity to the Bankelal series. The cover shows Bankelal in a frightful state, where a single-horned green monster is putting a snake-like noose around his neck. Drops of sweat on Bankelal’s face, frightened eyes, and body posture clearly show his fear. Burning torches and a boiling tilismi cauldron behind him create an atmosphere of fear, but Bankelal’s cartoonish look quickly turns the fear into humor. The bright use of red, yellow, and green colors on the cover attracts children’s attention. The dagger flying in the air and the smoke coming out of the cauldron make the scene more lively.
The waves of the sea and the dreadful plans of Bankelal
The story begins with the end of a sea voyage. After five long journeys, Raja Vikram Singh is returning to his beloved kingdom Vishalgarh. While the king is desperate to meet his subjects, Bankelal is thinking that he wishes the ship would sink so that he would survive alone and become king. Will this sea move of Bankelal be successful, or will the waves of the sea bring a new turn for him?
Terror of ‘Kite Marrow’: Will the demon die from a cucumber?
In the middle of the journey, when Raja Vikram Singh starts flying kites in memory of his childhood, he encounters the dangerous demon ‘Patangmarkhan’. Here Bankelal makes a move that could have benefited him.When he asks the king to kill the demon with wood, the king makes a mistake in hearing and misunderstands the wood as a cucumber. This mistake creates such a funny scene that readers cannot stop laughing. Will an ordinary ‘cucumber’ be able to eliminate such a big monster?
The mysterious invitation to ‘Gulistan’: a new trap or a new trouble?
As soon as they get rid of the demon, Bankelal and the king face the commander of the city of ‘Gulistan’. Sitting on a flying cot, they reach a state about which they had never even heard. From here, the story takes a new turn. Is the welcoming of Gulistan’s Raja Dhal Singh for Bankelal and Vikram Singh a sign of some big danger to come?
Raja Dhal Singh’s ‘Bahuguna’ nephews: The noise of a dozen twins
The biggest problem of Gulistan city is the ‘dozen’ twins of Raja Dhal Singh’s brother. These children are called ‘Bahuguna’. The mischief of these naughty children and the condition of Raja Vikram Singh trapped between them create great humor in the comic. It becomes interesting to see how Bankelal uses these children to get Vikram Singh out of the way.
Rajkumar Talwar Singh: ‘Weird’ hobby of hunting two birds with one stone
Another funny character in the story is Rajkumar Talwar Singh. He considers himself a great hunter and claims to have taken two kills with one arrow. But what is the truth behind his claim? When Talwar Singh goes out hunting and Bankelal puts his mind to it, the whole situation turns into a comedy of misunderstandings.
Princess Nainkatari and Bankelal’s new ‘plan’
While Talwar Singh is busy hunting, Princess Nainkatari’s entry adds a new color to the story. Like always, Bankelal starts the politics of relationships here too, so that Vikram Singh can get into trouble. Will these tricks of Bankelal be able to get him the throne of Vishalgarh?
Bedi’s unmatched portrayal: Humor cast in colors
The review of this comic is incomplete without mentioning artist Bedi. Bankelal is depicted very effectively. Bedi has paid special attention to Bankelal’s facial expressions to portray him as a ‘sly hero’. His short mustache, backward-turned braid, and round face make him look like a clown. In this issue, Bankelal’s pink and red clothes show the royal style of Vishalgarh. Bedi’s biggest specialty is that he shows Bankelal’s cleverness through the sparkle in his eyes and a slanted smile. When he plans against Vikram Singh, his facial expressions immediately change. His falling scenes and body flexibility make him look cartoonishly alive.
Colour and lighting effects: Sanjay Vispute’s artistic understanding
Sanjay Vispute’s coloring has brought life to Bedi’s sketches. The colors of the characters’ clothes are chosen according to their nature. The use of dull and slightly scary colors for the witch reflects her negative appearance, while bright colors have been used for Bankelal and the king. The ‘glow effect’ and rays of light shown during magical moments display an excellent understanding of colors.
Light blue or orange colors have often been used in the background of the pages, so that the main scenes and characters stand out clearly. Bedi’s panel design is also quite dynamic, where he breaks the panel boundaries several times and spreads the visuals in such a way that the reader’s gaze easily moves from one scene to another and the story continues to flow.
Meenu Wahi’s writing: The magic of dialogues
The way Meenu Wahi has written this story is praiseworthy. The dialogues are short, sharp, and full of light satire. Especially the thoughts running in Bankelal’s mind, where he keeps thinking about ‘Mote’, i.e., Raja Vikram Singh, keep the readers engaged from beginning to end.
Will Bankelal ever succeed? The cruel joke of fate
Throughout the comic, Bankelal repeatedly tries to harm Vikram Singh, but every time luck spoils his game. The ending of this comic is also based on the same idea — “Do bad, but good happens”. This becomes the biggest punishment for Bankelal: he ends up doing good for those to whom he wishes bad.
Conclusion: Why read ‘Yeh Jo Hai Bankelal’?
This comic shows us that jealousy and negative thinking often end up becoming humorous and entertaining. It brings back memories from the 90s, when these thin 6-rupee comics kept us laughing and happy for hours. If you want to get away from stress and return to the classic world of Bankelal, where magic and comedy work more than logic, then this comic is a ‘must-read’ for you.
This journey of Bankelal is not just a story, but a return to the innocence of childhood, where we used to laugh openly not at the defeat of a ‘villain’, but at his funny actions.
