In the 80’s and 90’s, the Indian comics industry was at its peak. On one hand, while ‘Raj Comics’ gave a tremendous superhero like ‘Nagraj’ to the country, on the other hand, many small publishers from different parts of the country also came forward. ‘Radha Comics’, which came out of Meerut, was also one of them. The comic ‘Nagesh’, which came in this era, is such a creation that it is clearly understood that it is largely inspired by Raj Comics’ ‘Nagraj’, or rather, it seems to be a simple copy of it. This 32-page comic not only tells the story of the birth of a new superhero, but also shows the level of comic writing and drawing of the time.
Plot and Original Story
The story begins with Doctor Nagpal, who holds a special event in a museum to show the ‘Nagmani’ to people. Nagmani, which has always been considered a powerful object in our folklore and snake tales, is shown here also as a very powerful entity. But during the program, suddenly some masked robbers attack the place. They not only steal the Nagmani but also brutally kill the innocent Doctor Nagpal.
This is where the real villain, ‘Professor Amrish’, enters the story. He is a dangerous criminal scientist whose aim is to create a ‘snake-human’ with the power of the Nagmani, which remains completely under his control. Amrish has the body of a dead circus performer named ‘Arjun’. He transplants the Nagmani into Arjun’s mind and tries to revive him with the help of his modern machines.
The other side of the story is linked to ‘Nagendra Baba’, who is a Siddha Yogi. He has locked the soul of a powerful snake in a kamandal and is doing penance for its peace. But the effect of Professor Amrish’s dangerous experiment is so deep that the soul breaks the kamandal and comes out, directly entering Arjun’s dead body. This is how ‘Nagesh’ is born.
Professor Amrish then gives his first test to Nagesh. He sends him to rob the port and seize the belongings of his enemy ‘Marco’. Here, Nagesh openly displays his unique powers—avoiding bullets, releasing poisonous snakes from his body, and eliminating enemies in moments. Marco’s entire gang is devastated. But as the story progresses, due to Nagendra Baba’s interference and the awakening of the man inside Nagesh, he starts to understand that he is being used for wrongdoings. Eventually, he decides to get out of Professor Amrish’s clutches and follow the right path.
Nagraj’s Copy: A Detailed Comparison
As the reader can also sense, ‘Nagesh’ seems to be a copy of ‘Nagraj’ to a great extent. There are many reasons for this which are immediately visible to any comics reader.
The similarity of the names is the first point. ‘Nagraj’ and ‘Nagesh’—both names give the feeling of the king of snakes or the god of snakes.
Talking about powers, there is a lot of similarity here as well. Like Nagraj, Nagesh can also release thousands of snakes from his body. The comic shows him using a ‘snake-rope’ and showering snakes on enemies, which is clearly Nagraj’s trademark style.
The story of genesis is almost the same. Nagraj was created by Professor Nagmani as a weapon, who was later shown the right path by Baba Gorakhnath. Similarly, Nagesh is made by Professor Amrish, and Nagendra Baba explains to him the meaning of humanity and justice.
The costumes are also very similar. The green suit, snake-like stripes on the body, and the waistband—everything reminds one of Nagraj’s early look. Even the ‘third eye’ on Nagesh’s forehead points to Nagraj’s special powers.
Character Illustration
Nagesh (Arjun) is the hero of this story, but in the beginning, he is just a pawn. The author has tried to show the struggle inside him. The resurrection of a dead person and then being confused about his identity makes the story a little emotional and interesting.
Professor Amrish is a classic comics villain—bald, heartless, and power-hungry. His scientific background makes him even more dangerous. For him, Nagesh is just a weapon, not a human being or a son.
Nagendra Baba plays the role of a mentor in the story. His peace, yogic powers, and thinking appear to be completely opposite to Professor Amrish’s machines and greed. His daughter ‘Kamini’ also emerges as an important ally in the story.
Characters like Marco and Jumbo are petty criminals, brought into the story specifically to showcase Nagesh’s strength. These characters merely serve as a means of proving how dangerous and powerful Nagesh can be.
Art and Painting
The drawing of this comic by the teenage Obroy can be said to be quite fine and satisfying, despite the limited technology and scant resources of the 80’s. Like most comics of that period, the primary colors—red, blue, yellow, and green—have been used extensively here as well. Also, the use of yellow and bright colors in the background makes the scenes more prominent and gives the comic the identity of that period.
Nagesh’s action scenes, snakes flying in the air, and showers of bullets have been shown in a very loud and energetic manner. Sound effects like ‘tad-tad’ and ‘dhadak’ give a different pleasure while reading and make the scenes feel more alive. Yes, at some places there is a slight disturbance in the anatomy, but despite this, expressions like fear, anger, and surprise are clearly visible on the faces of the characters, which reflect the hard work of the artist.
Dialogue and Language
The story of this comic has been written by Tika Ram. The dialogues are not very heavy, but are written in straight and easy Hindi. In between, Urdu words like ‘mujrim’, along with English words like ‘creepy’ and ‘invention’, are also heard, which was a common feature of comics of that time.
According to the style of that period, long text boxes are also given in it, which work to explain the background and circumstances of the story. In many places, the dialogues become quite dramatic, like— “From today, we will create a stir in the crime world!” or “No, dogs… bastards… these dreams of yours will never come true!” According to today’s standards, these dialogues may seem a bit over-the-top, but this drama and enthusiasm attracted the readers of that time the most.
Review and Critical Analysis
‘Nagesh’ is definitely an entertaining comic to read, but it lacks a lot of newness, i.e., originality. The way the characters, their strengths, and the whole setting are created, it clearly seems that this was an attempt to capitalize on the tremendous popularity of Nagraj.
Positive Side:
The pace of the story is very fast. From the first page to the last page, events happen continuously, so this 32-page comic does not bore the reader at any point. Elements like the Nagmani and the Kamandal are used well in the story, which provide a connection with Indian folklore and mythological thinking. Moreover, the victory of good over evil in the end and the reform of a criminal send a clear and positive message to society.
Downside:
As a reader, the shadow of Nagraj is clearly visible in the character of Nagesh, due to which his own identity becomes a little weak. In addition, the combination of science and magic shown in the story—the entry of a soul into a dead body with the help of machines—seems quite illogical. However, considering the genre of fantasy comics, this can be ignored. Also, the characters have been introduced very quickly, due to which the reader is unable to form a deep emotional connection with them.
Conclusion
‘Nagesh’ is not just a comic, but a mirror of the thinking and atmosphere of the era when publishers from cities like Meerut and Delhi were engaged in creating their own desi superheroes for Indian children. Even though it is a comic with a clear glimpse of Nagraj, Radha Comics definitely tried to give it a different name and a slightly different atmosphere.
Kishore Obroy’s drawings and Tika Ram’s story together give an experience that is no less than a nostalgia trip for today’s readers.
If you are fond of old-fashioned comics and want to understand the evolution of Indian comics, it may be a good idea to include ‘Nagesh’ in your collection. This comic shows how the same concept, that is the ‘nag-human’, was introduced by different publishers in their own ways. This first fight of Nagesh was not just with criminals, but also with creating his own identity. The story ends with the promise of the upcoming sequel ‘Aayann-e-Jung’, which was enough to keep the enthusiasm of the readers of that time alive.
Overall, ‘Nagesh’ is a forgotten but interesting chapter in the history of Indian comics, and both knowing about it and reading it is a fun experience in itself.
