Raj Comics has its own identity in the Indian comics world, and in its superhero universe, ‘Tiranga’ is a character who does not protect the country with any divine power, magic, or mutation, but with his sharp mind, tremendous courage, and high-tech gadgets. He protects. “Maut Chuppi Hai Desh Mein” is a classic tale of the tricolor, which revolves around 15 August (Independence Day). This comics not only entertains but also reminds of the period when the fear of terrorism and bomb blasts was everywhere, and at such a time, the idea of a protector like Tricolor gave solace to the people.
The story of Tarun Kumar Wahi and the brilliant artwork of Dilip Choubey make this comics a memorable experience. The balance of suspense, emotion, and action is very well visible in it.
Independence Day under the shadow of terror
The story begins with preparations for August 15. The whole country is busy celebrating independence, but on the other hand, the enemies of the country are hatching a dangerous conspiracy. The story is shown in several layers:
Security breach conspiracy:
Delhi Police and security agencies are making strict arrangements for the Prime Minister’s speech at the Red Fort. Meanwhile, a coded message of the terrorist organization ‘Target’ is intercepted, but it is not easy to understand. The villain Haider and his partner decode this code, and the information hidden in it reveals that there is a plan for a major catastrophe. The plan is that “all bombs will explode simultaneously.”
Liberty Cinema’s Crisis:
Tiranga gets information that a human bomb is present in Liberty Cinema Hall and the terrorists have demanded Rs 25 lakh. If the money is not given, there will be an explosion. Tricolor immediately activates and, with the help of his sharp mind and special gadget ‘Third i’ (Third Eye), recognizes that the human bomb is present in the crowd. Here, the wisdom of the tricolor is clearly visible; he catches the terrorist without creating a stampede and also captures the explosives.
Threat to Red Fort:
Interrogation of the captured terrorists reveals that the real target is not the cinema hall but the Red Fort, where the Prime Minister is going to deliver a speech. The tricolor reaches there immediately. Despite scanning the entire area with ‘Third Eye,’ he does not find any bomb. This is the biggest twist of the story. The suspense increases: where are the bombs?
Loudspeaker secret:
When Tiranga again strictly interrogates the terrorists, he gets clues about a radio and the live telecast of the Prime Minister’s speech. With his sharp mind, he understands that the bombs are not planted in any place, but inside loudspeakers, and they will explode not with a timer, but with a specific sound frequency of the Prime Minister’s voice. This twist was very unique and scientific. Tricolor immediately changes the frequency with his ‘voice decoder’ and saves thousands of lives.
The King’s Secret (sub-plot)
A different story also plays in the other part of the story. It has a smart child ‘king,’ far ahead of his age—so much that he is taking the 10th exam at a young age. The king lives with his maternal grandparents, who have previously been in the army. Tiranga meets Raja and gifts him a video game.
The king’s behavior is a little mysterious—he fears drowning in water, and sometimes he unknowingly starts reading verses of the ‘Quran,’ while he has been brought up in a Hindu family.
At the end of the story, it is revealed that the terrorists who are looking for ‘Mustafa Zaidi’ (old leader of the Target organization) may have some connection with the king. It is a cliffhanger that sets the way for the next comics “The Flag Be High Our.”
Character analysis (Character Analysis)
Tricolor (Bharatdutt):
In this comics, Tiranga is shown as a mature and serious spy. He not only displays muscles but also makes full use of science and technology. Every dialogue he has is full of patriotism. He says,
“My three colors are not only a mark of respect for the country but also of the safety of the countrymen.”
Apart from the tricolor shield (Shield) and helmet, this story has a very important use of gadgets like his ‘Third i’ (a kind of scanner) and ‘voice decoder.’ He is tough towards criminals, but his behavior towards the king (child) is extremely gentle and inspiring.
Villains (Haider and Qurban Zaidi):
The villains of the story, Haider and Qurban Zaidi, are cruel and clever. Their aim is not just to earn money but to spread anarchy in India. The ‘Target’ organization is shown as an international threat and is related to a neighboring country (Pakistan). Their loudspeaker bomb plan is evidence of their vicious intelligence.
King (mysterious child):
Raja is the emotional center of the story. He is not an ordinary child. The memories (water, Quran) hidden in his sharp intellect and subconscious mind create mystery in the story. The author has very cleverly indicated that the king may have some connection with terrorist Mustafa Zaidi. It brings up the debate of ‘nature versus upbringing’ (Nature vs Nurture). What will a terrorist become if his son grows up among patriots? This question has been raised through the king.
Drawing and Art (Artwork)
Dilip Choubey’s portraiture is the finest example of Raj Comics’ 90’s style, where action scenes are shown extremely dynamic (Dynamic). The scenes of the tricolor jumping on the domes of the Red Fort and fighting with terrorists are very powerful. Muscle structure (Anatomy) was typical of comics of the period, and here it emerges in a spectacular way.
Vineet Siddharth’s color combinations are perfect for the mood of the story. The three colors of the tricolor dress (Kesariya, White, Green) shine differently in each frame, which instills a sense of pride among the readers. Also, great attention has been paid to the background (Background)—depiction of the Red Fort, crowded scenes, and the Prime Minister’s stage—all look realistic. The poster of Liberty Cinema and the atmosphere of Delhi have also been shown to be quite true.
Dialogue and Writing (Dialogue & Writing)
The story of Tarun Kumar Wahi is quite tight. You don’t feel bored anywhere while reading.
‘Tricolor’ comics thrill readers with their patriotic dialogues, such as:
“I know you’re trying to blow up a bomb,” or
“After coming into the eyes of the tricolor, it was now difficult to run away from there.”
These dialogues show the indomitable spirit of the hero.
Also, the author has included in the story technical things—such as sound frequency, coding-decoding—which would have been fun to learn and understand for children and teenage readers of that time.
In the midst of the grim plot, the light-hearted interactions of the king and his maternal grandparents add humor and family affinity to the story, balancing the atmosphere of the story.
Main themes and social messages (Themes)
Vigilance against terrorism:
The biggest message of the story is: “caution removed, accident occurred.”
The tricolor shows that security is not the responsibility of the police alone, but every citizen should remain alert. Not touching unclaimed luggage and giving information about suspicious activities—these things have been explained through the story.
Secularism and unity:
The character of Raja is a symbol of India’s Ganga-Jamuni culture. A Hindu family (nana-nani) adopts a child whose past is probably linked to some other community, and nurtures him lovingly. The king’s unknowing reading of the Quran and the presence of Geeta in the house give the message of equality of all religions.
Positive use of science:
Tricolor solves his problems with technology and gadgets. It inspires readers to be interested in science.
Critical Analysis
Positive side:
‘Tricolor’ comics plot is very attractive because of its originality. The twist of the loudspeaker containing a bomb was extremely new and shocking, which kept readers busy guessing till the end. The pace of the story is very fast—events from the headquarters to the cinema hall and then to the Red Fort change so quickly that pages keep turning.
It was also smart to leave Raja’s story deliberately incomplete, leaving readers eager to buy the next comics.
Downside (if any):
Sometimes the role of the police seems a bit helpless, where the Commissioner repeatedly looks towards the tricolor. This may sound a bit exaggerated, but a greater reliance on the protagonist is commonplace in superhero comics. Some of the spontaneous coincidences in the story (like the king reading the Quran at the same time as Mustafa Zaidi) sound a bit filmy, but it was necessary to show the story’s dramatic influence and message of secularism strongly.
Conclusion
“Death Chuppi Hai Desh Mein” is a great offering from the golden age of Raj Comics. It’s not just action comics, but it has all the elements of a good detective story (Detective Story).
This proves that the tricolor is not just a costume-wearing hero, but a protector of the soul of India. “His identity as Bharatdutt” and his duty as “Tiranga” make him a complete and powerful character.
Raja’s mysterious background adds emotional depth to the story and elevates it above a story that only defeats the villain.
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommendation:
If you are a fan of 90’s Indian comics, or want to read a good patriotic thriller, this comics is great for you. After reading it, you will definitely want to read its next part “The Flag Should Remain High, Ours,” so that the king’s past and Mustafa Zaidi’s secret can be revealed.
Final thoughts:
In today’s digital age, when there is a flood of content everywhere, comics like “Death Chuppi Hai Desh Mein” remind us of the time when the thrill of saving the world for 10 bucks was found. This comics is an important part of Indian pop culture, which should be preserved and appreciated. Jai Hind!
