Comic legend, Stan Lee was not just the creator of Spider-Man and Iron Man, the maverick had also created an Indian superhero to keep Mumbai safe, called Chakra.
Known for creating comic book icons such as the X-Men and Thor, the legendary Stan Lee, passed away at the age of 95 on November 12. He also co-created ‘Çhakra’ an Indian superhero.
Chakra: The Invincible made his debut in a comic book, in 2011.
Though the character of Chakra has a touch of Spider-Man and Iron Man but with a desi twist. Apparently, Chakra is a teenage tech genius named Raju Rai who inadvertently activated a blue jumpsuit that unleashed the chakras (energy centres) in his body. This suit provided him with special powers to keep Mumbai safe.
Chakra-The Invincible, was created by Lee and Sharad Devarajan, CEO of the India-focused animation company Graphic India. Chakra’s story had sparked the hope of a much-needed transformation in the world of comics and superheroes, long dominated by Western characters.
In the year 2013, Chakra got his own animated movie, which was aired on Cartoon Network in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu. Sadly, the character was bizarrely given an American accent in the English version, which surprised critics, but the film was followed by two sequels.
Stan Lee announced that he and Devarajan would be taking Chakra to the big screen in partnership with Phantom Films, an Indian production company, in 2016. It was touted that the live-action film was to be directed by Phantom Films co-founder Vikramaditya Motwane and set to go into production in late 2016-2017. Then, Devarajan had told The Wire that Lee would likely make a cameo, as he’s done in other Marvel superhero movies and TV series.
However, recently this year, Phantom Films was dissolved, leaving the Chakra movie’s fate in a lurch. Meanwhile, Graphic India has launched a mobile game, Chakra: World Siege, in which the Indian superhero fights his nemesis, Boss Yama, to save the seven wonders of the world. Apart from the mobile game, YouTube, fans can still catch clips from Cartoon Network in Hindi, English, Tamil, and Telugu.
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