Film : Mufasa: The Lion King

Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Makrand Deshpande, Shreyas Talpade, Sanjay Mishra, Aryan Khan and AbRam Khan

Director: Barry Jenkins

Rating: 3 Moons

 In 1994, ‘The Lion King’ left a magical mark all over the world, after which its remake in 2019 was not only a retelling of that film, but also presented as both a prequel and a sequel. The third installment, ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’, is special for Indian audiences because the voices of Shah Rukh Khan and sons Aryan and Abram are heard in it. They give a new flavour to the film. 

The story shows Mufasa's journey from childhood to becoming king. It also shows the rivalry between Mufasa and his brother Scar. Mufasa separated from his family in a flood in childhood, and the subsequent conspiracy to kidnap and kill him is the main basis of the film. This time the format and story are somewhat different, which takes the audience in a new direction.

The visuals are great and realism has been attempted in the animation which adds to the beauty of the film. However, this realism has made the film lose some of its character. For example, Timon and Pumbaa, whose earlier cartoon avatars were fun and charming, look a bit odd in realistic form. The same is the case with the other creatures, shown talking and singing in a realistic form looks a bit odd.

The highlight is its brilliant Hindi dubbing. Shah Rukh Khan is the voice of Mufasa, and it adds deep emotions to the film. His dialogues, especially the line “Main hoon na”, leave an emotional impact. Aryan’s voice is used for Mufasa's son Simba, and there is a freshness and newness in it. AbRam, who is the voice of little Mufasa, has also done a great job.

On the other hand, the voices of Shreyas Talpade and Sanjay Mishra bring life to the characters of Timon and Pumbaa. Their dialogues entertain and are light-hearted, which will appeal to children. However, some parts of the film, such as the earthquake scene and other drama, feel a bit exaggerated and unrealistic.

Overall, this film is not as heart-warming as the ‘Lion King’. The music and story do not have the depth that we saw in the original, but it is a suitable and entertaining option for children.