Remember Jurassic Park (1993), The Dark Knight (2008) and Indiana Jones? Yes, they are big Hollywood franchises and top draws at ticket windows around the world, but what many do not know is that these biggies have inspired several amusement park rides.
Now, Anil Kapoor’s 1987 cult hit Mr India has become the first desi film to join that illustrious list and serve as an inspiration for a fun ride. Filmmaker Manmohan Shetty’s Rs.1,500 crore amusement park in Panvel is nearing completion. And as his first-of-its-kind Indian Disneyland looks set to kick off in December, one of the rides has been designed keeping director Shekhar Kapur’s superhero film in mind, including famous characters like Mogambo and Mr India.
Apparently, Shetty and his company, Walkwater Media Limited, conducted a research to find out who is the most-recalled superhero among Indian audiences. And they were surprised to know that even though Mr India released over two decades ago, it’s the first superhero character most people think of. “The ride would be a journey taken from Mr India’s point of view. This is perhaps the first time in India that we are seeing an actual extension of a film brand,” says an insider close to Anil.
Despite repeated attempts, Anil remained unavailable for a comment. Interestingly, we have also heard that the actor — for the past week or so — has been dubbing for the special ride. Interestingly, Mogambo’s voice will also be heard on it. “Yes, they have used the original voice of Amrish Puri from the film,” adds the insider.