Movie Review: Motu Patlu King of Kings

Release Date:  October 13, 2016

Cast: (Voices) Vinay Shukla (Guddu), Sourav Chakraborty (Motu, Patlu, Dr. Jhatka, Chingam, Ghaseta)

Director: Suhas D Kadav

Genre: Animation

Duration: 1 hour 50 minutes

Most people from the Hindi-speaking belt would already know the characters Motu and Patlu. For many decades, the funny stories of the duo have been published in the popular Lotpot comics. The Motu Patlu series has a significant fan following in the Indian heartland and people love them because the characters always seem to get involved in troubling, yet hugely amusing situations. How they get out of these situations is what makes their stories interesting and hilarious to read. The movie is a delight for fans, as it allows them to experience the adventures of Motu Patlu on the big screen.

The story of Motu Patlu King of Kings revolves around environmental conservation. It aims to spread the message of caring for the environment among children, so that future generations can take informed decisions that would help save planet earth. The story starts to take shape when Guddu Ghalib, the vegetarian circus lion escapes from the circus and lands up at the home of Motu-Patlu, located inFurfuri Nagariya. The duo is initially afraid, but when they discover that Guddu is a vegetarian, they befriend him and offer to take him to the jungle. However, their simple trip to the jungle starts turning into a big adventure, as they come to know that a dangerous poacher called Narsimha has taken control of the jungle. Narsimha plans to kill all the animals in the jungle including the Lion King (Simha). The story becomes complicated, as the circus lion Guddu looks exactly like Simha.

What makes Motu and Patlu endearing is their simplicity and the ability to make you laugh and chuckle. The animation and 3D effects are simply superb and there are valuable contributions from Gulzar (lyrics) and Vishal Bhardwaj (music for the solo track). However, the movie could have been crisper if it was a tad shorter.

Kids will love Motu Patlu King of Kings. It can be a treat for you as well, especially if you love comics and want to relive your childhood experience.