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Priyanka Chopra is getting her own superhero (superheroine?) character in the next series of Virgin Comics. Apparently, her next movie titled Drona has her playing bodyguard to Abhishek Bachchan who is a superhero. Otherwise a morass of stupidity, the first comment on the linked Rediff story echoed my first thought when I read that line - a superhero needs a bodyguard? If I know my Mahabharat correctly (update: guess I don’t. See comment), then Drona was killed by a eunuch (Shikhandi) so probably this bodyguard is supposed to ‘protect’ Drona from that Shikhandi when the need arises. Otherwise the job description seems routine. Be awed by the feats of the superhero you are guarding.
But other than that, don’t expect her to be the next Lara Croft. The Virgin Comics official line for her character is “The superhero in question is an adopted girl who discovers she is the latest in a line of princesses with great mystical power and a sworn duty to take down evil wherever it lurks.” Seems like one of the character from Heroes except for the princess bit. But of course, otherwise how would she be Indianized, right? Why the fascination with royalty and India? It is not like we still have kings and princess roaming around (except for the occasional gay one). Would it be more accurate for the stereotyping kinds to have a superhero working in a call-center as a plain Ramu (yeah, just like a modern day version of Clark Kent). But then we can’t copy everything from the Western media, right? How about Indianized Manga comics, huh?
Update: I majorly goofed up with the slaying of Drona story. Jabberwock rightly pointed out that Shikhandi was responsible for killing of Bhishma, not Drona. My would-be father-in-law who also reads this blog wrote in to correct me as well. He says, “Drona was killed by Dhristadyumna, Draupadi’s Brother. It was Bhisma who was killed by Shikhandi, since Bhisma refused to take up arms against some one who was not a man. Shikhandi was not an eunuch. He was born a girl, who underwent a sex change.” I guess I should go and revise my Mahabharat lessons now. The whole “Naro waa Kunjarovaa” incident makes it one fine tale in ethics and battle.
by Patrix | on Wednesday, October 31st, 2007 at 8:00 pm | 
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October 31st, 2007 at 10:38 pm reply
Nitpicking - Drona wasn’t killed by Shikhandi, Bheeshma was (or more accurately, Shikhandi played a key role in his death).
November 1st, 2007 at 12:46 am reply
Jabberwock, Ah! I guess I didn’t know my Mahabharat well after all. Now it comes back. Drona was betrayed by his own pupils, no?
BTW that was a big blunder so you are hardly nitpicking. You make Anderson ‘Keeping them Honest’ Cooper proud :)
November 1st, 2007 at 3:42 am reply
..well, if Shilpa shirodkar can have a temple, I guess priyanka chopra can be a super heroine.. why do i have a feeling that she will still be screaming ‘bachao’ somewhere in the comics and friend abhi will come and bail her out?
November 1st, 2007 at 7:35 am reply
Drool begin: The PIC on the left above looks so hot. I dont wan’t a comic - I want the her person to be the superherione!! Drool end.
I want to know though if these will ever get any readership!
November 1st, 2007 at 10:55 am reply
Cynic, ah! Shilpa Shirodkar…they must definitely have built a huge temple for her :) But somehow I can’t imagine Priyanka Chopra to be the ‘bachao’ types. She is a kickass chick, one of the few in Bollywood.
Supremus, so now we know who your latest drool is :)
November 1st, 2007 at 12:04 pm reply
Could not resist but stop by and refresh your Mahabharatha memory…:) Sorry in advance… Dhrishtadhyumna, drowpathi’s brother killed drona…you do not remember Yuddhishtira’s pseudo lie?? “Aswathama Hatah… naro waa Kunjarovaa” if I remember Sanskrith right….and Krishna blowing his trumpet to drown out the last part…This part lowered the whole Pandava side in my view when I was young…
November 1st, 2007 at 12:38 pm reply
Curiouscat, guess the feed doesn’t have the latest version. See update above.
November 5th, 2007 at 4:00 pm reply
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