Stan Lee Heads To Bollywood; In Talks To Bring CHAKRA THE INVINCIBLE To Life
After helping to establish the juggernauts that are the Spider-Man, X-Men, and MCU films, it looks like Stan Lee now has his eyes set for the world's largest film industry, India. It has been announced that Lee is in talks for his first Bollywood film, which would bring Chakra the Invincible to life.
In 2011, Spider-Man co-creator and former Marvel president, Stan Lee launched his first Indian superhero, Chakra the Invincible, and now three years later, he's actively developing a film version to bring the character to life in the world's largest film industry, Bollywood. The project is being co-developed by Lee's POW! Entertainment and the Indian character entertainment company Graphic India with meetings currently taking place between the production companies and several leading Bollywood directors, producers, and writers.
The original comics series centers on Raju Rai, a tech genius living in Mumbai, who in an attempt to unlock the secrets of human potential, develops a technically-enhanced suit that activates the mystical Chakras of the body and unleashes newfound abilities and powers. The film version would focus on a grown-up version of the character going up against his arch-enemy, Boss Yama.
The film is expected to start pre-production in early 2015 and go into production by the end of the year or early 2016. Lee released a statement saying: "We’ve set up some great meetings already with some of the most amazingly talented actors and directors in Indian cinema and I have no doubt that these individuals will help make the Chakra film a massive hit in India and around the globe."
This also wouldn't be Bollywood's first attempt at the superhero genre as in recent years they've seen the likes of 2011's Ra.One, which starred and was produced by international megastar Shahrukh Khan, and the long-running Krrish trilogy (2003-2013), which stars Hrithik Roshan. Both proved to be huge international successes at the box office.
From the mind of legendary creator Stan Lee comes his newest superhero. Chakra tells the story of Raju Rai, a young Indian orphan living in Mumbai. Determined to use science to unlock the secrets of human potential, Raju and his mentor, the genius scientist Dr. Singh, develop a technological suit that activates the mystical Chakras of the body, unleashing superhuman abilities and powers. Convinced that none must know of his new super-powered identity, Raju gives his new, mighty avatar a name, one that will represent everything he is and can ever hope to be, one that will resonate throughout the world and have the dramatic effect of bringing fear into the hearts of evildoers - CHAKRA, The Invincible! Using his amazing powers, Chakra must save the city of Mumbai and the world from supervillains.