This article was last updated on April 16, 2022
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The first thing that catches your attention about 'Agent Vinod – The Jungfrau Encounter' is not just the fact that there is a comic book which has been released based on the motion picture character (Agent Vinod) but also that it has hit the stands rather late in the day. It would have made much more impact had it arrived around the release of the film. However, it has hit the stands now. In a way it is also topical to some extent because 'The Bourne Legacy' has just hit the screens and since Agent Vinod too prides itself on being a spy thriller, it may well be time to find a Hollywood-Bollywood connect.
In that sense 'The Jungfrau Encounter' really scores high because just when Bollywood flicks are trying to make their presence felt through comic books too (Uday Chopra has just released Ek Tha Tiger and Dhoom series on comics), this one makes a very good mark. Not just does it have a definite story to be told; it also has certain depth to it as well as good enough content that makes one really curious to know about what follows next.
The story is about an encounter in a place called Jungfrau (somewhere in Switzerland) where baddies from four different continents assemble with a common goal – 'Eliminate Agent Vinod'. What turns out to be special indeed is the fact that Vinod is nowhere in the setting but his presence is pretty omnipresent right through the tale. So even as the four baddies wait for Vinod to arrive, they share their own legendary tales about how he destroyed their lives and what could possibly be his background, as perceived by them.
This is not just the most interesting part of this 80 page comic book but also quite intriguing since there are four different flashbacks told about Agent Vinod. For some he is an ex-Army man, for others he is an ordinary clerk, few believe that he was a street kid while the tale of him being an IPS officer has also being floated around. However the truth is not known to anyone which is what makes Agent Vinod a mysterious figure.
What adds spice to the entire affair are the detailed tales of his escapades in the past, right from the baddies' mouth. After being massacred by him in different parts of the world and taken for a royal ride, they want his blood, not knowing that he could strike from anywhere, anytime.
It is this 'turn-around-the-page-quickly' feel of 'Agent Vinod – The Jungfrau Encounter' that makes it a really riveting read. However a strong word of caution here – The book has ample adult content which means not just is the violence really graphic, there are also quite a few sexual escapades of varied kinds (some of them being disturbing as well). Moreover the visuals are way too explicit as well which means the book qualifies only for young adults and above (as indicated in the 12 rating that the book fetches).
However beyond this, the book does well in keeping you thoroughly guessing and though the final twist in the tale is something that one had an inkling of in the very beginning, there are various other interesting episodes that make 'The Jungfrau Encounter' an interesting read. Also, the book does well in not merely filling in the pages with large sized images with action frames (something that is the route taken by many graphic tales) but instead has quite a few scenes along with dialogues that manage to grab your attention. Also, there is precise detailing in every frame which comes with its own character.
The book has enough 'masala' to actually qualify as a prequel to Agent Vinod. Since it hints on who Agent Vinod could possibly have been and from where did he arrive, it may well be interesting to see if Saif Ali Khan and Sriram Raghavan actually plan to make a book-to-film translation and bring an action-thriller-drama on screen.
Price: Rs. 250
Rating: ***1/2
Article written by staff at Bollywood Hungama. Read more
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