The Great Grand Superhero Review: Jackie Shroff’s Desi Superhero Saga Is Pure Heart and Chaos

When was the last time Bollywood made a film purely, unapologetically for children — not a sanitised family drama with a lesson tucked in, but a genuinely wild, imagination-fuelled adventure built around the magic of childhood? The Great Grand Superhero: Aliens Ka Aagman is exactly that rare gem. Directed by Manish Saini and led by the ever-charming Jackie Shroff, this film arrives like a breath of fresh, slightly extraterrestrial air in a Hindi film landscape dominated by dark universes and brooding heroes. It is messy, it is goofy, it is deeply nostalgic — and it is absolutely wonderful for it.

A warm, imaginative family entertainer that celebrates the magical bond between grandparents and grandchildren. Jackie Shroff is pure joy as the unwilling grandfather-turned-superhero, the child cast is earnest and energetic, and the film’s desi comic-book spirit more than makes up for its occasional rough edges. A must-watch for families this season.

Cast & Crew

Role	Name
Director	Manish Saini
Writer	Manish Saini
Grandfather (Lead)	Jackie Shroff
Dipu (Protagonist)	Mihir Godbole
Friend	Shivansh Chorge
Chankya	Jihan Jeetendra Hodar
Alien Figure	Prateik Smita Patil
Cameo	Bhagyashree Patwardhan
Supporting	Durgesh Kumar
Deepu’s Father	Kundan Kumar
Alien Visitor	Kumar Saurabh
Supporting	Sahaarsh Shuklaa
Supporting	Sharat Saxena

Plot Summary

Eleven-year-old Dipu (Mihir Godbole) moves to a new town and, desperate to impress his new classmates, spins an outrageous tale: his grandfather (Jackie Shroff) is a secret superhero who is preparing to stop an alien invasion. What starts as a harmless playground boast gradually snowballs into a full-blown adventure, as two mysterious men in shiny costumes — played by Sahaarsh Shuklaa and Kumar Saurabh — appear out of nowhere and begin to make the children’s wildest fantasies feel surprisingly real. Part imagination, part inter-terrestrial chaos, and entirely about the timeless bond between a grandchild and his dada ji, The Great Grand Superhero weaves childhood wonder into a story that adults will secretly love just as much as the kids.

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Performances

Jackie Shroff is the heart and soul of this film, and he knows it — and so does the audience the moment he appears on screen. His portrayal of a loving, slightly bumbling grandfather who may or may not be Earth’s last line of defence against aliens is an absolute delight. A standout scene sees this supposedly fearless hero shriek at a lizard, hilariously deflating his own superhero myth. Shroff brings genuine warmth, comic timing, and just the right amount of mystery to make every scene he is in feel alive and effortlessly entertaining.

Mihir Godbole as young Dipu carries the film with remarkable sincerity. His wide-eyed conviction sells every absurd story beat, and his emotional arc — from a nervous new kid to a believer in real magic — is handled with an earnestness that is genuinely touching.

Shivansh Chorge and Jihan Jeetendra Hodar as Dipu’s loyal friends bring playground energy and infectious enthusiasm to every frame. Their chemistry with Godbole feels completely natural, loud, and wonderfully unscripted-feeling, particularly during the tense alien-attack sequences where their sheer panic is both hilarious and endearing.

Prateik Smita Patil is a standout surprise in the film, lending her alien figure both intrigue and real screen presence. She resists the temptation to play the role as a generic sci-fi caricature and instead brings a layered charm that elevates every scene she inhabits.

Bhagyashree Patwardhan makes her screen time count in a powerful cameo that adds a stirring emotional note to the inter-terrestrial drama. Her “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” moment is one of the film’s most memorable beats.

Durgesh Kumar leans fully into the film’s eccentric, absurdist spirit, and his oddball character slots seamlessly into the universe Manish Saini has built — peculiar, funny, and completely at home in the chaos.

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Kundan Kumar as Deepu’s father provides the grounding domestic thread that keeps the family drama anchored amid all the alien madness, delivering a warm and believable performance.

Kumar Saurabh and Sahaarsh Shuklaa as the two mysterious men in shiny costumes are instrumental to bringing the children’s imagination to life on screen. Their dramatic, larger-than-life energy is pitch-perfect for the film’s tone.

Sharat Saxena, a veteran presence, adds credibility and texture to the supporting ensemble, reminding audiences why his appearances are always a welcome addition to any film.

Technical Craft

Director Manish Saini demonstrates a clear understanding of what makes children’s cinema work — it is not polish or spectacle, but sincerity and energy. His approach is refreshingly unpretentious, leaning into the film’s desi, slightly scrappy comic-book aesthetic rather than fighting it. The film wisely keeps its runtime under two hours, maintaining a brisk pace that suits its young target audience. The production design, costumes for the alien visitors, and the overall visual language embrace a colourful, heightened reality that feels appropriate for a story told through a child’s imagination. The music and background score complement the film’s breezy, adventurous tone without overpowering its quieter, emotional moments.

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Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths

• Jackie Shroff’s effortlessly charming and warm leading performance
• Genuine emotional core built around the grandparent-grandchild bond
• Energetic, sincere child cast led by an excellent Mihir Godbole
• Refreshing desi approach to the superhero-comedy genre
• Tight runtime that respects the audience’s time
• A sense of childlike wonder that feels rare in mainstream Hindi cinema today

Weaknesses

• Some portions feel stretched despite the lean runtime
• Tonal shifts between alien-invasion comedy and environmental messaging can feel abrupt
• Adult viewers seeking tightly written sci-fi may occasionally disengage
• The transition from alien invasion plot to an environment-saving mission may disappoint those invested in the original premise

Final Verdict:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

The Great Grand Superhero: Aliens Ka Aagman is the kind of film Bollywood needs to make more of — unabashedly joyful, made with genuine affection for its young audience, and anchored by a performance from Jackie Shroff that is among the most purely entertaining he has delivered in years. It does not try to be a glossy franchise-starter or a morality-heavy message film. It simply wants to tell a story about imagination, friendship, and the quiet magic of believing in your dada ji — and it does so with such warmth and sincerity that even its imperfections feel charming. Take the whole family. Leave your cynicism at the door.

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