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Movie Name : Return of the Jungle
Release Date : May 29, 2026
123telugu.com Rating : 3/5
Starring : Mihir (Voiced by Jaden Mascarenhas, Izaan Mirza), Thatha (Pichai Rangaswamy), Ali (Rohan Yadav, Aariel Narvekar, Arav Bhatia), Sweety (Jhanvi Patro, Sagarika Chandrakanth), Rahul Malhotra (Devansh Doshi), and Others
Director : Vaibhav Kumaresh
Producers : Vaibhav Kumaresh, Suranjana Kumaresh
Music Directors : Ashish Shah (Roto Shah), Advait Nemlekar
Editor : Saikat Ray, Prakash Kurup
Related Links : Trailer
While AI continues to dominate the cinema industry, some filmmakers still choose to embrace traditional animation, and Return of the Jungle is one such effort. Directed by Emmy nominated animation filmmaker Vaibhav Kumaresh, the Hindi animated film is now playing in cinemas. Here’s our review to find out how it fares.
Story:
Mihir Verma, Ali, Rohan, Harpreet, Sweety, and Dhondoo are a group of school-going children and close friends studying at Kendriya Vidyalaya. Mihir registers for a fancy dress competition but is intimidated by Rahul Malhotra, an older student who constantly bullies him. Frightened and unsure of himself, Mihir seeks help from his grandfather, lovingly called Thatha. To guide him, Thatha narrates Panchatantra fables that teach Mihir and his young friends how to handle difficult situations. How Mihir overcomes his fears, succeeds in the competition, and helps his team take on Rahul’s team in a cricket match forms the rest of the story.
Plus Points:
At a time when technology is increasingly influencing the filmmaking process, Return of the Jungle comes as a refreshing change. The makers deserve appreciation for relying on traditional animation to tell stories that have been thoughtfully modernised for today’s children. This itself stands as one of the film’s biggest strengths.
The story is simple and it is not difficult to predict what comes next. However, that observation applies more to adults who have experienced life and encountered countless stories over the years. The film is clearly aimed at children, and in that regard, it succeeds by presenting rooted Indian tales that encourage youngsters to act wisely rather than foolishly.
The two fables narrated by Thatha, which help Mihir tackle both the fancy dress competition and the cricket match, are presented effectively through neatly crafted animation. While delivering valuable lessons, the filmmakers ensure that the entertainment factor remains intact. The animals featured in these stories are modernised in amusing ways, such as a mouse using a landline phone, a bear enjoying chocolate, and a rabbit wearing glasses. The song featuring lions, tigers, bears, and rabbits singing in praise of a fox disguised as a saint is particularly fun to watch and delightful to listen to.
The vibrant color palette and pleasing background score further enhance the viewing experience, adding another strong positive to the film.
Minus Points:
Since the film is primarily aimed at children, adults may not find it equally engaging. Most of the Panchatantra stories and the lessons they convey are already familiar to older viewers, making several portions feel predictable. As a result, the film may not offer enough novelty or surprises to keep adults fully invested throughout.
The language limitation is another drawback. Considering the universal appeal of the stories and the film’s target audience, releasing it in more regional languages could have helped it reach a much wider section of children across the country.
Technical Aspects:
Vaibhav Kumaresh deserves appreciation for bringing this animated feature to life. He successfully adapts timeless Indian fables into a format that feels accessible and entertaining for today’s young audience. Apart from directing the film, he also does a fine job as its producer and screenwriter.
The dubbing is well done and suits the characters perfectly. The score by Ashish Shah and Advait Nemlekar blends smoothly with the narrative, adding a refreshing touch even to a story whose direction can often be predicted. Editors Saikat Ray and Prakash Kurup have ensured a neat flow, while the production values and animation quality remain consistently impressive.
Verdict:
On the whole, Return of the Jungle is a simple and heartwarming animated tale aimed at children. While the story may feel predictable, the life lessons from the Panchatantra conveyed through Thatha’s storytelling never lose their relevance. The animation is colourful and engaging, while the dubbing further enhances the experience. Older viewers may find the narrative somewhat familiar because of the well-known nature of these tales, but children are likely to enjoy both the fun and the valuable messages. If you enjoy animated films, this one is worth a try, especially as a family watch with young kids.
123telugu.com Rating: 3/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team
