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Parents' Guide to

Motu Patlu: King of Kings

By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Friends save the jungle in animated tale; lots of violence.

Movie G 2016 110 minutes
Motu Patlu: King of Kings Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

  • Motu Patlu: King of Kings Movie: Scene #1
  • Motu Patlu: King of Kings Movie: Scene #2
  • Motu Patlu: King of Kings Movie: Scene #3

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 3 parent reviews

WhipMemes
WhipMemes Adult
August 10, 2018
age 2+

Greatest anime film of all time

If you didn't know, Motu Patlu is an outsourced anime just like the current adaptation of Ninja Hattori. It's produced in Japan but is animated in India. The original Japanese version is considered lost, but the Indian dub is extremely popular in India. Many films were made for TV broadcast, each being written by popular anime writers like Hayao Miyazaki and Hideaki Anno, but this movie was the first to be released in cinemas. This movie follows the main characters, Motu and Patlu, in their journey to return a circus lion to a natural reserve. In doing so, they get into pretty adult situations, like death and war. In one part, Motu punches Patlu and breaks up with him. There's swearing everywhere, and it deserves an R rating, but it is good for all ages, even with the nightmarish stuff. It's better than Akira, Totoro, and even Evangelion! It's the best anime film of all time, and it deserves to be watched.
Super_JRM
Super_JRM Adult
May 18, 2018
age 15+

Don't let your kids watch it alone!

It is a great biblical film that should be left for adults. It has a great plot and message. It even had a great underlying biblical theme, however there are some scenes that are not suitable for children. An example is where it is revealed that that Motu was a god (hence the title king of kings) but it was also revealed that John was the Antichrist. There was a lot of gore in the scene where Patlu transformed into Caillou to slay the poachers. He even evolved into Saitama, to combat John. The film was good, just don't let your kids watch it unsupervised.
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In MOTU PATLU: KING OF KINGS, Motu and Patlu (both voiced by Saurav Chakrabarty) befriend Guddu (Vinay Pathak), an escaped circus lion, and in the effort to return him to either a jungle or a national park, they discover the greedy poacher Narasimha is plotting to destroy a jungle in his quest for gold. The villain cares nothing about the many adorable animals who call the jungle home. Motu uses a special animal-human translating gizmo to communicate with Guddu and the besieged jungle inhabitants, allowing them to band together against the intruder. When the resident jungle lion, Singa, is defeated by the poacher in a battle for control of the territory, Motu suggests that the selfish and cowardly Guddu impersonate Singa to inspire and lead the other jungle animals to battle Narasimha. Guddu declines the honor but has second thoughts when he sees friends being harmed. Lots of cartoon violence and long punching and kicking fights may be too intense for younger kids.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3 ):
Kids say (1 ):

This movie is strange and overlong but not completely without its charms. Its oddness may derive from cultural differences between the way Indian TV and American TV approach topics. Motu is bent on helping those who don't necessarily seem to want his help, and kids might find that confusing. The circus lion Guddu wants to stay in the jungle, but Motu insists that he remain caged until they can transport Guddu to a National Forest, where humans will preside over him. You can't help wondering why Motu can't just honor Guddu's wishes. This pudgy, balding little button of a man is prone to producing profuse tears if he so much as sees someone else cry, but is also surprisingly combative and committed to exposing himself to danger. He takes risks to help those in need, even if outright mortal combat is involved. The mixed messages in Motu Patlu: King of Kings are a bit strange, and the violence seems a little heavy for a children's story.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why a circus lion might not enjoy life as a caged-up performer. Do you think animals might prefer freedom to the benefits of receiving regular meals from human captors?

  • Motu seems to gain superhuman powers from eating samosas in Motu Patlu: King of Kings, enabling him to launch himself into the air and hover and fight and kick from there. Do you think cartoons want kids to think that flying like that is really possible? Why or why not?

  • How is this movie different from other animal-centric animated features?

Movie Details

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