Bollywood has been struggling to crack the superhero films formula for quite some time now. There have been hits (Krrish), misses (Flying Jatt, Drona) and some rather applause-worthy (Bhavesh Joshi Superhero, Mard Ko Dard Nahin Hota) attempts at pulling this feat. However, the only time that Hindi cinema came even remotely close to getting it right was when Arun's scientist father cracked the formula to make a person invisible. And then was born Mr. India.

Released in 1987, the Shekhar Kapur-directed blockbuster starring Anil Kapoor as the invisible hero of the masses has several accolades to its name. In its 32 years of existence, Mr. India has made it to quite a few lists of top Indian films. Even the trivia on the film is enough to make you say "Mogambo khush hua!!"

For example, did you know that this was the last film writer duo Salim-Javed wrote together? Or the fact that the late Sridevi, who was already the highest paid actress of that time, was paid a whopping 11 lakh by producer Boney Kapoor for this film, the highest ever to an Indian actress then?

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To that, I say she EARNED every single penny of that paycheck, maybe more even. Donning that iconic blue saree, Sridevi became an iconoclast and gave the nation an unforgettable rain song to fantasize about and recreate over and over. But more than 'Kaante nahin kat te' or even 'Hawa Hawaai', my love for Mr. India's badass journalist Seema stems from her Charlie Chaplin act. Enough has been written about the actress' comic timing, but what she managed to pull in that one act rendered every misgiving about female comedians baseless.

To this day, there never has or never will be an equal to Sridevi's expressions in this scene. Her fierce character was truly a 'heroine', who could match up with Mr. India at every step.

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And you see, that's just one of the many things that Mr. India got right. From the innocence of Anil Kapoor's Arun to the likeableness of Satish Kaushik's Calendar, to the hilariously relatable plight of Annu Kapoor's editor, Mr. Gaitonde, who is plagued by a phone that only receives wrong numbers—every character was an instant hit with the audience. The child actors in the film had such easy chemistry with the grown-ups. And you don't even need to be a true fan to know that some of those little faces would grow up to be actors Aftab Shivdasani and Karan Nath, and choreographer-director Ahmed Khan.

One of my favourite songs from the movie is in fact the parody of old songs that Arun and the children sing so that Seema returns the ball that hit her! It's comic moments like these, and the one where Mr. India visits Seema's office and has a chat with her boss, Mr Gaitonde, that make this film an endearing family entertainer.

Every hero needs a nemesis. And the villain to Arun's Mr. India is someone without whom Mr. India would perhaps remain invisible in our collective consciousness—Hail Mogambo! Or if you still want to stick to your childhood misconceptions, "Hey Mogambo!" If India had a national villain, it would be the late Mr. Amrish Puri. And I would like to believe that upon hearing this, he'd laugh heartily in his trademark voice and exclaim...

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Amrish Puri's Mogambo was scary to a child who saw the film when they were still in single digits. When he planted bombs across the city and blew up the most adorable child character from Arun's lot, I felt anger. His hairpiece was unique, his OOTD promising to be etched in our memory forever, and his lair made you fear for the lives of the heroes he had trapped.

Even his minions, played by Sharat Saxena, Ajit Vachhani, Bob Christo amongst others made sure there wasn't a single dull moment. Watching the 'Bajrangbali' statue scene, or even the one where Mr. India makes Daga and Teja eat stones that they'd mix in grains are cult favourites!

What makes Mr. India an iconic movie rewatched and remembered even today is how the parts are as convincing as the whole. Each cog in the wheel does its job so well. The film doesn't close in solely on its superhero protagonist but also lets its other characters hold their and be heroes in their own rights. Calendar is a hero for sticking with Arun despite his financial situation. Seema is not some helpless woman. And even Arun knows that while the gadget can make him invisible, his true strength comes from his family.

SEE ALSO: Dear Bollywood, Here’s Why Your Superhero Films Don't Make It To The Endgame

The fact of the matter is, "Karte hain hum pyaar Mr. India se..." because even if you factor in all the ways the times and our tastes have changed, the film still is as fun and entertaining as it was the first time you watched it. And that's why, "Humko milna sau baar Mr. India se!'

Artwork: Dhawal Bhanushali / Mashable India