A quirky tribute to a Bollywood legend
Jimmy Zhingchak – Agent of D.I.S.C.O. is a one-shot comic written by Saurav Mohapatra and illustrated by Anupam Sinha. Published in 2008 by Virgin Comics in collaboration with UTV Spotboy, this superhero is a full-blown tribute to the heart-throbbing legend of Indian cinema, Mithun Chakraborty.
The character Jimmy Zhingchak - Agent of D.I.S.C.O. is inspired by Mithun’s iconic role in the 1982 blockbuster Disco Dancer, where he played a street performer-turned-singing sensation named Jimmy.
But this comic takes it to the next level — Jimmy Zhingchak is not just a dancer but a defender of justice, powered by the mystical force of ‘Zhingchak’, a parody of typical martial arts and disco moves combined.
80s Bollywood in comic book form
The concept and the characters bear many similarities to the theme of the Bollywood films that were made during the 1980s — evil villains with eye-patches, mothers who lose their memory, and dance-offs that save the day.
Jimmy Grover, a young dancer, steps up to defend the country from the evil Sir John and his organization, F.I.R.A.N.G. As the attacks intensify, Jimmy joins D.I.S.C.O. (Department of Internal Security and Covert Operations), where he is trained by the legendary Colonel Jaani, one of the agency’s top agents.
The UTV team infused the comic with Mithun Chakraborty’s signature style, using catch phrases like ‘aiee saala’ and giving Jimmy quirky gadgets like the Mithunizer guitar-grappling gun. The story is packed with Bollywood clichés, including a villain resembling Ram Lakhan's Sir John and a long-lost twin brother, Johnny.
The comic introduces Zhingchak, a humorous and absurd take on mystical powers, parodying the Force from Star Wars and Mojo from the Austin Powers films. Mithun da has written the foreword in the comics.
At its heart, however, it’s a loving satire. Jimmy’s outrageous costumes, melodramatic expressions, and sudden emotional outbursts are all nods to Mithun’s exaggerated yet iconic screen presence.
In the world of Jimmy Zhingchak, disco isn't dead — it saves the world.
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