From the ninja vampire (Spider-Man 2099) to a pregnant African-American Spider-Woman, Across the Spider-Verse features a Spider-Society with many Spider-People, including Hobie Brown the Spider-Punk and Pavitr Prabhakar, aka Spider-Man India. All the Spider-People in the sequel to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse effectively reinforces the idea that the movie is set in multiverse of alternate realities known as the Spider-Verse. This means there are many more Spider-People than seen in Across the Spider-Verse, and in several universes, the Spider-Hero is of Indian origin.
Like every superhero, and indeed other variations of wall-crawlers, Spider-Man India has a unique origin story that wasn’t included in Across the Spider-Verse, the character’s film debut. Understanding Pavitr Prabhakar’s backstory, how he got his powers, and his depiction in comic books are central to appreciating the character’s purpose in the plot of the animated spider-verse films. Slated to appear again in Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, the third film is poised to have a significant inclusion of the cheerful Spider-Man. In the meantime, the following are facts to know about the Indian Spider-Man.
Who Is Spider-Man India In The Marvel Comics?
Indian-American actor and comedian Karan Soni voiced Pavitr Prabhakar in Across the Spider-Verse. Soni gained mainstream recognition from his portrayal of Dopinder in the Deadpool films. He brings his comedic talent to bear in voicing Spider-Man India, an alternative version of the original wall-crawling superhero created in August 1962 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.
Over four decades after the creation of the original Spider-Man, an Indian version that lives on Earth-50101 was created by Jeevan J. Kang alongside Suresh Seetharaman and Sharad Devarajan. He was first seen in Spider-Man: India #1, a comic book series that debuted in November 2004. Although Pavitr Prabhakar’s story is akin to the typical Spider-Man tale, certain circumstances are different, especially how he got his superhuman Spidey powers.
How Did He Get His Powers?
Like Spider-Man 2099, Spider-Man India wasn’t bitten by a radioactive spider to gain superhuman spider abilities. Yet, his story differs from the futuristic Spider-Man, who obtained his powers following an accidental alteration of his DNA. While Miguel O’Hara’s DNA was genetically imprinted with that of a spider before his transition, Pavitr Prabhakar’s origin was magical, and literally so. As with Peter Parker, Spider-Man India was an orphan raised by his aunt, Maya, and Uncle Bhim before becoming a web-slinging crime fighter.
Shy and nerdy Prabhakar bagged a scholarship and relocated from a remote Indian village to Mumbai, where his Uncle supports him to attend a prestigious school. Being a bookish boy from a simple background, Pavitr Prabhakar was bullied by other students and had no friends except for Meera Jain, the Earth-50101 version of Mary Jane. When Nalin Oberoi, a crime lord, performs an ancient ritual and gets possessed by a demon bent on having demons invade Earth, it sets the stage for Pavitr Prabhakar to become Spider-Man.
Escaping bullies from school, Prabhakar runs into a strange yogi who magically gives him spider powers to stand against the impending threat in his world. However, he was unwilling to embrace the responsibilities that come with his superpowers until the death of his version of Uncle Ben. In an attempt to assist a woman in trouble whom Prabhakar ignored, Uncle Bhim was stabbed to death. Bhim’s passing gave Pavitr Prabhakar’s powers a purpose, marking the dawn of his adventures as Spider-Man India.
How Is Spider-Man India Different In Across the Spider-Verse?
Pavitr Prabhakar’s brief screen time in Across the Spider-Verse leaves little room for a detailed comparison to his comic book counterpart. Regardless, there are two significant changes to the character in the second movie of the animated Spider-Verse films. The Indian Spider-Man in Marvel comic books lives on Earth-50101, precisely in Mumbai, India, where he’s committed to fighting crimes. However, Across the Spider-Verse portrays him living in Mumbattan, a name blended from Mumbai and New York’s Manhattan. Prabhakar’s appearance in the movie also differs from how he’s seen in comics. His costume in the comic books is similar to Peter Parker’s, but in the film, he sports a Spidey suit with accessories that pay homage to Indian culture.
Be that as it may, Across the Spider-Verse stayed faithful to the comic book character in ways that matter. After he devotes himself to fighting crime in Mumbai, he joins Spider-Men from other universes to form a Spider-Army that battles and conquers the Inheritors, a brood of interdimensional vampires. Thereafter, he joins the Web-Warriors, a team of Spider-People that protects worlds without Spider-Heros. The film didn’t portray Pavitr Prabhakar’s adventures as Spider-Man India exactly as depicted in the comic books, but it stayed true to his willingness to work with other web-slingers for the greater good.
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