Veerappan N ew Delhi, India
The sandalwood smuggler Veerapan is now a hero for many kids in Delhi. Virtually so. For, he has been resurrected in a new controversial computer game, where the sandalwood smuggler fights the police. According to one satisfied shop owner, "The game was introduced into the market as an experiment two days after the bandit was shot and all our stocks have been sold out." "The customers are usually boys aged 10 to 19 year old, " he adds.
"I am Veerapan," declares 13-year old Amitav even while brandishing an invincible cyber gun. The game has left parents quite disturbed. "I don't mind my son playing most computer games but a virtual Veerapan is very bothering," says one of them
Meanwhile, India's film world has also caught onto the Veerapan bandwagon. Ram Gopal Verma's soon to be released Let's Catch Veerapan has been retitled, Let's Kill Veerapan.