Welcome to AnimadWorld, today through this article we will explore Top 10 Best Indian Animated Shows made so far.
Alright, before you jump to a conclusion and scream, “The Jungle Book” from the ’90s is the best or perhaps the greatest Indian animated show of all time.
Then, I’ll ask you to please hold your excitement as many of you’ll be shocked to know that it’s not an Indian series but made and produced in Japan.
Now, let’s come back to explore the best Animated shows made and produced in our country. I understand that ranking the best series ever can be an impossible task as it’s hard to go through every show made so far.
Plus, as we know, art is pretty subjective. What you find interesting, the other person might not second that.
So, the closest we can get to have an accurate ranking is by referring to IMDB ratings given to the series by the beloved audiences.
But the problem with solely relying on these ratings is that they cannot be accurate as most shows have very few voters to compare with. So to qualify for that criteria, the show must have at least 70 votes given by the users.
I know it’s not a huge number, so for that reason, I might add my reviews about it as an animator, writer, and, most importantly, an audience.
At the same time, we will consider the quality of animation, storytelling, and popularity quotient, too, as it is a significant factor in kids’ content.
Sure, there are chances that you might disagree with the list and punch your screen or throw away your cell phone.
But, instead of getting annoyed by my reviews, I’ll request you to kindly mention your opinions in the comment section below.
So, let’s pull up our shocks and have a look at the Top 10 Best Indian Animated Shows of all time:
An animated version of a famous Bollywood movie starring Ajay Devgan and directed by Rohit Shetty, Golmaal Jr. was an experiment that paved the way for such content of transforming live-action films into animation.
It was a much-needed change the Indian Animation industry needed as most shows were based on kids with moral values saving the world. In comparison, this show explored the naughty side of children that made it so relatable and fun to watch.
It is also a special show for me as I started my television writing career with this series. And penning down the pilot episode gave me the confidence to pursue this medium.
Telecasted On Nicklodean India in 2012, Motu Patlu has retained its popularity amongst the masses since its debut.
Sure, Pew-die-Pie was shocked to see some of its scenes and criticized its quality and execution. But there is no doubt that Motu-Patlu is a hugely successful show in terms of demand and business in India.
It was released when Indian animation was still trying to make its presence feel amongst the foreign shows.
And there is no doubt that along with Chhota Bheem, Motu-Patlu ki Jodi did play a vital role in pulling the audiences towards home-grown content.
So considering how famous these two characters are and the role this series played in changing the industry, it surely deserves a place in our Top 10 Best Animated Shows of all time or so far.
Alright, I know the IMDb ratings aren’t that impressive, but there is no doubt that Little Singham is perhaps one of the most popular shows made so far.
Another character based on Ajay’ Devgan’s popular movie Singham once again directed by Rohit Shetty, Little Singham, is co-produced by Reliance Animation.
This show was an instant hit amongst the audiences, which can be seen in Discovery Kids TRP ratings after its debut.
And that’s why despite the limited animation and simple storylines, it deserves an honorable spot in our Top 10 Best Indian Animated shows of all time.
Winner of the best 3D animated show award recently, Bhoot Bandhus indeed pushed the boundaries of our imagination and animation content in India.
With a catchy title track written by great Gulzar, this show became an instant hit amongst kids due to its refreshing style, detailed storytelling, and fun animation.
Comparatively, the show’s quality is way better than many 3d animated shows available until now.
Hence, it deserves to be on our list of top 10 best India animated shows so far.
Well, the high IMDb rating of this show is excellent evidence of Bandbudh and Budbak’s success amongst the audiences.
When period shows like Chhota Bhee, Krishna, Arjun, etc., were ruling the Tv screens with their high spirits, brave acts, and moral messages.
These two naughty kids were taking punishments, bunking classes, eating tiffins during lectures. A concept that most of us can relate to.
Maybe being ahead of time didn’t work in their favor, and it was taken off air just after two seasons. But it indeed left a mark within our memories with its unique design, look and feel, and relatability.
I’m sure everyone remembers this semi-human rendition of Krishna with a new twist in the old tale of popular mythology.
Debuted on Cartoon Network during the channel’s good old times, this show had everything to succeed during that period. High-quality animation, engaging storytelling, catchy title, and relatability factor as the show was based on a school premise.
Plus, as it targeted an audience already aware of Krishna and Kans’ back story, the show made the most out of the classic rivalry.
It showed the audiences that we can take the existing characters from mythology and make something different.
This creative idea was very novel for kids at that time and opened the doors of our imagination.
04/10- Disney’s Bhaagam Bhaag (2019)
IMDB Ratings: Not available.
Animation Quality: 7/10
Story Telling: 6.5/10
Popularity: 4/10
Average score: 5.8
Pic Courtesy: Cosmos Maya and Toonz Media Group
Please don’t get confused and think of it as another show based on a Bollywood franchise. Disney’s Bhaagam Bhaag is an entirely independent series produced by Cosmos Maya Animation Studio and is telecasted on the Disney channel.
I know, what you are thinking, but there are no ratings available to it, so how can I judge the show?
Well, that’s because I worked on it as a Writer for a few episodes. And based on my experiences, I can surely tell you that Bhaagam Bhaag was quality content with top-notch animation, funny gags, and multi-layered storytelling.
Sadly, it didn’t manage to garner the popularity it deserved, but it is undoubtedly a top-five material in a true sense in our list of top 10 best indian animated shows.
Shocked! Right? Well, if there has to be a list of the most popular shows, then Chhota Bheem will undoubtedly win the race by a significant margin. It is indeed one of the if not the most famous animated series ever produced in India.
And more than that, it played a massive role in transforming the Indian animated industry and opened the door for many shows.
But despite its outstanding achievements, the reason it’s in the number three spot is due to its low IMDb ratings, unimproved animation style, and repetitive storytelling format.
But hey! It’s still a podium finish in our top 10 best Indian animated shows ! And this show deserves every bit of success.
And personally, I really enjoyed working on Chhota Bheem’s many episodes as a writer, and we did experiment few new things.
The Green Gold production team working on it is excellent, and hopefully, they will be able to bring the change we all want to see.
02/10 Titoo (2020)
IMDb ratings: N/A
Animation Quality: 6/10
Story Telling: 7/10
Popularity: 6/10
Average score: 6.3
Pic Courtesy: Comos Maya
There is something about Titoo that makes it such an incredible show to watch. I remember seeing it for the first time and instantly thought it would be a hit show.
It kinda reminded me of Shinchan at first, considering the main character’s mischievous nature, back-answering, and knack of getting into trouble. But it is a more trimmed-down version that can suit the Indian audiences and censorship.
Overall, the animation quality is more than decent, the writing is fun, and overall execution makes it worthy of the number two spot in our list of top 10 best Indian animated shows so far.
01/10 The Adventures of Tenali Raman (2003) & Mighty Little Bheem (2019)
Yes, there is a tie for number one spot in our top 10 best Indian animates shows list, and it’s so hard to choose one between these two shows. The best part about them is considering the period between these series; it somehow shows the journey of commercial Indian animation.
Tenali Raman is when it all started in early 2000, and Mighty Little Bheem rose to fame just a couple of years ago. Let’s talk about them one by one.
This show is exceptional in all sense. It showcased the potential of Indian animation to us and paved the way for an industry trying to find its place.
In the hundred years long history of animation in India, we finally had something we could call our own.
I remember watching it for the first time on cartoon networks in my teens and was instantly captivated by the animation, storytelling, and execution. I was so impressed by it that a little voice in my teenage heart wanted to meet the people working behind it.
And I was just in school, not knowing that I’d be pursuing animation as a career in the coming years.
And luckily, after a few years, I got my first writing project with the same company responsible for making such a masterpiece. That company is Toonz Media group, and they are one of the pioneers of commercial animation in India.
Unfortunately, due to high production costs and limited demand for Indian content during that time, this series didn’t run for long and was taken off air after just one season.
But if you ask me personally, this is indeed one of the best shows our country has produced so far, and it has a level of content we can be genuinely proud of.
I hope all our animation programs would have followed their footsteps and kept the quality as high as The adventures of Tenali Raman.
But sadly, Indian animation was not able to match the standards due to many restrictions and limitations we will discuss in our “The Faults in our Art!” blog series.
Well, what was started with Tenali Raman was finally matched by Mighty Little Bheem. This show is perfect in all senses, and it’s something that demonstrates the potential of artists and creators in this country.
Impeccable animation, funny gags, engaging storytelling, cute characters are a few reasons this series became an instant international hit.
But the real secret of its success lies in the same principles applied in the movie Hanuman released in 2005.
If there is any show that fully utilizes these principles to the best of its abilities, then it’s “Mighty Little Bheem.” And hence, along with Tenali Raman, it rightfully deserves the number one spot in our list of top ten best Indian animated shows so far.
But the vital question is, what are these principles I’m giving so much credit to?
So here we go, these are the best-animated shows our country has produced so far. I tried my best to rate them, but please share your thoughts in the comment section below if you don’t agree with anything.
Now, let us continue to peek behind the curtain of the animation process and proceed with the seventh and one of the most vital principles that make the animation look so realistic, and that is “THE ARC.”
7-Yes, one thing we will see around us is that most natural moments tend to follow an arched trajectory, and that is also true for animation as it adheres to the laws of physics.
This can be seen in our day to days lives by just observing our limb movements, or by merely following the visual path of a bouncing ball.
An object in motion that moves out of its natural arc for no apparent reason will come across as mechanical, stiff, and erratic rather than smooth, which can work for robotic characters.
But, for the rest, it is essential to respect the principle of arc added with ease in and ease out with a little bit of squash and stretch to make the action look authentic and fluid.
And to add more life in your characters, our eight principle plays a crucial role in it, and that is a secondary action.
8-The job of secondary action is to support the main action, and it helps to add more dimension and personality to your character.
Hanuman’s tail is an excellent example of characterization through this principle as we can see that it can move freely from the rest of his body, and it gives a little insight into his feelings and emotions, which can also be examined through our next principle, and that is “Timing.”
9-Alright, like the art of magic, Timing plays the most crucial part in creating the best illusion that can awe the audiences.
In general, Timing refers to the number of drawings or frames for a given action, which translates to the speed of the action within the scene that gives meaning to the movement.
It is divided into two parts; the first is the physical timing, which is determined by the weight and the mass of an object and gives you the idea of the material of the object.
For example, if you throw a paper ball and a rubber ball, both things will travel at a different speed and reach their destination at a very different time frame.
The next is the theatrical timing, which is behavioral and determined by the performance of a character or object. This can be observed through the way a character moves, which brings out its unique personality that can be pushed further with the help of our tenth principle, that is, Exaggeration.
10-When we hear the word “Exaggeration,” we think of something that has been pushed or amplified to a greater extent. And the principle of exaggeration is exactly what the word stands for, and it is used to increase the amount of impact on the viewer.
Because in animation, the closer you are to a realistic movement or expression, the duller it looks, so in animation, we take a different approach and raise the intensity of broader actions, enhancing the emotions and making the expression look as large as possible for better clarity and entertainment.
You can see the difference between an exaggerated one as compared to a realistic one in the image below to understand what a huge difference this principle can make in the entertainment quotient of animation.
While you can take the creative freedom to push the boundaries of an action or expression, but you still have to respect the limits of our anatomy and stay accurate that can be achieved by our eleventh principle, Solid drawing.
11-The principle of solid drawing means taking into account forms in three-dimensional space or giving them volume and weight as it will give your character a sense of tangibility.
In other words, it is about making sure that your character has a clearly defined body structure consistently without losing its sense of weight, balance, anatomy, shadow, light, etc.
The structure need not have to be completely realistic, but it has to be believable. And it is this believability that is absolutely important to achieve our last principle, the Appeal, the culmination of everything we learned so far.
12- THE ART OF APPEAL
So when you saw the movie Hanuman what was the first thing that instantly pleased you. And I am sure most of the people will say that the Character design of the baby Hanunam was cute beyond measures.
Yes, and that is where the principle of Appeal comes into the picture. It is a technique animators use to make their design stand out.
Although it is very subjective in nature, but one thing is sure that animated characters should be pleasing to look at,and just like live-action actors, they need to have some charisma into them.
And oh boy, the baby Hanuma’s character is a perfect example of it as the audiences we quickly captivated by its attractive design and animation backed by good storytelling and direction.
Hanuman’s entertaining movements and unique style were perfectly complementary to its physical traits like chubby cheeks, big innocent eyes, anatomically accurate body structure. And if you can pull that off all together, then you have a design that is appealing in every sense.
And it’s because of Hanuman’s watchability and attractiveness this movie left a significant impact not only on the animation industry but if you notice, since its release, even live-action series and films depict Hanuman’s character inspired by VG Samant’s version.
You will see the traces of it everywhere, in children’s fancy dress parties, other animated shows, festivals, comic strips, etc.
Such was the influence of Hanuman that left a massive legacy behind it that we are still struggling to replicate in terms of the blockbuster success, quality, and, most importantly, its Appeal.
“Live-action performers have charisma, an animated character has appeal.”
― FRANK AND OLLIE, THE ILLUSION OF LIFE
If I’ll ask you to go down memory lane and choose one Indian animated movie that you absolutely loved watching and adored as a viewer.
Then most probably, the one film that will instantly appear in your mind is none other than “Hanuman” released in the year 2005, directed by V. G. Samant and produced by Percept Picture Company and Silvertoons.
Hanuman, by far, is said to be the best full-length animated feature film in India, and no other movie managed to attain the popularity and success as it did.
As soon as the movie hit the silver screen, we were immediately swept away by the flawless direction, exquisite animation, and iconic characters.
And on top of that, the end credit song MahabaliMaharudra sung by Sonu Nigam and Kailash Kheradds a sense of inspirational touch to the film that helped it to establish its sound identity, making it a complete family entertainment.
We have all the reasons to love this movie as it possesses all the elements of a blockbuster. But what makes it so unique, and why no other film is still able to re-create the same supernatural experience and power we felt with Hanuman despite the age-old storyline we grew up hearing or watching.
And the answer to that question is “THE PRINCIPLE OF APPEAL.”
Animation works on some essential tools and mechanisms known as “The Twelve principles of animation” that were first led down and published in the animation Bible “The illusion of Life.” Written by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, two of the key animators out of nine old men at Disney during the Golden Age of animation.
The animation principles they presented in the book have a universal framework that can fit in the mold of any design and process and has been used since then in the art of animation.
Before we try to comprehend how the principle of appeal contributed so immensely to the success of Hanuman, let us first have a brief look at all other animation principles to have a better understanding of the working process of this craft for everyone interested in exploring the groundwork needed in this discipline.
1-Lets us start with the most versatile and fundamental techniques called Squash and stretch.
The purpose of squash and stretch is to provide a sense of weight and flexibility to drawn objects like something as simple as a bouncing ball or more complex constructions, like the musculature of a human face.
In simple words, this effect gives animation an elastic life-like quality to imitate the real-life quality of a distorted object when it is acted upon by an outside force, but with a hint of an exaggeration to give it a comical effect.
2-Next comes to the animation principle of “Anticipation” which helps audiences to prepare for what’s about to happen.
For example, imagine you’re about to swing a cricket bat. What’s the first thing you do? Do you pull your hands back to wind up? Twist your shoulders in the opposite direction? That’s anticipation!.
As the action in animation can be very fast that can be missed and can get unnoticed. Anticipation draws the viewer’s attention and enables them to clearly see the character’s action and understand what the character is planning to do so that each movement does not come as a sudden surprise.
3-And every action the character undertakes should be carefully matched within the scene with the support of the next principle, that is, “Staging.”
Now, staging isn’t just limited to animation; it’s a core part of any artwork and filmmaking. Its purpose is to direct the audience’s attention and make it clear what is the most important thing in a scene that effectively advances the story.
In simple terms, it’s the combination of the position of the camera angles, colors, contrast, characters, and the props we need to show within the scene and blurring out what’s not important.
4-Once the stage is set, we move forward to the next animation principle, called “Straight Ahead Action and Pose-to-Pose.”
Now, this principle is related to actual work that goes into animation and deals with the technical aspect of it, but it’s relatively simple to explain. There are two ways to animate anything; the first is the Straight ahead method.
In this approach, animators draw each frame of an action one after another from start to finish. Whereas in the pose to pose way, animators draw the extreme poses, that is, the beginning and end drawings of action, then they go on to the middle frame and start to fill in the frames in-between.
5-And once the key actions are choreographed, follow-up movements are added with the help of the fifth principle, called “Follow through and overlapping action.”
This is the part where the laws of physics are obeyed, which help to render movement more realistically. The basic idea behind this is that when an object or a character stops after being in motion.
The loosely attached part of the body, like long hair, clothes, and hanging accessories, will continue to move beyond the stopping point of the main object or character and take a longer time to settle down and come into a state of rest.
6-The follow-through and overlapping action really help to make the motion look organic, which is assisted by the sixth animation principle called “Ease in and ease out.”
Ease in is a slow acceleration into motion, and ease out is a slow deceleration of that motion. The simple way to understand this principle is by imagining how a car works. It will start moving slowly, before gaining momentum and speeding up.
The opposite will happen when the vehicle comes to a stop. In animation, this moment is achieved through the proper spacing of the frames that is the distance between each frame.
For example, if you look at the picture below, you will see that more lines that represent the keyframes are drawn near the beginning and end of action, and very few in between them.
This effect helps to achieve more real-life-like motion, which, if blended with our next principle, works very well that we will have a look at in our next chapter.
Yes, the animation principles laid down here are just halfway road leading to the destination we need to arrive at. But there are a lot more subtleties and world-building we need to explore to achieve the experience the creators of Hanuman undertook to make it so memorable.
So I will encourage you to read this chapter once again until you grasp it to the fullest before turning the page to the next chapter that will reveal the following six animation principles without which animated movies wouldn’t be what we see today.
“Pogo was exploring to shut down the channel, and I too had had a long journey with failures by then. A lot was riding on Chhota Bheem.”
― RAJIV CHILAKA, CREATOR OF CHHOTA BHEEM
For the USA, it all started with a dream and a mouse back in 1928. Since then, the animation industry’s journey over there has been no lesser than a fairy tale story.
Whereas in India, it all started with a dream and a couple of deer in 1957 when “The Banyan Deer” captured the attention of our audiences. But soon, the dreams of the illusion of life faded away like an illusion itself, and the Indian animation industry never came into the picture despite the massive success of international shows in the coming years.
Until Chhota-Bheem debuted almost a decade ago in the midst of an era where international heroes like Spiderman, Batman, Supermen once again started to regain their powers and control over the audiences.
Both DC and Marvel are filled with thousands of heroes, each with their own story, characteristics, and decades of evolutionary enhancement. And despite the vast popularity and better technicality of international superheroes, our local boy managed to pave its way and become a fan favorite amongst kids. So what it’s about Chhota-Bheem specifically that resonated with kids so well and makes it so big?
Created by Rajiv Chilaka, Chhota Bheem debuted on Pogo in 2008, a channel struggling to survive at that time. Despite facing constant rejection for years, the network decided to take a chance with it, and they gave it a green signal, or should I say, “Green Gold” signal. And it’s Chhota Bheem’s practicality, simplicity, and psychological connectivity that helped him to resonate with our children so well. And it became the brand that it is today.
It’s a show that redefined the conventional superhero genre by understanding the kid’s state of mind and impatience for origin stories. As it can be boring to watch sometimes, even as an adult. Kids want to see things and people in action, and that’s what Chhota Bheem provided right from the go.
Every kid secretly dreams of being a superhero, and Chhota Bheem was a character that provided that hope without being preachy. It’s a character who likes to hang-out with friends, eat sweets, and fight bullies, things that most of the kids long to do. And yes, he doesn’t have to bear the burden of education either, which can be controversial to term as a positive trait, but it’s a dream come true for many kids.
The idea that you don’t need technology, money, fancy clothes, genetically gifted parents, or be a victim of some scientific experiment to have the superpower empowers the kids to utilize what they already possess and stay grounded to their roots.
And the most crucial factor is that Chhota Bheem deals with his own problems despite being small. And unlike other superheroes who are dealing with the complexity of their dual identity, Chhota Bheem takes a straightforward approach to be himself all the time. Which makes it easier for kids to empathize with him without keeping track of multiple issues that other heroes go through.
Another vital element Chhota Bheem has is that he is a guy with good intentions. He does not have any selfish motto behind his undertakings. He is a guy who will help and fight any evil for society without expecting anything in return. He is an epitome of a friend we all need and wish for. Someone who is always there for us, someone on whom we can depend, someone who can help us to sail through the obstacles life throws at us.
But as they say, “With great powers comes great responsibilities.” Even though Chhota Bheem managed to stay in our hearts and transformed into Super Bheem. Somewhere down the line, the good-spirited boy needs to grow up as a character if he wants to continue to endure amongst the lights of other great Superheroes.
A year ago, I got the opportunity to work on the new season of Chhota Bheem. And on the honest note, because of Bheem’s iconic image, he is trapped under so many moral codes of conduct that, as a writer, it takes the fun element out of it.
Just like Superman, Chhota Bheem is the epitome of perfection and is truly invincible. But Superman at least has a Kryptonite to fear. With Chhota Bheem, he has no such weaknesses to explore; no internal flaws or external forces could defeat him. And that is one reason adults have difficulty relating to it. Because for many, character’s shortcomings make them human and exciting to watch.
And these qualities of perfectionism aren’t just limited to the main protagonist of the show. If you observe carefully, even his friends are incorruptible, loyal, well-behaved. And one thing I really found strange to deal with is that they don’t have their own opinions, never oppose Bheem’s views and blindly follow his orders. All these things really make them come across as flat in terms of personality traits, and it is hard to distinguish their unique qualities.
But as a writer, I love to take challenges and, so in many episodes, we managed to find a way to make Bheem and his team look helpless and made them go through situations that we as humans can resonate with.
For example, in one of the episodes, I took away Bheem’s luck factor that made him a victim of series of unfortunate events. Right from something as trivial as tripping on a banana peel to something as bizarre as getting swallowed by a giant anaconda to something as painful as getting struck by lightning (twice).
All these scenarios give the episode a refreshing touch. And it will be surprising for loyal fans to see Bheem struggling with daily activities. It was an excellent opportunity for me to execute what I always felt the show needs to incorporate to take it further. And despite my initial doubts, fortunately, the Green Gold and Turner team gave their approval to it, and I am very thankful for it.
Another major challenge with Bheem and the team is that they are ten-year-old adults. Yes, I hardly see them making the mistakes that children of their age will commit. They rarely ever make fun of each other and deals with any obstacles like a fully grown adult. I understand that all these factors are actually the USP of Chhota Bheem and made it a success today.
But the same reasons make it hard for the writers and animators to work a gag around the main characters and are restricted to show them in a good light all the time. I understand that Chhota Bheem is a huge brand, and the creators are playing it safe with it. But they need to stop taking it so seriously, and they need to have fun with it.
Let the Characters sometimes act according to the situation rather than what the guidelines expect them to act. Let them alter their approach towards the problems, let each one of them have their own opinions, let them work around their differences. And, most importantly, let them be kids, which will make them unpredictable and exciting to watch, even for adults.
It’s been more than a decade since Chhota Bheem aired on TV, and we didn’t see any development in his or his friend’s core values, conducts, and psychology. What we really need to understand is that the reason why heroes like Batman, Superman, Spiderman continue to entertain, educate, and inspire us is that they evolved with time.
Just like us, these characters learned from their mistakes, worked on their flaws, and dealt with issues that we, as growing adults, can relate to. They continue to make us aware of the fact that life isn’t as easy as we think. And sometimes, we need to make a decision that might not satisfy everyone. Sometimes we need to make selfish choices. Sometimes we need to hide behind a mask for the wellness of our loved ones, and sometimes even superheroes need help.
I understand that Chhota-Bheem is for specific target audiences, and it’s perfect in its own sense. But it will be great to see our little one growing up, just like we all do in life.
What are your thoughts on the show, do share your valuable opinions in the comment section below?
This was the fourth chapter of the series “The Faults In Our Art!” do check out others by clicking on the given link.
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“Anyone can tell a story because Ramayana is a plot-oriented tale, but the key to Sako is that he finds humanity in his characters.” ― Krishna Shah, Co-Director, Ramayana
Anybody who grew up in the ’90s will recognize the animated film Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama, which was made as a part of the 40th anniversary of the India-Japan diplomatic relationship. This mythological tale was recreated and Directed by Yugo Sako along with legendary Indian Animator Ram Mohan.
The Hindi version featured dubbing voices of many big stars, including Arun Govil as the voice of Rama, Legendary Amris Puri as the voice Ravana and powerfully narrated by Shatrughan Sinha, added the interest in the audiences.
And after its release, it left a tremendous impact on a generation who already had a set perception about this sacred text through one of the most popular television shows in the history of the Indian entertainment industry that aired on Doordarshan.
And miraculously, the anime managed to create its own identity with its fusion of U.S., Indian, and Japanese style animation, brilliant screenplay, impeccable characterization, design, camera angles, and, more importantly, by staying respectful towards its cultural significance in the Indian civilization that managed to capture the attention of both kids and the adults.
But just like the actual tale of Ramayana, the movie also fought an epic battle for its existence and survival to reach its viewers. Yes, the creator of the film has to overcome various forces, to turn this religious work of stunning antiquity into an animated movie. So let’s have a brief look at Yugo Sako’s journey into the sacred world of Indian mythicism and his sincere efforts to make this animated retelling of an iconic story.
It all began when Yugo Sako was working on “The Ramayana Relics,” a documentary in 1983; he was so highly enticed into its spiritual theme that he researched more in-depth into the subject and went on to study 10 versions of Ramayana in Japanese. After extensively researching the epic mythology, he aspired to adapt it into animation. Because he didn’t think a live-action movie could depict the true essence of Ramayana, “Because Ram is God, I felt it was best to depict him in animation, rather than by an actor.” Said Yugo in an interview.
And that’s when the struggle began.
A leading newspaper misunderstood Yugo Sako’s documentary and wrote that he was altering the Ramayana. Soon after that, a protest letter based on the misinterpretation from the Vishva Hindu Parishad was received by the Japanese Embassy in India’s capital. Which said that no foreigners could arbitrarily cinematize Ramayana because it was the great national heritage of India.
After the misconceptions were clarified, Yugo Sako suggested the idea of an animated Ramayana to the VHP and the Government. He told them that animation was an earnest art form in Japan, and it would help bring the Ramayana to a broader global audience.
The Government agreed initially but later declined his proposal for a bi-nation collaboration, saying the Ramayana is a very sensitive subject and cannot be portrayed as a cartoon. Also, the fact that the movie was being made at the height of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement added to the controversy and axed the prospects of producing it in India.
With no choice and support left, The movie was ultimately produced in Japan, with nearly 450 artists from both the nation contributing to its creation. Indian animators guided their Japanese teammates with Indian customs and traditions depicted in the film, like how dhotis are worn and how the children receive blessings from their elders.
Now when the production process was sorted, the quest was to take it to a global audience. After eight months of negotiation, Yugo finally convinced a big Hollywood studio to release it to U.S. audiences.
But next came the tricky part: The studio wanted to alter the storyline, sending Ram and Sita into the forest for their honeymoon and substituting the entire myth of fourteen-year exile or Sita’s abduction. They wanted to turn it into a straight adventure concept despite it being a perfect plot in all sense. The producers and Yugo disagreed with it and parted away with the studio as it was clearly against their sensitivity, which eventually prevented it from gaining a wider release.
This whole saga is such a great example of choosing art over commerce. Sako precisely understood the sentiments attached to it and devoted a decade of his life to bringing this eternal mythology on the big screen. Sako believes his exposure to India has taught him to see the larger picture rather than worry about short-term goals. In an interview, he said, “If I pass away, then this work can be done by others, and if I die, I can be reborn and continue the work.”
So the current generation of artists needs to learn from Yugo Sako’s work ethics and should not easily bow down to the demands of commercialism. The passion portrayed by him is something that needs to be embraced by each one of us that will eventually reflect into our movies and shows and will assist us in doing better artistic work.
The biggest lesson for Indian animators here is to learn the importance of patience to do justice with our art, especially when dealing with such divine subjects. In India, we often see that we really underestimate the importance of detailed research and are more focused on delivering the half-hearted output that eventually gets the half-hearted response from the audiences. This approach of quantity over quality has been a big hurdle on the path of our animation that needs to address as soon as possible.
Sako taught us that in our pursuit of purpose and goals, just like Prince Rama and Mighty Hanuman, we will face the demons, but it’s essential not to compromise with our morals and ethics and continue to walk towards the bigger vision we have. Indeed, it is such a kind of dedication from an artist that influences a generation to come. It is such a kind of commitment that helps to overcome obstacles and hurdles in the creation process, and it is such kind of devotion that makes the art and the artist immortal, just like the real “Ramayana.”
Do make sure to read other articles in this series by clicking on the link: The Faults in our Arts!
“For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack.”― RUDYARD KIPLING, THE JUNGLE BOOK
Adapted from Rudyard Kipling’s book and directed by Fumio Kurokawa, “The Jungle Book” debuted on Indian television in the year 1993. An era hanging on the doldrums of an imbalanced economy, communal violence, and filthy terrorism.
And amid this massive burning cauldron, in the monsoon of July 1993, our houses echoed with a delightful song written by the great Gulzar, the title song of the series “Jungle Jungle baat chali hai, pata chala hai.” It was a much-needed escape from the series of depressing events that engulfed our nation at that time. The song brought a sense of optimism and cheerfulness amongst the people, specifically children, during a challenging time in Indian history.
By that time, many great Disney and Warner Bros shows were already running successfully. Still, none of them were able to instantly resonate with us, and profoundly influence a generation like The Jungle Book. It was a show that brought the families together and made Sunday afternoon the best time of the week. Soon Mowgli became a common household name and an integral part of our pop culture.
So what’s it’s about The Jungle Book specifically, that it was able to touch us in such a way that no other show can recreate the magic to date?. What was it about this show that made every child of our generation, wanting to run with the wolves, learn the language of every species, and climb on Bagheera’s back to jump over the cliff despite its secrets and dangers?
Well, It’s easy to guess it on the surface level, as it’s an entertaining show about a wild Indian boy who swings across the forest in his shorts along with his animal friends and their adventures in the wilderness in the midst of fighting the cunning and cruel tiger. For kids, that was more than enough reason to watch it, but on a deeper level, it was a show filled with great philosophical knowledge, values and was no lesser than a self-help book. At its core, it’s a story about growing up, maturing, learning more about the world, finding new friends, and, more importantly, finding yourself.
In other words, it was an excellent metaphor for our lives. Yes, the forest represented the concrete jungle we stay in. The animals represented our friends and families who care for us and protect us. The nemesis waiting in ambush posed the obstacles and problems we face, and the misfit protagonist represented “US,” lost into the unknown striving to survive. Just like Mowgli, we all face issues like growing up, we all feel like an odd one in the pack of wolves, and we all struggle to find our true identity always trying to adjust according to our environment in the vast civilized jungle.
Character of Jungle Book
The series did a fantastic job of showcasing the human values through these animals, and with great subtlety, provided various practical solutions for the dilemmas we face in our daily lives. It showed us the importance of finding our true self, and how everyone has some unique talent and skillsets, which we need to figure out to persevere in this world.
At the same time, it taught us the significance of family bonding, the sacrifices we need to make, staying true to our words and commitments, respecting the law, dealing with the loss of loved ones, and overcoming it.
And most importantly, it taught us the virtues of co-operation over pridefulness, by testing our beliefs against other people and finding common ground. It showed us that life is about walking according to the situation and opening ourselves to change.
And it did it without coming across as preachy or forceful. Its beauty was in its delicacy and simplicity wrapped in the innocence of a young mind. Truly, so far, no other show ever managed to achieve this and deeply touch our emotions, like The Jungle Book.
The anime also did a fabulous job of staying sincere to its original source material by staying dark and realistic as compared to the early cotton-candy Disney version. In the 1967 animated film, the story revolved around Shere khan trying to eat the boy, as his animal family tries to convince him to leave the jungle and live in the human village, which he is hesitant to do.
But later, Mowgli’s mind abruptly shifts when he is captivated by a pretty young girl from the village who is coming down by the riverside to fetch water. After noticing Mowgli, she “accidentally” drops her water pot. Mowgli retrieves it for her and follows her into the Man-Village and lives happily ever after.
Although that’s the basic concept of the anime as well and the movie is enormously popular and features a few memorable songs but received a considerable objection from critics and viewers for portraying certain characters in an insensitive way and altering the plot to serve Disney’s family film genres. That does not do any justice to the dramatic and sinister tone of Kipling’s work like the anime did years later.
Fortunately, Disney did realize their mistake and fixed it effectively in its latest live-action flick in 2016. They understood that it’s not about making selfish choices and our connection with our inner desires. It’s about the relationship between nature and mankind, the importance of respecting the natural laws, and how it is possible for us to harmoniously co-exist with nature that the anime displayed so effectively.
But one important factor that both the movie and the anime exposes is the literary trope called the Noble Savage. It embodies the concept of the indigene, an outsider, wild human who has not been “corrupted” by civilization, and therefore symbolizes humanity’s natural goodness. And it is this sense of innocence and naiveness that makes Mowgli such a relatable character that we all cherish and deeply connect with.
Here is an excellent lesson for Indian animation shows as well. Most of our Tv shows are influenced by Bollywood style structure, where the main protagonist is always invincible and is the epitome of perfection that we will discuss in detail in the upcoming articles.
But the success of The Jungle Book proved that you don’t need unnecessary actions, tacky gags, and larger than life protagonist to make a great show. As there was a show that shared the values of life and made an everlasting impact through an imperfect hero, who struggles like us, commits mistakes like us, learns like us. And most importantly grows like us, making it the greatest show of all time for our generation, at least in our hearts.
“All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.”
― WALT DISNEY.
Before we witnessed the spectacular visual effects of Bahubali before children got hooked on tv sets to watch Chhota Bheem, and even centuries before the dawn of animated films and motion cinema came into existence. Indians have figured out to enjoy the art of storytelling through an ingenious technology of projecting animated pictures on the silver screen called Tholu bommalata.
It is the traditional art of shadow puppetry that originated in the state of Andra Pradesh that enabled people to bring a hundred or more colorful mythological characters to life in the most remote village, all accompanied by virtuoso singing, engaging rhythms, and enchanting sound effects.
Then around the 19th century, during the British era, a Mumbai-based engineer Maadanrao Madhavrao Chitale, painted some events from the life of Srikrishna on slides and showed them to audiences for fun with the help of an invention called Magic Lantern that gave the impression of moving pictures. Fascinated by this new form of illusion, the father and son duo of Mahadev Patwardhan and Vinayak Mahadev Patwardhan saw a business opportunity in it. And took their show to the live audiences with the name Shambarik Kharolika.
And as time progressed, we saw the birth of technological marvels that revolutionized the art of storytelling, the motion picture camera invented by the Lumiere Brothers. This wonder machine opened the floodgates to many storytellers, and we were submerged into the depth of its potentialities.
And soon, the world witnessed its first-ever animated film created by Émile Cohl, who shot thousands of his own drawings. The film mainly consists of a stick man moving about and encountering all manner of morphing objects, such as a wine bottle that transforms into a flower that becomes an elephant.
And later on this side of the world, the pioneer of Indian cinema, Dada Saheb Phalke, created a stop motion movie using matchsticks called ‘Agkadyanchi Mouj’- ‘The Game of Match Sticks’, which is hailed as the beginning of Indian animation.
And since then, we saw the rise of many skilled and enthusiastic filmmakers and animators trying their hands in this art form. Amongst them was ‘The Pea Brothers’ made by Gunamoy Banerjee in 1934, which was the first animated film in India to get a theatrical release. Using the classical hand-drawn animation style, this movie featured the story of five peas popping out and transforming into toys that motivated many aspiring artists to pursue this form of animation.
And later in the same year, Kolkatta-based director Birendranath Sircar pulled out a film called “On a moon night” in just a month. The fascinated thing about this movie was that it was the first time that soundtrack was added into an Animated film that amused the audiences like never before.
Then on the 15th of November 1934, Animator Raghunath K. Kelkar, along with Pune-based Prabhat Film company founded by V. Shantaram, released an animated shot called Jambu kaka at Majestic Cinema in Mumbai.
Jambu Kaka
This shot featured a humanized Jackal that gained immense popularity amongst its viewers and helped Indian animation-grow further. This eventually led to a decade full of innovative and imaginative movies, right from Lafanga Langoor in 1935 by Mohan Bhavani, “Superman Myth” in 1939 by G.K Gokhale, Bakam Bhatt by Kolapur Cinetoons, “Akash Pataal’ by Mandar Malik, and IFI’s “The War that never ends.” And with it ended the long-fought war against the colonial rule, and most of the works were lost somewhere in the pages of history.
But, not all hopes were lost, as the whole country was engulfed in the celebration of newly found independence and a sense of nationality. Gemini Studios of Chennai released a wholly Indian animation film called “Cinema Kadambam,” a series of animated caricatures of famous film stars of the ’40s made by N. Thanu.
And meanwhile, in Mumbai, Animators Gupte and Ghokle were planning to revolutionize the advertising sector and created an animated series called Rangeen Chutkiya, which held its position till 1955.
And next year, in 1956, Indian animation regained its spirit with the arrival of Disney’s Animator Claire Weeks under the Indo-American technical co-operation program. His mission was to expose Indian artists to advanced technological and creative equipment and helped to set-up India’s first-ever animation studio.
And with it, began the production of the first independent animation film called “The Banyan Deer” in the year 1957, inspired by the Jataka tales. Staying true to the intention of the Indo-US relationship, the film also resembled the mixture of Indian and American art styles. The human characters were inspired by the artistic style of Ajanta caves, while the Deer had a close resemblance to Disney’s Bambi.
This film was widely appreciated and tasted great success that helped to launch the careers of some of the best-known artists in the history of Indian Animation.
And with the success of The Banyan deer and many other short-films and shows, the next decade brought the era of experiments, trials, and errors as many bold artists tried various techniques such as time-lapse, cut-out animation, stop-motion, claymation, etc.
Many of these were used as propaganda films to promote the government’s ideology and influence the citizens to adopt a better standard of living. Soon animation began to transform from merely an art to a full-fledged career.
And with it, we saw the rise of great artists like Madhava Kunte, Ramesh Potnis, Bhimsain Khurana, who is best known for his short film Ek Chidiya Anek Chidiya, V.G Sawant, and none other the legendary Ram Mohan hailed as the father of Indian Animation and only Indian animator to receive the prestigious Padma Shri Award by the Government of India.
Ram Mohan, Legendary Animator.
And as these artists were pushing the boundaries of this art form, the technology was also evolving rapidly, and soon, we witness the arrival of computers that quickly became part of the animation industry. This new-found tool helped save a lot of valuable time, sweat, and efforts that go into making a traditionally animated film.
Yes, something as simple as a walk cycle could take as much as eighteen hand-drawn images drawn in a sequence that loop to create an animation of a walking character. The number of drawings can increase or decrease depending upon the character’s personality, timing, phase, and many, along with essential animation principles without which the animation won’t look as good as it seems that we will learn in the upcoming chapters.
But the arrival of new technology like 2D animation and especially 3D animation cut short the output time to half, and our highly skilled and talented artists were quick to adopt this new form of working style.
And with it began a new era and came to the much-needed boom in the market of the Indian animation industry. Soon we saw the rise in demand for our domestic services in the international arena due to our quality work at a much lower price.
And since then, Indian animators have continued to showcase their capabilities around the globe that can be reflected by the number of awards we have won until this time. But sadly, we found ourselves stuck under the influence of Disney style for a longer period and have been on a roller-coaster ride in its history of over a hundred years.
Even though with the rise of many great artists like Ram Mohan, V.G Samant, and the extreme popularity of shows like Chhota Bheem, Little Singham, and movies like Hanuman, Bal Ganesha, Indian animation is still struggling to earn the respect of our local audiences.
But why is that why other countries like Us, Japan, embraced this art and have managed to turn this medium into full-fledged family entertainment, whereas, in India, it is still looked down on as purely children’s genre and is ignored by almost all adults?
But more importantly, why don’t we shy away from investing our time and money into watching International films like Kung-fu Panda, The Incredibles, but won’t even think of walking into the theater to watch domestic Animated movies?. What makes Disney, Pixar, and Ghibli so successful, and what is that we need to adopt from them to grow and prosper in terms of art, style, commerce, and entertainment.
In the upcoming articles, we will explore answers to all these and many more questions and debunk the mysteries behind the success of western and Japanese animated films and the struggle behind our industry. With each article, we will look at some fundamental and deeply rooted faults in it, things that have worked for us, and things that have led to the downward slope of the art of animation.
As an animator, as a writer, and more importantly, as an audience, my intention behind writing this book is to help the new and younger generation of artists and everyone interested in the medium to take learn from our past, fix our present, and take a leap into the future. And hopefully, together, we can support our beloved art to earn a place in the hugely profitable business of family entertainment.
But next came the tricky part: The studio wanted to alter the storyline, sending Ram and Sita into the forest for their honeymoon and substituting the entire myth of fourteen-year exile or Sita’s abduction. They wanted to turn it into a straight adventure concept despite it being a perfect plot in all sense. The producers and Yugo disagreed with it and parted away with the studio as it was clearly against their sensitivity, which eventually prevented it from gaining a wider release.
Adapted from Rudyard Kipling’s book and directed by Fumio Kuroka
