You were captivated by the surrealism of Spirited away; you felt emotionally moved and inspired by the touching journey of a little rat in Ratatouille. You witnessed a jaw-dropping new atmosphere in the first-ever three-dimensional toy story movie, and most of us surely grew up watching the adventure, romance, and magic of Disney’s fairytales and Hanna Barabara’s fun and adventurous acts in the nineties.
Undoubtedly, the industry is blessed with many such highly creative movies, shows, and memorable characters that we all cherish and love.
Pic Courtesy: Wikipedia
And when it comes to Indian animated films. The one movie that will instantly appear in your mind is the highly appealing epic mythology of Baby Hanuman, which was released in 2005 and directed by one of the pioneers of Indian Animation, none other than V.G Samant.
And that was, in a way, the dawn of commercial full-length animated feature films in India, and its success and popularity paved the way for many bold filmmakers to try their hands on this medium.
As a result, within a short period, we saw the release of movies such as Roadside Romeo, Delhi Safari,and many more that failed to repeat the magic and impression that Baby Hanuman left on people’s minds.
And soon, we noticed the deterioration in the reputation of Indian animated films at the box office.
But what was the reason behind it, why Disney, Pixar, and Ghibli continue to perplex the audiences after so many years, and Indian commercial movies suffered a decline in their revenues at the silver screen?
Well, the instant reply could be that the stories in Indian films weren’t captivating enough, the quality wasn’t up to the level, or it was challenging to resonate with the characters in those films.
But it is crucial to understand that those factors are secondary because before we can witness a great art, what comes into the picture is the artist.
Yes, one vital point that binds all the artistic masterpieces together is the artists working behind them, and more importantly, the artist leading them.
Similarly, let’s take any of the classic motion pictures filled with the illusion of life. You will see legendary names such as Hayao Miyazaki, Brad Bird, John Lasseter, Genndy Tarkovsky, and of course, Walt Disney himself.
They were the creators, minds, and souls behind many iconic and endlessly imaginative movies and shows that helped art reach its honorable place today.
And if you delve more profoundly into it, you will see that one common trait all these creators possess is that they all are “Animators.”
Yes, although Indian producers saw the financial capabilities of animated films, they failed to acknowledge an ancient Indian proverb that says, “The work suits in the hands of the one skilled to do it.”
And suppose you look at the credits of many unsuccessful Indian movies and series. In that case, you will notice that they were often directed, produced, and managed by people who are not into Animation or understand the art the way an Animator would generally do.
I am not stating that a non-animator can’t direct animated films or lead the team of artists, sure they can, and there are exemptions.
But what I am emphasizing is that these films need a specialized technique and strict attention to detail as their core characteristics separate them from the live-action movies, which a non-animator could inadvertently miss.
So being aware of the creative and technical aspects of animation film gives an animation artist a considerable advantage to push the boundaries of conventional craft and effortlessly focus on the soul of the story to strike a delicate balance between fantasy and reality.
So it’s imperative to understand this very fundamental aspect of this illusional art and offer the artists the needed liberty and opportunity to bring their vision on the screen as they are the ones who can get the necessary momentum into this industry.
And that’s just not limited to the process of directing the movies. It should be mandatory for the writing producers operating for the television broadcasters and business heads to have good technical and creative working experience of Animation in their portfolios.
So that they will be able to match the artistic vision of the animation directors, creators, and writers working at the studio level and connect the missing link to help achieve the respect we are striving for in the eyes of our viewers.
But that looks like a long road to travel as animators in our country don’t get the recognition they rightfully deserve and are treated as a labor force than a creative one.
People often forget to discuss their contributions even though they are the ones who put life in a character. An animator in a movie is as important as the actors in live-action films, they are the unsung heroes, and without them, there won’t be the art of animation.
But the problem goes way beyond the recognition. Like so many other factors like long working hours, minimum wages, and mistreatment restrict our artists from expressing themselves freely and contributing to their full potential, unlike artists in the west and Japan who enjoy the perks of creative freedom to improvise their work.
So before we bring the change towards the art, it’s essential to look up to our artists for the longevity and success of this medium.
The time has come that we start to recognize the artistic talent our Animators possess and show faith in their ability to deliver the stories that not only entertain the audiences but leave an everlasting impression that becomes a core part of our memories.
Just a little appreciation and love for our artist can go a long way, and you never know that we might end up finding the next Walt Disney or Gendy Tartakovsky of India.
(From Left: John Lasseter, Hayao Miyazaki, Walt Disney, Genndy Tartakovsky, Brad Bird)
(Imp Note: This is one of the reasons behind the struggles of Indian Animation. In my blog series, “The Faults In Our Art!We will explore ten major factors that are keeping Indian animation behind. So I request you to please support my initiative by subscribing to my website by filling the form below)
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.
The Funny Side of Indian Animation Industry: Advice for budding artists for getting into Indian animation.
Finding jobs in the Indian animation industry can be challenging. And if you are an aspiring, young Indian animator, life isn’t fun for you at all. Just a few years ago, you had a dream of a glamorous, fascinating, playful career in your heart. You nurtured it, you believed it, and most of you had also achieved it by getting a job in a studio or company.
Bingo! You had your dream come true, experiencing the best day of your life. Finally, you have proved to the world, especially your parents, that you can face the world on your own without knowing that flames of delight will diminish quickly. And if you haven’t experienced it yet in your life, then ask your dream to wait for some time.
How much? Well, it could be a day, a month or years, who knows? It’s a funny business, after all. Anybody who works in the indian animation industry like I do or will tell you to reconsider your career prospects if you still have time in your life.
But I know it isn’t that easy when you have so much passion for this field. You have always envisioned yourself as an animator or an artist. And more than anything else, you have to recover those green bucks invested in self-proclaimed 100% job guarantee institutes and animation programs.
So what to do now? Well, in my opinion, and many experience talented animators that I work with, we have quite a few options with us to deal with it:-
•1) Change the field: –
If you are not passionate enough about animation, this isn’t a thing for you in the first place anyhow. So the wisest thing to do for you probably will be to pack your bags and move on.
Find your true passion and work on it. You have nothing to lose here except those green bucks, but once you find your true love, money won’t matter at all, and you will earn it back in no time without much effort.
•2) Keep patients: –
If there isn’t anything much you can do about it, then the best thing is to hang on and wait for the tide to turn. Especially when you don’t have added responsibilities on your shoulders.
Spend your time learning more about this art and try to improve each and every day. If possible, spend few more bucks on those reputed animation programs available online.
Many of them can give you valuable insight into this market. It also helps you increase your network on the international circuit. So keep patience and play the waiting game and remember, “Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.
•3) Be the change: –
As the famous quote from Mahatma Gandhi goes and I quote,
“You have to be the change you want to see in the world.”
If you are passionate enough and stubborn enough like me, then the best thing for us is to accept all three points in our life. Didn’t get it? Let me explain it!
The world is unfair, and we have to accept it no matter what. There will be obstacles in our way, and some of them will be intemperate to deal with.
The more we will try to fight, the more there will be an equal and opposite reaction.
So the best advice for us comes from the movie Rocky Balboa,
“Just get hit and keep moving forward.”
We can’t just hinge upon our company to pay us for our daily requisites. We have to keep doing what we love and find an alternate source of income along with it.
By changing the field, I mean changing it for a particular period of hours in a day. This will help us to fulfill our necessities to some extent; a part-time job, an online business, or freelance work is the best option. Because it’s not just about our passion, it’s also about our responsibilities towards our near and dear ones as well.
The things I have elaborated on in point number 2 also apply to all of us, whether you are a newbie or an experienced artist. As they say, we should never stop learning. Well, I won’t stretch it as you are intelligent enough to understand it. And as we accept the first two points in our lives, we automatically become the change we want to see.
Hope it will help you to cope with the situation and make a wise choice for your life. And as far as our industry is concerned, things seem to be improving for good compared to a few years ago. With sound management and government support, things can turn positive. People like us can continue doing what we love to do with rightful returns.
Till then,
“STAY ANIMATED STAY MOTIVATED “!
And If you want to know more about the challenges in our industry, do read the segment “The Faults in Our Art!”
Some time ago, I felt the urge to expand my knowledge about Indian Animation and was shocked to see that there is no single book available so far on this topic. So, I decided to write one, titled “Indian Animation and The Faults In Our Art.” But unfortunately, it didn’t get any publishing deal due to the nature of the subject. So instead of going to a self-publishing route, I thought of converting the content into this blog so that it can reach the maximum number of people for free, and I can always keep on updating it with changing times.
Now the vital question? Why did I write my unpublished book in the first place? Well, that’s because, over the years, I have witnessed that Indian Animation has not made enough progress to make a mark in this world.
You see, the animation is undoubtedly the most flexible form of film-making with the ability to go beyond the expected. But when it comes to India, we are still struggling to get the basics right, we are still struggling to understand the true potential of this medium, and most importantly, we are still struggling to embrace the art of animation.
And the most crucial question is, “Why?”
Why countries like the USA, 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 a 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.
Through this series of articles, we will explore answers to all these questions and debunk the mysteries behind the success of western and Japanese animated films and the struggle behind our industry. With each chapter or article, we will look at some fundamental and deeply rooted faults in Indian content, 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 or blog is to help the budding generation of artists, industry professionals, and everyone interested in the medium to 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 respectable place in the business of family entertainment.
When you read these articles, read them as if you are reading a book. I have divided the section into three major parts:
-The Past:
Here, we will witness the journey of Indian animation and what worked and did not work for us.
-The Present:
Here, we will analyze the current state of our art and the reasons for its downward curve.
-The Future:
Here, we will discuss the destiny of our art, and I will share some vital bits of advice for budding artists that will help them to thrive in this industry.
Each section has some interesting chapters mentioned below.
In this chapter, we will shed some light on the journey of Indian animation, right from its inception in shadow forms to the silver screen, and learn about the people who contributed towards making this industry what it is today.
The Jungle Book is undoubtedly the most popular show in the history of Indian Animation. In this chapter, we will learn about its impact on our generation and what made it so successful.
Like the hugely popular Tv show Ramayana, the animated movie brought a revolution in Indian Animation. In this chapter, we will learn about the struggle behind making this movie and the sacrifices the creators of this movie made to release it.
Chhota Bheem is another household name, but have you ever wondered what makes it so big? In this chapter, Let’s look into the psychology of Chhota Bheem and reveal the secrets behinds its fame.
This movie instantly made an impact on our viewers, and in these chapters, we are going to decode some of the secrets behind its success with the help of animation principles.
This chapter will continue to explore fundamental animation principles that will help our readers to know the groundwork it takes to create these beautiful illusions of lives.
The stage was set for Roadside Romeo, and it was released with huge expectations, but unfortunately, everything went downhill. So in this chapter, we will explain what the makers of this should have learned from their famous movie DDLJ.
In the end, it all comes down to a story that can make or break the art. So in this chapter, we will learn about the fundamental issues with our storytelling and what we can do to improve it.
Animation and comedy go hand in hand, but for some reason, our shows seem to be deprived of humor. So let us learn some tricks and tips that could put a smile on our kid’s faces and know the secrets behind the funny business of western animation.
This mysterious ingredient is one major reason our animation lags in many aspects. If we can manage to implement it soon, we will have Indian animation spreading on the global stage.
Another factor why Indian animation doesn’t hold high standards in the eyes of our adult audiences. So in the chapter, let us learn the art of stealing and implementing it wisely without getting caught.
-Chapter Thirteen: The Women Power:
When the whole world is advocating for equal opportunities. But animation still seems to catch up in this department despite the need for women’s participation has been more than ever before. So in this chapter, let us reflect on women’s working conditions in the animation industry and the need for their empowerment.
-Chapter Fourteen: The Budget:
This is one major hurdle keeping our art behind. So let’s have a look at some of the examples and see how much we really spend on animation as compared to Hollywood.
-Chapter Fifteen: The Right Education.
This is where the problems begin. So let us analyze the issue behind it.
The Future: And The Destiny of our Art
-Chapter Sixteen: STAY ANIMATED STAY MOTIVATED.
The Passion.
The Inspiration.
So here we go.
I will update this blog as and when possible, and soon, I will convert it into a free ebook. So do make sure to subscribe by filling the form below for tons of free content and, more importantly, helping our art leave a mark in the world of family entertainment.
“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.
•1) Change the field: – 
•2) Keep patients: – 
•3) Be the change: – 
