Let’s get honest here; it’s no more a mystery to us that when art is created, it is usually inspired by something that has already been done. Even the lights of Michelangelo, Van Gough and Walt Disney were influenced by their predecessors and spent their early years recreating the same old work.
No one is spared by the temptation of plagiarism, as many of us don’t want to spend the time, effort, and money required in reinventing the wheel.
Pic Courtesy: Amazon
And the same goes when it comes to the art of storytelling. Yes, although the style, genre, message in every story we witness seems different at face value. But at the core, they all follow the same basic structure that has been laid down brilliantly by a widely respected philosopher and theologist “Joseph Cambell“ in his book “A hero with thousand faces.”
In this masterwork, Campell illustrates the hero’s journey, how the hero or the protagonist goes from the ordinary world into a region of supernatural powers and out of his comfort zone.
Where he or she encounters fabulous forces, and after a life-altering battle, gains the victory. The hero then comes back from this spiritual adventure as a changed person with the power to bestow boons on the society at large.
Pic Courtesy: Google
This hero’s journey is a pattern you will see even in all the mythologies of the world, and nothing has been changed since the dawn of storytelling due to its soul-satisfying structure that we all crave emotionally and spiritually.
And when it comes to the story structure of Indian Animation shows, it isn’t surprising to see this same rhythm and balance been utilized frequently. But, the main issue with Indian Animation and especially TV shows, isn’t the use of the hero’s journey. Instead, it is following the same style, genre, and message.
Yes, every show looks the same with just a little tweak in the personality of the main characters.
All the popular indian animation shows have this ten-year-old, super-powerful male protagonist assisted by a smart female friend, a fanboy side-kick, and a goofy animal.
And most of the time, these characters are the epitome of perfection and moral values and are usually mature way beyond their current age.
In a typical episode, they will battle the outside forces using their quirks and wits and, more importantly, without making any mistakes or doing something that an average ten-year-old kid will do.
And that’s completely fine at a level because these shows are carrying the responsibilities of grooming the future generation and surely wants to play safe to avoid any complaints from parents.
But the basic formula of all these superheroic shows are so similar that from a viewer’s perspective, it gets dull and monotonous, and it feels like we are watching the same show just with different looking kids.
Yes, If I take the hero of one show and put it in another, nothing will change. And that’s poor storytelling and world-building, and such shows will never be able to impress the mature audiences.
Because the problems and obstacles should be uniquely limited to the characters of the particular world to make the viewer’s switch on your channel and get submerged into your realm.
For example, If I’ll put Batman against Green Goblin, he will fight the antagonist way different than Spiderman will do, or even Superman will do.
Pic Courtesy: Google
And that’s precisely the reason we would be excited to witness such a cross over as each of these characters uses their abilities in their own style, rhythm, and pace to tackle the evil in front of them.
Pic courtesy: Reliance Animation
But if I take Little Singham and put him against any of the villains of Chhota Bheem, I don’t expect any different approach from the protagonist. And even the antagonist need not worry about altering their plans because both the heroes are almost identical in their strength and, of course, no weaknesses. Same goes for Kisna, Arjun the Prince Warrior, and even Motu Patlu followed the same pattern after a point.
But I know what everyone must be wondering; despite being a copy of a copy, our kids are hooked on the Tv screen and adore these characters more than anything.
Well, the reason behind it is because they are not exposed to other things yet and are forced to consume these products with no or limited choices.
One of the main factors most of us who grew up in the 90’s aren’t a big fan of our domestic shows is because we have seen productions that are highly creative and technically strong. Thus we can immediately identify the difference and express our opinions for it.
And this factor isn’t limited to our cartoon shows and kids, in recent times this phenomenon can be seen in movies as well, due to the availability of the better quality product provided by international media through streaming services and theater releases.
We have have been witnessing that a significant number of people have been raising their voices against Bollywood films and asking the creators to raise their standards as well.
Similarly, once our kids explore the different creative shows, they tend to move on like everyone else.
But to be honest, we don’t want the kids to move on. We want them to cherish our local heroes forever in their memories and hearts and look at them as inspiration to deal with the issues and problems life throws at them that are unique according to a person’s circumstances and experiences.
And to do that, we need to give our heroes their unique style, strength, world, and, most importantly, the weaknesses. And to do so, we need to steal from history and learn how the shows that left such an impact on the minds of a generation manages to embrace their identity in the world full of a copy of a copy.
(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 multiple 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.
“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?
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