Indian animation coming of age

Bongo was an animation-cum-live action television series about a friendly alien that Doordarshan aired in late 2004. Last year, Lady Chatterjee, India's first computer-generated animated "item girl" in a music video by Saregama, took the Indian television scene by storm. Then, there is Vikram aur Betal and Krishna on Cartoon Network and Jai Bole tho Jadoo on Nickelodeon to name a few. What's the common thread running across these animated serials? They have all been created in India, by Indian animation studios, for the Indian market.

Today, Indian animation studios are increasingly realising the need to create their own IPS. "The Indian animation industry has proved its mettle in the global markets. I think the time is now ripe for US to come up with our own stories and productions," says Munjal Shroff, Director and coo, Graphiti Multimedia, a concept to completion production house for computer generated animation features. Graphiti co-produced Jai Bole tho Jadoo on Nickelodeon.

Director Ketan Mehta, who promoted Maya Entertainment, a company that offers computer animation and visual effects for films and television in India, says: "We did not have a fully developed 2D animation industry; and the 3D animation industry grew under the shadow of the it industry and, therefore, became a hub for outsourced work. But now, more film makers are creating their own stories and selling them globally."

The market for Indian animated products is still small, and recorded annual revenues of only $3.75 million (Rs 15.37 crore) in 2006-07, says Animation Xpress, a dedicated animation industry portal. However, a PWC-FICCI report says the Indian animation industry as a whole, including foreign and domestic animation across TV broadcasting, films and DVD, is estimated to be worth Rs 1,100 crore. This is expected to increase to Rs 2,900 crore by 2011, growing at a CAGR of 22 per cent. The share of the domestic segment is expected to be significant and touch Rs 1,000 crore by 2011.

Even MNCs like Turner International, which runs Cartoon Network and pogo in India, are eyeing the market for original local content. Taking its commitment to nurture home-grown creative talent to a new level, Cartoon Network last year announced a unique Pan-Asian initiative titled snaptoons (Short New Asia Pacific Cartoons), an original content development initiative, that is aimed at connecting the Cartoon Network with creative talent across its key markets in Asia. "Through this initiative, the network will invest in funding, backing and developing new, original and groundbreaking ideas that lend themselves well to animation targeted at kids," says Orion Ross, VP (Creative & Original Content), Turner Entertainment Networks Asia.

But animation company heads say Indian companies must create content that has global appeal and is marketable across the world. Siddharth Jain, COO, Adlabs Animation, says: "There is demand for something which is Indian but packaged globally." Adds Shroff: "We have realised that what is good for kids here in India is also good for kids abroad."

However, costs are a major issue. Color Chips, a Hyderabad-based production house, is understood to have spent $1 million (Rs 4.1 crore) only on the pre-production of Krishna and Percept Picture Company, which made the hugely successful Hanuman, is now planning a sequel titled Hanuman 2 at a budget of Rs 9-12 crore. A high quality and complex animation production can cost Rs 1.3-2 lakh per minute. This is why Indian producers are hesitant about entering this field. But the success of Hanuman is spurring some to take baby steps into this niche. The future, clearly, is bright.

Working Animatedly

The following projects are in the pipeline: 
 

• Graphiti Multimedia, which created Jai Bole tho Jadoo, is working on a project called Action Hero BC, targeted at youth across the globe. The story is based on Katha Sarit Sagar, the oldest collection of stories known to mankind
  
  
• Green Gold Animation, which created Vikram aur Betal and Krishna, is working on another animated TV series Mighty Little Bheem
  
  
• Adlabs Animation has tied up with Gini & Jony, a kids' apparel brand, for a children's film. It is also working on an animation film with southern superstar Rajinikanth, which is due for release in 2008 
  
  
•  Virgin Comics is now working on adapting its comics into animated TV serials. It has also tied up with Kahani World (KW), a Canada-based animation company, to produce a $7-million (Rs 28.7 crore) animated film called Secrets of the Seven. While the content will be produced by the Virgin Comics team here in India, KW will distribute and market the film
  
  
• Maya Entertainment is working on two local projects, one of which is based on mythology and the other on fantasy.