{"id":7007,"date":"2013-11-17T00:01:34","date_gmt":"2013-11-17T08:01:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/?p=7007"},"modified":"2013-11-12T08:17:17","modified_gmt":"2013-11-12T16:17:17","slug":"indian-animation-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/index.php\/indian-animation-update\/","title":{"rendered":"Indian Animation Update"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I am doing another column on Indian animation much sooner than I expected.  It has been a busier time than usual for animation, according to Animation Xpress, the Indian industry online newsletter from which these press releases are taken.  These stories are from September issues alone.<\/p>\n<p><strong>September 2<\/strong>.  <em>Virtual Thought<\/em>, a 2\u201924\u201d CGI student film, wins an award.  \u201cRahul Punyani, a Delhi based Arena Animation academy, Rajouri Garden student\u2019s short \u2018Virtual Thought\u2019 was screened at \u2018ANIFEST INDIA 2013\u2019 and was awarded the \u2018Student Category Award\u2019.  [\u2026]  What challenges did you face in the making of the short?\u2028The shot in which several particles had to form into a car within few seconds was tricky. It took me around 15 days thinking about how to make this possible. The rendering software crashed while editing this shot. And as I didn\u2019t want to compromise with the quality of this movie, I ended up using Cinema 4D software for the same.I used three software for this movie, namely 3 D Max Software was used for Modeling the characters, After Effects for the composition and Cinema 4D software for the sequence.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><center><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/q0u7iqYDAks?rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/center><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<hr style=\"color: #c00; background-color: #c00; height: 1px; border: none;\" \/>\n<p><strong>September 4.<\/strong>  <em>Toah\u2019s Ark<\/em>, not a student film, wins another award.  \u201cBangalore based Morph Digital Studio\u2019s animation short \u2018Toah\u2019s Ark\u2019 has won the Planet Water Video Contest. The movie has won in the Animation Category.  This competition was organised by Barcelona 2013 15th FINA World Championship with the collaboration and technical support of the Museu Ol\u00edmpic i de l\u2019Esport Joan Antoni Samaranch \/ BCN Sports Film Festival.  AnimationXpress.com interacted with Anirudh Goutham, Director of Morph Digital Studio to know about the making \u2018<em>Toah\u2019s Ark<\/em>\u2019: <\/p>\n<blockquote><p>How would you describe the look and feel of this short?\u2028 The film has been created using cel animation and flash. We have used 2 different looks where the parts depicting Toah\u2019s home have been kept clean, simple, shades of blue and the other side of the story has been depicted using darker colors, more details, grunge and subtle animation not to distract the visuals. Blue and Green were used for the clean parts whereas Blacks, Grey and Brown for the polluting arts of the film.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><center><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/j7bL6SsrjbQ?rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/center><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<hr style=\"color: #c00; background-color: #c00; height: 1px; border: none;\" \/>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/shri-hanuman-poster.jpg\" alt=\"shri-hanuman-poster\" width=\"250\" height=\"349\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-7015\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/shri-hanuman-poster.jpg 250w, https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/shri-hanuman-poster-214x300.jpg 214w, https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/shri-hanuman-poster-107x150.jpg 107w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><strong>September 6<\/strong>.  The first theatrical trailer for <em>Shri Hanuman Chalisa<\/em> is released.  \u201cAnimated mythological poetry is on its way as Delhi based Charuvi Design Labs, founded and spearheaded by Animation Film Maker Charuvi Agrawal, has recently rolled out the first trailer of their debut animated short based on the verses of \u2018Hanuman Chalisa\u2019.  Titled \u2018<em>Shri Hanuman Chalisa<\/em>\u2019, this 12 minutes 20 seconds 3D animated poetry is adapted from \u2018The Hanuman Chalisa\u2019 written by Indian poet Tulsidas and promises to spread a divine visual poetic experience. The teaser of this short was first screened in 2011 at SIGGRAPH film festival and since then has been doing its rounds in the international film festivals.  The film had its world premiere at Palm Springs International Short Fest and Film Market \u2013 California (USA) an Oscar qualifying festival, and there after followed by 67th Edinburgh International Film festival (UK), Dimension 3 Film Festival (France), Toronto Animation Art Festival International (Canada), Anima Mundi (Brazil) an Oscar qualifying festival, Flickers RHODE ISLAND International Film festival (USA) an Oscar qualifying festival, Montreal World Film Festival (Canada) an Oscar qualifying festival,  Stuttgart International Festival of Animation Film (Germany) and will screen in October at Indian Film Festival Of Houston (USA) and the main launch will be in November.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Whew!  Checking around, there have been multiple live-action productions of <em>Shri Hanuman Chalisa<\/em> over the years.  Hanuman is the Hindu monkey god, or monkey-headed and \u2013tailed human god.  He is often shown fighting inhuman demons, as he is in this trailer.  The Indian poet Tulsidas lived from 1497 or 1532 to 1623.  Most sources recognize the 1497 date as correct, although this would have made him 126 years old when he died.  Hindus argue that this is perfectly likely since Tulsidas praised Hanuman throughout his life, and Hanuman probably extended his life span.  This new teaser trailer is very impressive and the 3D effect without glasses is surprisingly successful.<\/p>\n<p><center><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/OZQ705W0lFQ?rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/center><\/p>\n<hr style=\"color: #c00; background-color: #c00; height: 1px; border: none;\" \/>\n<p><strong>September 16<\/strong>.  The \u201c<em>Amul Girl<\/em>\u201d is apparently one of India\u2019s best-known TV advertising mascots, similar to Tony the Tiger or the Trix Rabbit in America.  Toonz Animation gives the \u201cAmul Girl\u201d mascot a 3D makeover in TV commercials.  \u201cTrivandrum based Toonz Animation has created the 3D avatar of the iconic utterly butterly delicious \u2018Amul Girl\u2019. Conceived in 1967, this young, chubby Indian girl dressed in a polka dotted frock with blue hair and a half pony, has been the face of Indian dairy brand Amul since.  And now, after more than 4 decades of fascinating us in her hand drawn form, the \u2018Amul Girl\u2019 has adorned a 3D avatar in Amul\u2019s latest TVC. Released by the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, the TVC is created by Kailash Pictures whereas the 3D animation, motion graphics and compositing have been delivered by Toonz Animation. The live action cum animation TVC is currently airing on leading television channels.\u201d  I have recently seen <em>Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2<\/em>, and I can\u2019t watch this without thinking of a deep male voice saying, \u201cButter!\u201d <\/p>\n<p><center><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6-QNoDp45Ds?rel=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/center><\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<hr style=\"color: #c00; background-color: #c00; height: 1px; border: none;\" \/>\n<p><strong>September 25<\/strong>.  <em>Krishna aur Kans<\/em> (Krishna versus Kans, Krishna\u2019s evil uncle), Reliance Animation\u2019s CGI theatrical feature that was released across India in several languages in August 2012, has come to Indian TV.  \u201c\u2018&#038; Pictures\u2019 the newly launched movie channel of Zee Entertainment is all set to telecast India\u2019s finest animated feature film \u2018Krishna aur Kans\u2019 on Sat, 28th Sept\u2019 at 9:00 P.M. and repeat telecast on Sun, 29th Sept\u2019 at 12:38 PM.  The film is directed by Vikram Veturi and has a stellar voice cast who are among the finest actors of our time, Om Puri plays the role of Kans and Juhi Chawla features as Mother Yashoda while Prachi Save plays Krishna. The film also features Manoj Bajpai, Anupam Kher, A.K. Hangal, Sachin &#038; Supriya Pilgaokar and Mukesh Khanna in various prominent characters.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Krishna aur Kans<\/em> was covered in my \u201cRecent Indian Animation\u201d column in May, with its theatrical trailer.  Here are its TV broadcast posters.  This is one that deserves to be called \u201cIndia\u2019s finest animated feature film\u201d, even if it is a Hindu religious film about the first ten years of Krishna\u2019s life that will be meaningless to most Americans.  It was shown in America for one week last year in one theater in Norwalk, CA under the title Hey Krishna to qualify for the Oscars. <\/p>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/krishna-aur-kans.jpg\" alt=\"krishna-aur-kans\" width=\"500\" height=\"331\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7013\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/krishna-aur-kans.jpg 500w, https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/krishna-aur-kans-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/krishna-aur-kans-150x99.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/>\n<p><\/p>\n<hr style=\"color: #c00; background-color: #c00; height: 1px; border: none;\" \/>\n<p><strong>September 26<\/strong>.  <em>Mahavir \u2013 The Protector<\/em>; the Hindu gods as American-style costumed superheroes.  \u201cKolkata based Virtualinfocom is currently working on their first IP, a 2D animation movie \u2013 \u2018Mahavir- the Protector.\u2019 This 90 minute movie will be targeted at a wider range of audience between the age group from 5 to 25 years old. The studio started working on several aspects of this movie in 2011. Currently in production, the feature is tentatively slated for mid 2014.<\/p>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/indian-model.jpg\" alt=\"indian-model\" width=\"550\" height=\"350\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7014\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/indian-model.jpg 550w, https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/indian-model-300x190.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/indian-model-150x95.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/>\n<p><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Kalki (incarnation of Lord Vishnu) and Gadura- Kalki\u2019s godfather are the main characters of the movie. The other secondary characters are Shiva, Vishnu, Durga, Ganesh, Kartik, Yamraj, Gadura, Blood Seed (Rakta Beej), Nova, Taraka, Rakhshashi, Kumbhakarna, Indra, Maya, Kali and Klesh.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The movie follows the story of the super power called Kalki, born in 2124 to destroy the evil spirits in and around the earth using his ultimate powers. As per the story line, before Kalki\u2019s birth, seven devotional Sadhus did a \u2018Maha- Nirvana\u2019 Yagya. These sadhus had super powers and had to devote their power to call their protector, but one of them denied to do so and left the Yagna area, so the power was born but it had no body. The power is in the form of a spirit who can\u2019t take part in any mortal world, who is seeking for a pure body.<\/p>\n<p>There are interesting twists and turns as this mythological story proceeds further. It will make the audience imagine of the test tube future generation and think why it\u2019s necessary to have a chaos and make a balance out of it.<br \/>\nThe representation of specific characters for this movie was designed only after referring to several Indian Gods like Vishnu, Shiv, Ganesh and Brahma from several mythological books.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And after referring to several American superhero comic books, by the look of the character design.  I can recognize the elephant-headed Ganesh, and I assume the sinister-looking black-clad warrior is Shiv.  I would guess Kali, the goddess of death, but she\u2019s female.  The third paragraph above, about the \u2018Maha-Nirvana\u2019 Yagya, exceeds my knowledge of the Hindu religion. <em> Mahavir \u2013 The Protector<\/em> may be a hit with Indian audiences, but I cannot begin to guess how it will play to Americans.  Considering the box-office popularity of the current live-action Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Avengers movies, it could be very successful if the American editing &#038; dub (no language is mentioned, but I assume that this will be in Hindi) can take out the Hindu religious aspects, the way that the American 1961 version of <em>Alakazam the Great<\/em> changed Chinese mythological names to \u201cHercules\u201d and \u201cMerlin the magician\u201d.  And assuming that the animation is up to American standards.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I am doing another column on Indian animation much sooner than I expected. It has been a busier time than usual for animation, according to Animation Xpress, the Indian industry&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":7020,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[117],"tags":[524,525,526,523],"class_list":["post-7007","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-funny-animals-and-more","tag-amul-girl","tag-krishna-aur-kans","tag-mahavir-the-protector","tag-shri-hanuman-chalisa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7007","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7007"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7007\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7020"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7007"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7007"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cartoonresearch.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7007"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}