Animation a beautiful format for telling stories to children: Filmmaker Shoojit Sircar
Alba Silveira | Panjim
“Talent and innovation that exist in the Indian film industry can be pushed to uplift animation filmmaking,” said ace Indian film director and producer, Shoojit Sircar.
He along with Founder-Managing Director, iRealities Prasad Ajgaonkar addressed the media in a Press Conference titled ‘Growing use of Animation in Indian Films’ at the 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa.
While emphasising on the essence of animation and its nuances, Shoojit Sircar said Indian directors and producers need to involve themselves in exploring narration and storytelling through animation.
“It is our duty to promote animated films and storytelling. Most of the international studios like Disney and Pixar are using sources from India. We need those talents in India to flourish in a homegrown animation industry. A scope also needs to be given to theatres to screen more animated films. If we have good scripts, any format can be used to make a film.”
Responding to a question on choosing a real life story on the founder of Brahma Kumaris Organization’s – Dada Lekhraj Kriplani in his first animated docu-feature ‘The Light: A Journey within’ as creative producer, Shoojit Sircar said that subject of mental health which the Brahmakumaris addresses is very crucial in today’s world. “I joined this film as a creative consultant for the project to explore new opportunities.”
Prasad Ajgaonkar, Founder-Managing Director, iRealities added that visual storytelling through animation is lacking in the Indian film industry. The effort to go a step forward in order to promote animation filmmaking is the need of the hour. “The first Punjabi animated film, Supreme Motherhood on Guru Govind Singh’s wife, Mata Sahib Kaur premiered in the British parliament” said Ajgaonkar, highlighting the recognition that Indian animated films are receiving among international audiences. He also addressed the problem of budget constraints in making animated films by small production houses because of the less number of viewership in the country.
Speaking on the occasion, Harilal Bhanushali, Executive Director of Godlywood Studio, also said that animation creates an independent character that can connect deeply with its audience through storytelling. He also expressed that it was their effort to demonstrate the life struggles of Dada Lekhraj Kriplani, his fight for women’s rights and importance of meditation through animation in the film ‘The Light: A Journey within’.
Twelve animated film are being screened at the 54th IFFI this year. A curation of aesthetically creative animated films from around the world, along with indigenous animated films at the festival, hope to foster and promote the growth of the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC) sector in India.
