Graphiti to tap Indian folk stories for Animation

By Bollywood Hungama -

March 9, 2009 - 12:00 AM IST

Mumbai-based Graphiti Multimedia, popularly known for its Jadoo animated TV series, is all set to tap into Indian folklore on the animation platform. The animation and media company has developed a 60-minute feature for Children's Film Society of India (CFSI), based on folk stories from Rajasthan, Kerala and Punjab.

Titled Krish Trish Batliboy, the film uses three distinct visual styles and animation treatments, namely, cut-out animation, miniature painting, etc. The three narrators- Krish, Trish and Batliboy take stage during interludes.

Graphiti COO - Munjal Shroff told Bollywood Hungama, "We started research on Indian Folk art more than 3 years ago. After extensive work and we found that there are 40 different cultural zones in India and each zone has its on paintings styles, music and a rich oral story telling tradition, all waiting to be tapped. If one is prepared to take the effort and look hard there is a vast treasure trove of stories beyond mythologies and Panchatantra,"

"Today kids are becoming media savvy and are consuming media at a swift pace. The challenge is that if you want to connect with kids you got to use the medium that they relate with the most. Animation is their preferred medium given that most kids watch cartoons every day on popular TV Channels. You take kids to a museum and show them Tanjore paintings or Rajasthani minature art you will lose them within 5 minutes! It's because they no longer consume any visual content in a static form. But take the same art and present it in an animated form and in a good story context and you got them hooked. We too learned this after spending a lot of time with kids and talking to them," he further added.

Funded by CFSI, the films will be distributed by the organization through its own distribution channel which includes a library, film festivals, to name a few. "The market for such movies exists not just in India, but in other countries as well. You can engage kids with great stories and beautiful designs. It does not matter to them where it comes from," said Munjal.

The Fido Trade

Graphiti is also working on 13 one-minute 3D animated short films based on Fido (popularly known as 7UP's brand mascot) along with its creator Joanna Ferrone which are scheduled to be aired on Nick-US.

Graphiti to tap Indian folk stories for Animation

According to Munjal, Graphiti, which is now the authorized licensor of Fido for most of south-east Asia, is also looking at taking Fido on a variety of other platforms including gaming, TV series and features as well.

Concluded Munjal, "Fido is a character which has been drawing rave reviews from all around the world. Even in India it's a character which has an amazing appeal which goes beyond the metros, he is known to kids and adult in smaller towns as well. Very few characters can claim such a wide based appeal. The Fido Xtreme shorts is only going to increase the popularity further.