"Companies should invest in features which are made in India, and made for India."

The Indian animation feature film market which was insignificant, and was priced negative, finds itself at unprecedented values since the whopper hit Hanuman (2005). The movie not only smashed records in the animation segment, but went on to achieve further heights when it broke DVD sales in 2006 followed by the release of PPC's Return of Hanuman in 2007. Now, we have New Adventures of Hanuman on Pogo. The merchandise and games for the film created a lot of excitement in the market. Percept Picture Company has begun pre-production on Return of Ravana - Hanuman 3 which is scheduled for a 2011 release.

Challenges in the Animation Features in India

Audience. The audience is exposed to world-class animation and is consuming it daily on television. The TV shows have become a benchmark in terms of quality and entertainment experience.

Original stories - originating from India. There has to be an India identity to the narrative which is exportable as well.

Cost. A good 3D animation can cost anywhere between Rs. 12 crore - Rs. 40 crore. This kind of investment can only be justified if it is a global release. A basic 2D animation film costs between Rs. 2 crore to Rs. 10 crore, so the return on investment from the box office is a big issue.

Marketing & Media Space. Marketing for an animation film has to be at par with a live action film, as they are competing in the same arena and fighting the marketing war for eyeballs on the main channels. Marketing muscle of that kind does not exist and does not make sense as there has not been a significant increase in the animation-movie viewing population in India.

Way out

Mythological stories are original, they are tested and tried, and that is the reason movies on Hanuman and Ganesha are doing well. We can develop these concepts for global audiences and the story tellers and studios will have to collaborate at a larger level. Mainstream writers and directors have to be inducted for animation features. Government needs to show support in terms of tax exemptions for animation studios and exhibitors. Companies should invest in features which are made in India, and made for India.

What is remarkable is that Indian animation companies are catering to the best of international studios and are receiving huge appreciation for their creativity and technical skills. They are currently ranked among the best in the world, but the majority of them restricted to software services.