Remembering Dad

 People who know me well are aware that I often end up bringing  people I love into my work as characters. This is true of both animation films and especially book illustrations.Sometimes these characters are full fledged roles like our friends Arvind & Kusum in The Grand Chapati Contest or Sumant Rao as 'Nature Uncle' in the recently released 'Ishaan's Treasures' if they fit the bill. They are most often guest appearances and walk by cameos. This has been so since the earliest projects.. so colleagues, friends, my own humble self and of course the family! show up in my work. 

This is not a deliberate exercise, it happens when it does and gives me great joy when doing it. It also makes the scene more real for me, the pose and posture of the character no longer needs to be imagined, but just 'seen' or merely remembered to be drawn and and is obviously more authentic... In the earlier mentioned  'Ishaan's Treasures', my late father-in-law, Tabla maestro Pt. Sudhir Sansare made an unexpected appearance on the beach coz it felt like he had gone for a stroll there... Instead of some random character it became him. I have only met him a couple of times and he passed away long before I married his daughter :)

Yesterday many people celebrated 'Father's Day' by remembering and paying tribute and notes of love to their dads... Jyotika, my sister was inspired to create an entire song which was filled with genuine feeling. The little video with pictures of her and papa was indeed a touching tribute and made one remember him intensely. 

Papa, Shri PremKumar Sharma passed on in 2013. 

Often, even as late as last week, I feel like he is back home... tinkering away with something, mostly a tune and calling my sister cute made up names.. 

Especially in my baby steps into the world of classical music, I wish he was around even more... As a parent he didn't force me to learn music tho he tried and gave up when he found his child more interested in "kaagaz kaale karna" (literally: blackening paper ie drawing)... (Its not that I wasn't interested in music, drawing and comics offered a far greater pull to my imagination.. but its a whole different story for another time)

As I was seeing her song I suddenly remembered all the times He has popped up in my illustration work, whether from the first 'role' I gave him as Nandbaba (5) in The Karadi Tales KRISHNA books from 2000, or the many cameos of him walking around (usually with Jyo in his arms) in the pages (worlds) of   1] Miss Moochie's 'FRANK GOES TO THE MARKET' 2017,  2] RAMU AT THE FAIR' (2) 2019, 3] The Mangrove Foundation's ISHAAN'S TREASURES 2021, 4] Complan CRICKET BOOK 1999, 6] Duckbill's THE GRAND CHAPATI CONTEST 

I suppose your loved ones live and breathe through you... whether in your work or in your memories, they are always alive. Today someone remarked on seeing Jyotika's video that I resemble my dad... as the years pass this is probably a son's legacy... to look into his father's eyes when he sees even himself.

Illustration Album: The Sweet & Spicy Sweetshop!! 2018

 

This book by Nandini Nayar had a very enjoyable story which had some nostalgic elements of a small time life, a delightful array of pastries and namkeen and some suspense and adventure to top it! The pictures were all in Black n white with the cover in color. Thanks to the Penguin team for giving me the opportunity!

The rough cover design

"On the Joy of Working with Children" Interview in the Hindu

Well... This interview was quite a pleasure as the reporter was actually interested in the work and asked meaningful questions... thats fairly rare.. ;)
A pleasant side-effect of the second edition of the Vizag Junior Literary Fest which I had the pleasure of participating in last month...

https://www.thehindu.com/children/illustrator-chetan-sharma-on-the-joy-of-working-with-children/article30114385.ece?fbclid=IwAR1GRV5Sr7rp5V9760TcNlQowAQ1ItYhzFiwUb1UILRHEgXjFETrXyMK7zk

Shri Krishna Janmashtami - an offering

...The baby cried as soon as the shackles were back on and the gates shut once again behind them.. The sleeping soldiers who had snored thru the entire adventure of Krishna being born and smuggled out of prison were roused from their sleep.. they rushed to their king! 

Outside the rain, wind and thunder continued their violent performance anxious and steadily moving to the climax of the events of this long night..

"The poor child!!" she wailed.. "but its a girl, Devaki! the prophecy said the eight would be a boy..."! Even though he had been out in the rain most of this night crossing the Yamuna in spate, twice, to transport the saviour to safety to his friend, Nand's house and bringing back his newborn child as instructed by the Divine voice.

The tyrant wasted no time in getting to the dungeons... this was the moment of truth.. the moment he had been waiting for... the moment for which he had his sister and her husband imprisoned... the birth of the eight son! The son who was foretold to be his doom! His eyes bloodshot with the anxiety of years he looked at the child... a girl?... brushing away Vasudev and Devaki's pleas for mercy, he held the infant by her leg like he had all her seven elder brothers... and raised the wailing child up in the air to dash her to the ground like he had the rest...
but she slipped from his fingers and became light.. before he could blink, she laughed!
She was MahaMaya- the goddess of illusion herself and she teased him "your slayer is alive and well...!!
Kamsa's life was now of a man waiting for his death.. he would fight his fate ofcourse... but his every living moment would be consumed with the vision of the avenging child.. his nightmares were the dreams of deliverance for the people of Mathura...and indeed his own... though he knew it not.

art & retelling (C) Chetan Sharma 2018

Getting excited..1st ever session on 'Swami Ayyappan'

"Work in Progress" Behind the scenes of 'Swami Ayyappan' & 'Return of the Jungle!'

This weekend its a date in Pune- the cultural capital of Maharashtra!
The Animation Society of India (TASI) has organised a session on the 30th to bring two directors to spill/spell out the ingredients of their recipes for making their latest animation projects which are still under-production!
Vaibhav Kumaresh (Vaibhav Studios) will present the WIP of his labour of Love "Return of the Jungle" (40mins, 3D animation) & Yours humbly will present the labours of the last one and half year behind Animagic's 2nd feature length film- a co-production with Toonz Animation India- "Swami Ayyappan" (90mins, 2D )

The presentations will include animatics, developmental sketches, character designs, layouts, Storyboards, as well as finished scenes!!

The intention behind the presentation is to share the inner workings of the movie making process.. to  debunk a few myths but also initiate the audience into the mysteries of animated filmmaking... an art that is only learnt thru persistent doing it.. doing it...and doing it some more! 
We will share our own paths that are different and yet have so much in common as well. . How we have translated our love and passion for animation will be easily understandable with the behind the scenes material.  We hope to transfer some of the joy we feel making animation films and maybe have an exchange of ideas with the audience about the shape of things to come.

 We are very excited!!! Please Gather all your friends for this special afternoon..we promise to make it worth your while!!!

HAPPY 50 YEARS DOCTOR WHO!!

I discovered the Doctor from his 11th incarnation.. so he is my favourite..His personality, quirks, mannerisms (as played by the amazing Matt Smith ) were just so animated that I quickly became addicted!! (Amy Pond played her part too.. to be fair) But this show was one of the most brilliant TV experiences ever.. for those who havent yet checked it out.. I dont know what to say.. cant describe what you have been missing!
The Doctor completed 50 years yesterday and the special episode "The day of the Doctor" was simulcast in 80 countries and 1400 cinema halls.. won it a place in the Guinness Book of Records!!

Here is a tribute to the Doctor's spirit. Heroic optimism! One of my favorite moments from the 5th season."The Pandorica opens"... the Doctor faces countless alien ships with nothing but his wits!

MahaShivaratri 2012

Om Namah Shivay!!

Just back from the 2nd annual Comic Con in Delhi... very exhausted, but very excited too. The response to the preview pages of the TRIPURA graphic novel was tremendous! Thanks to our friend Lalit in New Delhi we were able to publish somethings just in time for the comic con.. 
This poster above sold a lot! Someone brought to my notice it was just as well because it was timely for MahaShivaratri (the great night of Shiva!! read more about this here & here)! Once the penny dropped, it became even more exciting to see the people that would be drawn to the poster and want to buy it... These were people who didnt need any selling (not that I can get myself to... sheesh!!!..erase, erase..negative affirmation!) but their eyes would twinkle in awe and admiration for the Great God! 
Some were struck by the inner strength of the scene, some by the serenity, some by the fact that it was how they saw HIM in their head. Some felt the black'n' white nature of the image was correct for the mood. those who noticed the awestruck Indra looking up understood the moment of majesty... some asked for the artist... soon it came to pass that the artist signed all the posters with a reminder and wish of the "love & Grace" for all who bought it!

  Bam Bam Bhole!!

Jai Bholenath!

TRIPURA at IAD celebrations in Pune! Indore! & Hyderabad!

Sunday was a day of great happiness!! Apart from just the joy of sharing the process behind TRIPURA, we made many new friends, met many souls who got goose pimples seeing the great Lord Shiva transform into Pashupati!!!, met great artists from around the world, WON the ASIFA India Award of Excellence "Special Jury Mention" and had a great dinner with friends at Leopolds after a very very long time!!!
Thanks Vani, Prasad, Amit & all at ASIFA India! They are really gracious and kind and so sincere its almost unbelievable!
Cheers!!

Now on to an exciting adventure to Pune, Indore & Hyderabad!! Really looking forward to conveying the grace and energy behind a project which was born from our roots, heritage & pop culture and within the conditions of Indian animation.
 It really fills us up with that energy! even as I write this! Its all grace!

TRIPURA at International Animation Day celebrations at NCPA, Sunday 6th nov!!

Its animation celebration time of the year again!!
This year the lineup of sessions at the ASIFA India organised International Animation Day celebrations (IAD 2011 from 6th-13th November) is very exciting!
Presentations include the making of 'Despicable Me", ' Disney's Tangled', Virtual Cinematography for Animation' and ...hold your breath...Animagic's TRIPURA!!!

After the exciting response to the presentation in Anifest (August), we are really kicked about IAD coz we will share this amazing journey with our animation friends not just in Mumbai but Pune (9th nov), Indore (11th nov) and Hyderabad (13th nov) as well!! And on the menu will be a behind the scenes look at creating an animated film- concept art, character design, storyboard, color art and the voice recording sessions! All the original, homegrown, all natural ingredients for the mythological epic! Do come!!!

TRIPURA's journey has been a special experience for me and all at Animagic. To share our discoveries and the process which opened up new worlds for us is really special. I sincerely thank the organisers and animation lovers of the various sessions in Delhi, Indore, Kolkata, Pune and ofcourse aapli Mumbai for their support and enthusiasm to Animagic & TRIPURA.



I wish to invite the visitors to this blog to this event and our session day after or at the other venues this coming week.

Om Namah Shivaya!


ASIFA India hosts the International Animation Day (28th October) celebrations in India every year. The event has been growing steadily since its first edition in 2002 and now involves day long festivities in several cities over the period of a week. This includes workshops and activites for young talent as well a series screenings of films and sessions by film-makers and animators! There is also the ASIFA India award of Excellence, amongst the first instituted in the country by the animation community! Go to http://www.asifa.in/iad11  for more details!!

Animagic's association with this event goes way back, we won the first ever Award of Excellence for 'Raju & I' and have supported the event wholeheartedly! Besides serving on the jury often,we conducted ' Drawing for Animation workshops' regularly in the Mumbai event which were met with much enthusiasm.