Percept Picture Company (PPC) has in the offing Jumbo, Return of Ravana (both Rs-25 crore films) and another untitled venture that will cost US $25 million. UTV has signed an agreement with Will Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment to co-produce animation films. “This kind of investment was unimaginable even three years back when people were not ready to make Rs 2.5 crore animation movies,” says Khurana, the director of Toonpur.

Animation films have a longer shelf life. In 2003, Hanuman made a 20-25 per cent profit that included the sale of DVDs and merchandise. With the rise of multiplexes and the trend of releasing movies with a huge number of prints, producers and directors are not concerned about the recovery of budgets. “Animation as a genre requires such budgets. The pre-and post-productions need more than 18 months. Besides, 100-200 animators are involved in a big project,” says Alpana Mishra, head, productions, UTV Motion Pictures.

The trend is also to drift to more mature subjects. For instance, UTV’s Dream Blanket is a “dark fairy tale” that narrates the dream-like journey of a girl who searches for something that is very close to her heart. The company’s other interesting productions are Alibaba and Arjuna; the latter shows the transformation of the Pandava brother from an innocent young boy to a master warrior. “Till now, the Indian audience has not seen anything worthwhile in animation. A good original story will make a difference,” says Simi Nallaseth, director of Dream Blanket.
“It’s important to select stories that will appeal to a large section of the audience. We’ve recognised the need to have a bigger audience,” adds Mishra.

... contd.