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Legend of Manikantan
LIZA GEORGE
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The makers of ‘Manikantan,’ a 90-minute animation feature film in Malayalam, are trying to evolve an Indian style of animation.
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sketching the story: Scenes from the film ‘Manikantan,’ which narrates the story of Ayyappa.
Think animation and Disney’s movies such as ‘Snow White’ and ‘The Little Mermaid’ comes to mind. Think Indian animation, and images from ‘Bal Ganesha’ and ‘The Adventures of Hanuman’ pop up.
Joining the Indian bandwagon soon will be a full-length 90-minute animation film in Malayalam, ‘Manikantan,’ said to be the first of its kind in Mollywood. Created by Thiruvananthapuram-based production house Increation, in association with Sai Raksha Entertainment and Indiatales, the movie is based on the legend of Lord Ayyappa who is also known as Manikantan.
Land rich with legends
“Everyone has heard of Batman and Superman, but how many have heard of a hero called Manikantan? As it is targeted at a global audience too, the film aims at making viewers realise that India is a land rich in legends and there is more to India than the Taj Mahal, Bollywood and Tandoori Chicken,” says Nalin Singh, an NRI who hails from Bihar. He is the producer of the animation flick.
The 2-D movie will be dubbed in other regional languages and in English too. Scriptwriter Krishnakumar says the story of Manikantan will be narrated through the eyes of a seven-year-old Parvati and her parrot Panchami. “But the focal point of the story is neither Parvati nor Manikantan. It is actually a golden bell that once belonged to Manikantan. Parvati, who finds this bell, is magically transported to the world in which Manikantan once lived,” says Krishnakumar.
Krishnakumar says the movie is for the “entire family.” The movie has less of dialogues and more of visuals.
“We have limited the use of dialogues as the film will later be dubbed into other languages. Besides, we find that expressions speak louder than words. Take for example the scene where the Minister orders Manikantan to be killed; while most would have their characters mouthing long monologues, we have limited it to just a couple of words, gesticulations and changes in expression,” says Krishnakumar.
The animation flick will have actors Saikumar, Thilakan and Sukumari to name a few, lending their voices to the characters in the Malayalam version.
According to Reji Syne, the director of the movie, ‘Manikantan’ will not follow the Disney style of making. “Most Indian animators ape the Disney style especially in characterisation when making an animation movie. We, however, are making it as Indian as possible with a mural-like feel to the scenes. Just as the Japanese have a stamp of their own, we are trying to create ours.”
Gujjarappa, (a.k.a. Gujjar) a popular cartoonist and illustrator, is the concept artist of the movie.
The movie boasts five songs by Ilayaraja. The title track is by Viswajith. “Two songs in the movie are meant for children. The rest are devotional,” says Reji.
According to Reji, the proceeds from the movie will go into the forming of a Community Art Village for the physically challenged and an Animation Village. The movie is expected to hit theatres in November 2008.
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Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
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