Bollywood blockbusters like Hum-Tum, Ta Ra Rum Pum, Don and Krissh offered much more to the audience than the hysterics of stars like Shahrukh and Hrithik. All these movies belong to a genre, which is increasingly incorporating stunning visuals through computer-generated special visual effects (VFX) and Animation.

The direct conclusion is that henceforth Indian Audience will not need to watch Hollywood block busters like Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter for their stunning special effects. The Animation and VFX is by far the most fastest growing segment in the IT - enabled services and digital content development, supplemented with the Indian entertainment and media industry which is poised to grow at 19% compound annual growth rate to reach Rs. 837.4 billion by 2010 according to FICCI – PWC Report.

India is earning its reputation as Asia's creative superpower, producing over 1,000 films annually and gaining audiences worldwide. And with movies like the Sci-fi Musical- Koi Mil Gaya to Romantics like Hum-Tum and Thrillers like Cash more and more Bollywood honchos are certainly turning to incorporate the use of Animation and VFX in their productions. One aspect that is fuelling this impetus in digital film making is its cost friendly structure because computer- generated scenes cost far less than films that are shot on location. This 'low-cost high-quality mantra' has served as a major breakthrough for Animation and VFX in Bollywood Movies.

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The Nasscom forecast suggests that the digital content industry would reach a size and zoom to Rs 10,000 crore in 2008 employing over 100,000 people. It further pegs the revenue/employee in this sector at $15,000 and average offshore salary at $7,000 by 2008. Services worth $300 million are already outsourced to India and other markets in South-East Asia by major Hollywood studios because of the cost advantage. The Bollywood industry however is turning to what seems the next big thing which is Animation in Indian Movies.

The animation and VFX industry sees Bollywood in the serious light of being a major prospective market. This will be evident from the upcoming Bollywood flick of Ajay Devgan and Kajol called 'Toonpur ka Hero' a full length 3D feature with a combination of live action. This however is not the first time that Bollywood stars have shared their space with animated characters it has been seen earlier in 'Bhagmati'- The Queen of Fortunes (the first Indian 2d cum live action feature ). What more big players from the global animation like Walt Disney are viewing this new potential and rise for animated movies in Bollywood with interest and have also gone ahead to partner with long established Bollywood film makers like Yash Raj to produce their first animated movie for Indian Audience called 'Roadside Romeo', besides Dharma Productions will be soon jumping onto the animation bandwagon with the animated version of its hit family drama Kuch Kuch Hota Hai , with all animated characters essentially as dogs.

Animation experts feel that animation done for films will be always a part of the new trend of movie making in Bollywood. Whether or not the animated sequence stands out solely depends on quality standards. Perfection is achieved when animation blends into the film impeccably and the viewer cannot draw a line between the animated and the real!

Having said that, a lot of mediocre work gets palmed off and that creates a bad name for the animation industry professionals in general, right from big budget multi-starrers to some small budget forgotten films. It helps if Directors insist for a quality standard and refuse to be content with below par quality work for their films. Animation techniques, the new age miracles that can be used to create visual wonders, should be used effectively. Ideally, animated effects should blend seamlessly into the movie - to an extent that the audience fails to find the difference.

For a country like India where more than 450 million people are below the age group of 20 and more than two third of the population aged below 35, which comprises the biggest cine going group of all groups, BOLLYWOOD AND ANIMATION will co-exist to entertain the youth.

(The author is VP Management, DQ Entertainment Ltd, a Hyderabad-based Animation & Gaming Company)

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