Bakarmax is a comic studio which largely creates webcomics. At Bakarmax, their strength has been cartooning and storytelling. For animation, the studio works with Abhinav Krishna and Rocket Science Animation co-owner Vivekananda Roy Ghatak.
The popular animated series titled Phaansi Bros was Ghatak and his business partner Gautam’s idea. Bakarmax acted as a catalyst in making it happen. Father of Bakarmax Sumit Kumar wrote new episodes for the concept and lent his voice for the characters. Bakarmax and Rocket Science Animation have been doing the series since then. It’s a story of two people destined to be hanged but their death is always delayed due to some or the other reason.
Talking about reaching out to a larger audience through animation, Kumar said,”Video is a big thing now, but making comics is just cheaper and quicker. So we focus on storytelling there. But when we have an idea that is suited for animation we do that. It’s an idea to idea call rather than doing it because everybody is doing it.”
The team at Bakarmax working on Phaansi Bros. include Kumar, Mukund and Raghav Jerath. There are no episodes planned as such, the team does a new one whenever something happens which deserves a comment.
The most viewed episode from Phaansi Bros. was one that focused on the JNU Fee Hike protests titled JNU Biryani. Kumar’s favourite is the Pug-ture one, which commented about the illustrated book – The art of tying pugs. The episode was personal to Kumar because it was in solidarity with their cartoonist friend Priya Kuriyan.
Kumar finds Instagram a boon for all cartoonists because it’s a visual platform. “For small fishes like us, all social platforms are a boon. We get to market our work for free and find audiences. I get to exist due to social and internet,” added he.
“Bakarmax is now working on many things and has a dedicated YouTube channel. But comics are our first love and will always be a priority,” concluded Kumar.
Bakarmax is currently working on two big animated shows, with many more episodes from Phaansi Bros. coming out for the viewers occasionally.