Assemblage Entertainment operates at the intersection of animation, VFX, and stylised storytelling, spaces where visual ambition can easily overwhelm narrative intent. From gritty medieval fantasies to stylised sneaker-verses, the studio has carved a reputation as a shape-shifting powerhouse in global animation.
Their portfolio spans high-octane features and beloved episodic series, each defined by a visual style as unique as the story it tells. Their distinctive recent work includes animated projects like Wolf King, Stitch Head, Sneaks and Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie alongside delivering prominent visual effects sequences in the recently released historical live action drama Chhaava.
From a leadership standpoint, the studio’s approach to greenlighting visually challenging projects is rooted in one core philosophy that the visual language deepens the story, not merely decorates it.
“We look for projects where the visual language deepens storytelling rather than decorating it,” said Assemblage Entertainment CEO Arjun Madhavan. “As animation in India evolves, especially in the young adult and premium space, richer, more authored visual worlds are no longer optional – they’re essential if we want audiences to stay invested.”
For Assemblage, ambition isn’t about scale alone. It’s about clarity, intent, and pushing craft forward without losing emotional readability.
Future is format-fluid, not lane-driven
Rather than betting on a single growth area- long-form animation, stylised branded content, or hybrid VFX narratives, Assemblage sees the future as inherently fluid.
For Assemblage’s leadership, the future isn’t about picking one lane. It’s about moving fluently across formats while maintaining cinematic intent.
This adaptability, they believe, will define the next phase of Indian animation and VFX. Studios that can preserve emotional and visual integrity while shifting between episodic storytelling, features, and brand-led narratives will be best positioned to thrive. This year’s portfolio of Assemblage, proves that they are treading on the path of brilliant creative opportunities.
When animation carries the narrative weight
In highly stylised worlds, animation often communicates more than dialogue ever could. Timing, posing, and performance become the primary storytelling tools, but the grammar changes drastically depending on the universe.
During the Netflix animated series Wolf King, the team embraced graphic-novel sensibilities. “Bold silhouettes, expressive spacing, and a rhythmic approach to timing were key,” shared Assemblage Entertainment animation director Chetan Tahashildar. “Animating largely on twos allowed us to heighten emotion through strong, deliberate poses and hand-driven FX. We pushed the world stylistically while keeping it emotionally grounded.”
One of Wolf King’s most striking choices is its hybrid visual approach. Though animated in 3D, the show incorporates a reduced frame rate and hand-drawn 2D effects to give it a unique, stylised punch.
In contrast, Chhaava demanded restraint. The lion’s performance had to feel physically credible, weighted, and rooted in realism, every movement grounded in anatomy and believable physics.
Then came Sneaks, where anatomy was almost irrelevant. “Shoes don’t have faces or skeletons,” the Assemblage team noted. “Personality came from attitude – posing, timing, and how movement suggested intent. Performance was about energy rather than realism.”
Across these extremes, one principle remained constant: emotional clarity has always been the anchor.
Designing bold worlds without breaking budgets
Stylised projects, whether graphic-novel fantasy or sneaker-led universes, often require heavier upfront design investment. For Assemblage, discipline in the early stages is what enables creative freedom later.
“When visual rules are locked early, design language, animation style, and lighting intent reduce ambiguity and rework,” said production head Swapnil Khotkar. “Creative ambition doesn’t mean excess; it means intentional choices that respect both the story and the schedule.”
By defining visual boundaries early, the studio ensures that ambition enhances efficiency rather than undermining it.
Technology as an invisible enabler
With real-time pipelines, AI-assisted tools, and evolving render technologies becoming increasingly accessible, Assemblage remains cautious about adopting tools for novelty’s sake.
“We evaluate every tool against a simple question,” said pipeline technology head Ajay Maurya. “Does this enhance mood, clarity, or performance? If it doesn’t, we don’t use it.”
Whether it’s AI-assisted workflows or hybrid FX pipelines, the goal is never to showcase technology. The machinery should disappear, allowing audiences to feel immersed in the world without noticing how it was built.
Defining captivating visual grammar
Consistency across hundreds of shots doesn’t happen by accident, it’s designed.
Assemblage begins each project by defining clear rules: how light behaves, how textures respond, how colour and composition support emotion. Once these rules are established, every department aligns to them.
“On projects like Stitch Head, that meant balancing gothic, expressionist moods with warmth and playfulness. The challenge is maintaining coherence while still allowing moments of emphasis where the story needs it,” explained CG supervisor/ Bangalore studio head Vishnu Ram.
The result is a visual language that feels unified yet emotionally flexible.
Lighting and environment as emotional signals
In gothic or expressionist aesthetics, lighting and environment do far more than set a mood- they guide the audience’s emotional response before a character even moves.
“Contrast, shadow, and negative space aren’t just stylistic choices,” the team explained. “They signal tension, vulnerability, or unease.”
In darker worlds especially, lighting becomes subtext, shaping how a scene is felt rather than simply how it looks.
One world, many formats
Working across features, episodic content, and branded films presents a unique challenge: how do you adapt a visual world without diluting its identity?
“For us, it’s about preserving the emotional and visual spine,” explained Assemblage Entertainment CG co-head Vidit Kundra. “That discipline allows a world to feel cohesive, no matter the format.”
The medium may change, but the soul of the world must remain intact.
Memorable shots that truly stayed with the creators
When asked about standout moments, the team doesn’t point to technical showpieces.
“There are moments where everything aligns- composition, timing, mood and the shot simply lands,” they reflected. “Often, it’s not the most complex moment, but the one where the emotion reads effortlessly.”
“At the end of the day, what audiences remember isn’t complexity or technique, it’s how a moment made them feel. When composition, timing, and mood align, the shot simply lands. That’s what we’re always chasing: clarity of emotion, not spectacle for its own sake,” Madhavan summed it up.
In an industry increasingly driven by tools and scale, Assemblage’s philosophy is a reminder that the most powerful worlds are built not just with technology, but with intent.
