Subhash Ghai predicts: Animation will be a billion-dollar industry

Mumbai, Feb 18 (IANS) As Subhash Ghai’s Mukta Arts Ltd. and Green Gold Animation announced an MOU to develop animated shows and films, the filmmaker claimed that animation combined with gaming and AI will make up a billion-dollar industry in the future.

He shared that a combination of these three will be used to tell stories from the homeland.

When asked about venturing into the animation space during an exclusive interaction with IANS, the ‘Taal’ maker said, “I understand that today you only hear the name of AI, and you hear about animation a little less, just like gaming. But all these three things combined are going to become such a huge industry that you might not have even imagined. It will be a billion-dollar industry, just in India. India has talent, it has content, technicians. India has everything. The only thing is that now our Indian stories will be told through gaming and animation, with AI acting as a supporting tool.”

Ghai was further asked, “The way animation is made in Hollywood, do you think it will take time to reach India?”

Reacting to this, Ghai pointed out that given that India is only more than 70 years old, it is not okay to compare it to U.S.

He further stressed that our country has seen a tremendous change in technology in the last 2 decades.

“Look, we are a country 70 years old. That is 250-300 years old. It takes time; we are poor. If you think about what has happened in India in the last 20-25 years, the world has changed. Only Indians can change the world. But we have to cover the distance. There are people who are 70 years old.”

Under the MOU, Mukta Arts and Green Gold Animation will work together to develop multiple animated IPs inspired by landmark films from Mukta Arts’ celebrated catalogue, including “Kalicharan”, “Karz”, “Hero”, “Karma”, “Ram Lakhan”, “Khalnayak”, “Saudagar”, and “Iqbal”.

Commenting on the collaboration, Rajiv Chilaka, Founder and CEO, Green Gold Animation, said, “Together, we aim to create animated worlds that are rooted in these legendary stories, yet designed to connect with today’s young, global audiences.”

–IANS

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