EP 63 . 04 Apr 18
Landscape of animation in India
With Nina Sabnani
In the episode
- Can you tell us a brief history of Indian animation? What were the key milestones in its evolution to date?
- How many types of animations styles are there? One end of the spectrum could be animated films like Finding Nemo and others could be Kavad films which you worked on. Can you tell us how wide the canvas is?
- In India, what do you think students should more concentrate on, the medium or the message? This question is due to our overall Indian philosophy of telling stories and also the value which we look for while telling stories.
- Where do you think India stands when it comes to the art of storytelling, both concerning medium and the story itself. This question is mainly to understand that we are so rich with stories but not as much as with craft of showcasing it, w.r.t contemporary animation. What, where, and why it’s lacking?
- What are the possible research areas in Animation and storytelling in India?
About Nina Sabnani
Nina Sabnani is an artist and storyteller who uses film, illustration, and writing to tell her stories. She graduated in painting from the Faculty of Fine Arts, Vadodara, and received a master’s degree in film from Syracuse University, NY, which she pursued as a Fulbright Fellow in 1997. Her doctoral research at the IDC focused on Rajasthan’s Kaavad storytelling tradition. After teaching for two decades at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, Nina has made Mumbai her home. Currently, she is Professor at the Industrial Design Centre, IIT Bombay. Nina’s research interests include exploring the dynamics between words and images in storytelling. Her work in film and illustrated books seeks to bring together animation and ethnography.
