Animation should be beyond cute and clean: Shilpa Ranade

Hyderabad, Nov 17 (IANS) Director Shilpa Ranade, whose animation film "Goopi Gawaiyaa Bagha Bajaiyaa" is being screened at the 18th International Children's Film Festival, India (ICFFI), says that one needs to go further than cute animation that has been a trend for long.

Produced by Children's Film Society, India, Ranade's movie features melancholic ghosts.

"We are used to cute and clean animation. We need to break out from that," said the director, who was one of the panelists of open forum on animation in India: seeking original.

The director believes animation is a magical medium and animators should try something other than films based on mythology.

Arnab Chaudhuri, director of "Arjun", says there is nothing wrong in presenting mythology through animation. But believes that a majority of directors are only using mythological characters and not stories.

"I made a mythological film and I don't see downside there. In fact, it is the best way to tell stories to people. But nowadays, you see many mythological films just picking the character and not the whole story. It's like they are trying to be Tom and Jerry," said Chaudhuri.

Fauzia Minallah, an artist, author and peace activist from Pakistan, considers animation to be the perfect way to reach out to children.

"After 9/11 (terrorist attacks in U.S) world changed. So I thought of using my gift of art for children. I wanted to tell my two sons that to live in this world it will be difficult. Animation was my way of opening the world to them. Animation industry in Pakistan is a newborn baby, but it's an effective tool," said the former political cartoonist, who is heading the International Animation competition jury of the festival here.

The panelists including Czech director Jiri Barta, jury head of International Shorts competition, agreed that state contribution to animation films is essential.

"Animated films were sponsored by the government 25 years ago. It was a good time for animation. But now only 30 percent of the budget is given by them. Rest we have to find," said the director of "In The Attic: Who Has A Birthday Today?" produced by Bio Illusion.

Ranade also emphasises on importance of government's participation.

"'Goopi...' is produced by Children's Film Society, India. I'm not sure whether I would've been able to make it without state funding or not. We need state to step in to bring films to more people," said Ranade.