Excerpts from the interview:
What's the focus of your new show - Sheep in the Big City?
It's really funny. And it's different from the other animation films that I've made. It's the first full series that I've made so far. By full series, I mean the duration of each episode is 30 minutes, much longer than the other animation series that I've made. Also, the characters are more developed, there's greater amount of spoof and comedy, and it's got over 24,000 hand-made drawings in an episode. More than anything else, it's little more edgy than my other stuff.

Have you felt any transition in the world of animation films over the years? If yes, what kind of transition is it?
Yes, there has been a transition. I made my first film in 1988 and I would say this is a golden age in cartooning and animation films. For a few years now, it's a creator-driven show, as against more of imitative work earlier. Now, there's much more space for individual expression in cartooning.

Apart from becoming more original and creator-driven, have you noticed any change in cartoon viewing?
Yes, the cartoon audience has changed. Now, we have more adults watching cartoons as there's adult humour too in these shows.

Do you think it makes sense to have region-specific cartoon films?
No, I don't think so. Cartoons, I feel, are universal. Anybody who's able to enjoy silly things in life and laugh would watch cartoon films, irrespective of which part of the world it's coming from.

Who's your target audience in Sheep in the Big City?
We're targeting any human being who's alive. There's no specific age-group that we want to cater to. There's something in this show for everyone. For instance, there's a lot of physical stuff for the younger audience, and language humour and pun for the older viewers. If you start focus-grouping, you tend to lose your originality. The best to do is to trust your gut feelings. That much of risk is good for your creativity.

From where do you draw your inspiration from?
I make up my jokes mostly from urban experiences and from people lost in the modern world. Making comedy is like being an athlete. You keep writing a lot of jokes and just keep laughing.

Why do you like cartooning? Why not make mainstream films?
I have made a couple of other films also. But cartooning is fun, magical and physical. You can do things in cartooning that you can't in live action films. For example, in live action films, you can't hurt a character on the head and make him do whacky things the next moment. But in a cartoon film, that's possible. So, cartooning is not limiting at all. Also, one doesn't have to depend on the weather and shooting dates of the actors while making cartoon films. You can just sit in the studio, make jokes and keep drawing.

What about the cost-effectiveness of making cartoon/animation films?
It's a very expensive business. The budget for making such a film could vary anything from $200,000 to $1 million. But, animation on TV is a sustainable and profitable business. It's a viable investment because it lasts for years.

What do you think is the scope of India in terms of making animation films?
In the next 10 years, India should be a major player in animation films. As of now, there's a lot of talent in India, but not a high degree of craftsmanship. But India has started developing the culture of making cartoons and animation films.

Finally, what are your plans now?
I'll keep making funny drawings for whoever gives me money!