The animation industry in India is staring at a blank screen. Having seen a robust growth since 2005, 9-10 releases so far, there has not been a single release in this calendar year. The tiff between multiplexes and distributors on the 50:50 revenue share model has forced players like Shemaroo Entertainment to delay the release of their animation flick Panga Gang. The film, scheduled for release this May, will now be released only when the strike is over.
UTV Motion Pictures has two animated movies Arjun- The Warrior Prince and Alibaba and 41 Thieves in the pipeline, which are scheduled for release sometime post summer in 2010. Besides, there are 14 live action movies to be produced.
Industry experts say that while 2008 saw an increase in the number of animation releases with movies like Roadside Romeo, Ghatothkach, Dashavatar, My Friend Ganesha 2, Cheenti Cheenti Bang Bang and Jumbo, the year 2009 will see only two to three releases owing to the slowdown. Distributors and producers are keeping their projects on hold as these films take time to bring back the money invested.
The production cost for an animation film ranges between Rs 9-10 crore or more. While Bal Ganesha cost Rs 7 crore, Yash Raj Film?s Roadside Romeo was pegged at Rs 30 crore. Smita Maroo, vice-president (animation) Shemaroo Entertainment said, ?The budget of an animated film depends on various factors like whether the film is 2D or 3D and also the quality of animation. Return on investment is also a big factor since recovery takes time. Also, the content has to be good. As the recovery scenario improves, the estimated budget of such movies will also increase.?
The industry faces many challenges like quality control, piracy, low professionalism coupled with less investment in technology. Alpana Mishra, chief creative officer UTV Motion Pictures said, ?The Indian animation industry is still at a sampling stage. It takes 3-4 years for completing a movie. The number of animated movies releasing per year can increase to for or five next year, provided there is better content, investments and proper skilled manpower available.?
Despite various obstacles, the industry is experiencing growth as it?s a new genre for the Indian entertainment industry. According to a source, the animation industry has reported over 200 % growth in revenue in the past six months due to rise in the flow of content. As per the KPMG report the estimated size of the Indian animation industry in CY 2008 was Rs 1,740 crore and is estimated to be Rs 2,000 crore in 2009. Anuj Kacker, global head Arena Animation said, ?The animation industry includes education, custom content development and multimedia/web design. The sector looks promising and is becoming the mainstream in the film entertainment business. However, the audience needs to accept and get familiar with this format of entertainment.?