The pond of Indian animation was only filling up with gradual droplets about two decades ago when international animated content dominated viewing habits and preferences. Homegrown animated content with rooted stories was unheard of till Green Gold Animation marked their arrival. A studio, based in Hyderabad began its journey steadily and dominated proceedings when it introduced the character of Chota Bheem in 2008. That was only the beginning of what spawned global expansion with subsidiaries, licensing and merchandising, digital business and so on. Two decades later, the animation studio boasts of large pool of animated content that continues to largely remain rooted while also exploring international avenues. Having just had their first live-action film come out almost a month ago, Green Gold is only starting.
Understanding The Target Audience & Emotions
It wasn’t that there were no attempts to create an Indian animated character earlier on but with Chota Bheem, Green Gold understood its target audience to perfection. Giving a lovable young boy the traits of intelligence, bravery and the name ‘Bheem’, it immediately had a recall value to Bhima, the second among the five Pandavas in Mahabharata – thus blending mythology but never deterring it. The adventures that Chota Bheem embarked upon always made sure to include fun, laughter and emotions, with the latter being a factor that was easily overlooked earlier. Before one knew, the town of Dholakpur, Bheem, his friends and foes and several other characters sparked a franchise that did not just go on to become successful but had an array of versions and spin-offs – thus expanding its universe. After about 16 years, Chota Bheem stands with countless films and shows exploring different adventures, several specials and many more.
Foray Into Live Action
One might continue to have their favourites from the many characters of the Chota Bheem Universe but the ambition and ideation with the execution of these characters has been second to none. The awards won by Green Gold Animation might take several other pieces to list out but when the animated film, Chota Bheem And The Curse of Damyaan arrived in 2013 – not many forecasted what it had in store for everyone. Going on to become the highest-grossing Indian animation film ever, this story resonated with the kids more than others, and broke records like never seen before. And it seemed fitting that the studio decided to take the same story and convert it into a vision that they dreamt of for the longest time – having a live-action Chota Bheem film. May 2024 witnessed the release of their first-ever live-action film, also titled Chota Bheem and the Curse of Damyaan which did not just have adorable kids playing the key characters but also veterans like Anupam Kher and Makarand Deshpande playing key roles. Mounted on a big scale but also retaining the flavour and essence of the story, the film marked its entry into the theatrical circuit with other live-action films with much aplomb.
Looking Ahead
For a studio that continues to innovate and animate daily, the future can only be about never stopping. But even then, having kept up with changing times, striking deals with streaming giants like Netflix and Prime Video and expanding their business, Green Gold Animation is pirouetting between keeping over 60 million kids entertained and nurturing options that help them grow and break more grounds.