The story of Uncle Pai

Try hard and you wouldn’t meet anyone who hasn’t grabbed an Amar Chitra Katha off the shelf. On his first death anniversary on February 24, a tribute to the creator of the series, Anant Pai, will be out on the stands. The comic biography will trace the story of the man who left behind a vast and priceless legacy of learning and laughter for children.

Why and how was a tribute to Uncle Pai conceptualised?
It was a very natural desire in all of us to make an Amar Chitra Katha (ACK) on our founder-editor. We were sure that his story fitted all the criteria set by the man himself for ACK biographies — and that was, primarily, to have a person who would be an inspiration to children.

Since it had to befit a man of his stature, what sort of research went into it?
All the subjects selected for an ACK biography are extensively researched. But we had a lot of information on this subject — good and difficult, in its own ways. Our writer spent almost six months putting it all together before deciding on the final sequence. It has been written by Gayathri Chadrasekaran and Dilip Kadam is the artist. The comic has been planned, coordinated, edited, coloured and prepared for print at the ACK studio in Bangalore. One can only pay tribute to a storyteller by telling a story. We have done just that.

What’s the first look like?
We decided to keep the traditional ACK look for this title too. Dilip, who has illustrated the comic, has done a number of titles for ACK and has closely worked with Anant Pai. Most of the panels have been drawn from Dilip’s memory as there aren’t many photographs of the early days.
 
How relevant is ACK in a time when kids have different means of infotainment at their disposal?
From the response of our readers and feedback from educationists and parents, we know we are still relevant to children. The comics occupy a space that has been painstakingly built over time. They are still the first stop for parents who want to familiarise their children with Indian stories.

At a quiz contest we had last year in a Bangalore school, I was pleasantly surprised at the quick response the children made to questions on Indian mythology. When I asked them how they knew so much, they all laughed and said, “Because of Amar Chitra Katha!” For me, that was the greatest validation.
 
ACK has a cult following — generations have grown on it. How do you intend to continue with the legacy?
By creating more titles for children. Mr Pai once told me, “The stories aren’t over. There are lots of them. You only have to look.” We intend to find those stories and tell them.
 
What’s the current scenario of the comic book industry?
Reading habits are not on the wane. Children enjoy storybooks and they love comics. Bookstores are still a favourite place to be in. Libraries are doing well, which points to a healthy reading habit in people. Stories will never be outdated and will continue to be read whether in books, on iPads or any other medium.
 
What are your future plans?
We want to create new titles in ACK — titles that will be relevant in today’s world. We are also telling our stories in different mediums like animation and as iPad apps too.