Top Bollywood banners foray into animation industry

With tremendous growth predicted for the animation industry, it’s no surprise when Bollywood biggies decide to cash in too.

Karan Johar is apparently considering making an animated version of ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ with the original stars of the film Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol and Rani Mukherji lending their voices.  

Yash Raj Films’ is also expected to make an animated film with voice-overs by Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor.  According to sources, actor Jugal Hansraj will be directing the film.

Ram Mohan, considered the father of animation, says big banners entering this industry will not only create more job opportunities but also open up the market further. He says, “When companies like Yash Raj and UTV plan to get into this industry, they will obviously be better funded which will lead to more confidence amongst the distributors.”

However, Ram Mohan hopes that the big banners come up with good scripts. “After the success of ‘Hanuman’, we’ve had a deluge of Krishnas, some of which have flopped. We need contemporary stories like the ones that are done in Hollywood.  I think ‘Munnabhai’ can be excellent as an animation film.”

However, Ram Mohan thinks star voices won’t really make a difference unless the subject is rocking. He says, “Those voices might be a pull for few people, but on the whole, it’s the script that will matter.”

It may be recalled that SRK and Amitabh Bachchan have dubbed for Hollywood films too. While SRK did it for ‘The Incredibles’, Bachchan’s voice was used for ‘The March of Penguins’. 

s_shubha@dnaindia.net