Native of Srikakulam produces Panchatantra 3-D animation TV serial

 

Seeta Ram, the director of Panchatantra animation TV Serial

Translated from Sanskrit into a number of major languages all over the world, Panchatantra is the most popular book in the world. Though the religious books are printed in large number, they are distributed free of cost to people. Panchatantra is an invaluable contribution from India to the nations all over the globe.

The stories of Panchatantra are not limited only to children or younger generations. They are related to people of all ages, all places and to all times.  One can learn lot of things – moral, financial, political and scores of other subjects – from reading Panchatantra. Besides giving entertainment, each of the short stories is associated with a meaningful and universal message along with it.

Panchatantra has the secular effect and people enjoy the theme with no feeling of caste, creed, region, religion and country. Issues relating to various subjects are taught to humanity through conversations of animals and birds among themselves. Various types animals and birds - lion, tiger, fox, jackal, bull, elephant, cow, goat, rabbit, crow and the like, in the form of conversations, teach universally applicable morals to humanity.

Dr Madhav T. Palli, US-based NRI and producer of Panchatantra 3-D animation TV serial during his visit to Hyderabad.

There are a number of TV channels, which telecast animation pictures with characters from European and Arab countries. But they have failed in producing animation pictures by using the stories belonging to ancient India.

It is regrettable that the producers of cinemas & TV serials, the print and electronic media neglected the ancient mega novel Panchatantra.

Under these circumstances, Kothapalli Seetharam, hailing from a remote village Lodda Badra in Palasa mandal in Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh village has taken up a laudable job. He has decided to produce a mega animation tele-serial – Panchatantra through his Moral Productions of Bhagyanagar established in 1999 and with the financial assistance from Dr Madhav T Palli (NRI).

Born in 1956, Seetharam belongs to goldsmith community. He completed his primary education in the village, but could not continue further due to various reasons. As is the common practice in cine world, he changed his name as SR Goldsmith to become familiar. Mr Goldsmith carried extensive experiments and gathered information from different books on Panchatantra.

Producing an animation picture of 50-hour duration requires some crores of rupees. However, due to his hard work and strenuous efforts, he discovered a new format of Animation’ which would reduce the production cost significantly.

Mr Goldsmith is a scriptwriter, artist, technician and also the director of the Panchatantra Animation serial.

In search of a job, he came to Hyderabad in 1995 to a friend’s house who was having an animation unit. He used to work in the animation unit for several hours daily. He read the Panchatantra book written by Dubagunta Narayanakavi and was very much impressed by the story. Later, he gathered information from other books including the one from Paravasthu Chinnayasuri.

V V L Narasimha Rao (English script writer for Panchatantra animation TV serial), B Venkateswarlu, MP and Dr Madhav T. Palli (NRI and producer) at the pooja programme to mark the launching of Moral Productions

After understanding the main theme, the thought of producing the animation picture on the subject came to him like a ray of light. He went to his village and strove in that direction. Luckily, he was able to invent his own technique to reduce production cost of animation pictures drastically.

He approached several producers for the production of animation mega serial on Panchatantra. He wrote letters to leaders at different levels and also to officials indicating his proposal and seeking financial assistance. He too approached Doordarshan authorities in Delhi in this regard. But he could not get encouragement from any quarter.

Then he prepared technical assistants by providing them proper training in the art of animation to apply his new techniques. With the help of an NRI friend Dr AP Chary, he wrote a letter to Dr M T Palli in USA seeking his help.

There was a spontaneous response from Dr M T Palli who came to India and assured all financial assistance to produce the mega animation serial on Panchatantra. A good thing has to be encouraged by one and all. The following are the excerpts of an interview with S R Goldsmith

Please explain briefly about animation?

Drawings have to be drawn for each picture in the old system of animation, which is known cell animation. By using electronic colours in computer, pictures with the two dimenstions (length and breadth) are produced in 2-D animation system.  Pictures with dimensions of length, breadth and depth are produced within the computer in 3D.

There are a number of companies involved in animation pictures production in the country for some years. They could not get the expected results or income in these years. Under the circumstances, why have you chosen the field?

Production of animation pictures involves several millions of rupees. Production of cinemas is like cultivation of paddy crop from which one can expect the results within 120 or 150 days. Production of an animation picture can be compared with coconut garden cultivation from which one can expect yield after 10 years.

Panchatantra 3-D animation TV serial director Kothapalli Seetaram (left) and Dr Madhav T. Palli (NRI) at the inaugural programme of the serial

Why have you selected the Panchatantra subject?

Panchatantra is not limited to children or youngsters. It gives genuine entertainment. In addition, it provides moral values, messages, and volumes of knowledge about state administration, economics, financial issues, human relations and a lot of other things. It also preaches universal peace. The subject is applicable to all people of all ages, all places and to all times in the world.

Can you give a brief account about the main themes of Panchatantra?

The magnificent narrative of contents of Vishnu Sharma’s Panchatantra has five parts namely Mitralabha (The benefits of friendship), Mitrabheda (The breaking of friendship), Vigraha (The war), Sandhi (The compromise) and Aparikshita Karakam (Lack of in depth study). The very titles of the contents reveal how human society is being distracted by lack of good will and in-depth observation. Pandit Vishnu Sharma narrated the stories about 23 centuries ago with the intention of bringing changes in the behaviours and lifestyles of four sons of a king. He wrote the book Panchatantra in Sanskrit.

The first four divisions comprise animals and birds as characters – lion, tiger, fox, jackal bull, elephant, cow, goat, rabbit, crow and the like. Vishnu Sarma named the characters, which reflect the habits and behaviours of the concerned animals or birds. For example: Laghu pathanakam (crow) travels short distances, Sanjeevakam,  (the bull which was left in the forest) escapes from death and survives. The fifth chapter contains human characters – king, queen, men, women, beggar, merchant and so on.

Please throw some more light on the title?

Presently, there are a number of books with the stories on Panchatantra. But several of them do not contain the original stories narrated by Vishnu Sharma. The stories are mixed with other tales and other subjects.

Panchatantra does not mean five cheatings (cunning acts). Here, thanthra’ means  easy way to solve difficult tasks’ (or upayam). Dumb animals teach us the morals.

There are several animation studios and producers in Hyderabad. Then, why did you seek help from an NRI in USA?

I approached scores of producers in city and wrote letters to a number of persons – leaders and officials - seeking financial assistance. I too approached Delhi Doordarshan authorities in this regard. I regret to say that all discouraged me.

With the help of a friend Dr AP Chary, I wrote to Dr M T Palli of USA and there was instant response and help from him. The credit for the production of the animation picture goes to Dr M T Palli.

In which language the picture is produced?

The animation picture is produced mainly in English and Hindi. Our intention is to extend this facility to all languages and bring about world peace through the Moral Productions of Bhagyanagar.

Dubbing is done in all European languages taking English version as base. Dr VVL Narasimha Rao is the architect of English script. Hindi would be the base for the dubbing in Indian languages.

Any other details about the serial?

By using normal technology of 2D and 3D format, for an episode of one-hour duration, it takes some years with the expenditure running to several millions of rupees. The serial requires 50 hour telecast. So it is a Himalayan task to produce the serial by using usual technology.

I am using my own technique. The mega animation picture contains 108 episodes with 106 stories. The stories are different from one another. Each of the episodes is for 25 minutes and will telecast weekly once. There are 600 characters with 90 different varieties.  We hope that we can complete the production of the entire 45-hour vision serial in four years. We maintain the quality and originality.

In your efforts for the project, didn’t you face objections from your family members?

Yes I have to face some problems from my family members. As I was not getting any financial help from any corner, my family members also discouraged me initially. I have to shift my family from Srikakulam to Hyderabad. Later, there were no objections from my family members.

What is the progress in the project?

We started a production unit – Moral Productions – in 1999. I prepared a story and produced at our village by using VHS camera and there was good response from the villagers. I was encouraged by the show and then decided to use my own technique, which is cheaper to produce animation films. So far, two episodes were completed and the third episode is in progress.

The pilot copy, the script and screenplay of about 108 stories have also been completed in three languages – Hindi, English and Telugu. I hope the Panchatantra TV animation serial will be appreciated by all sections of people.

Producer

Dr Madhav T. Palli (NRI) Medical Art Court,
ZEPHIR HILLS, FL
USA
Telephone: 001–813-788-0439

Screen Name: SR Goldsmith
Kavitha Apartments, Plot No. 8-3-831/32
Srinagar Colony, Hyderabad - 500 073.
Email: Seetaram@hamarashehar.com
Contact phone: +91-40-663-5827