Sharad Devarajan, Co-Founder & CEO of Graphic India and co-creator, writer and producer of Baahubali: Crown of Blood on Disney+ Hotstar opened up about animation in the entertainment industry in the country. Devarajan has been pivotal in shaping the world of animation in India with creating one of the most loved animated series – The Legend of Hanuman on Disney+ Hotstar. And with the upcoming Baahubali: Crown Of Blood, Sharad adds another feather to his cap. Speaking about the same, he opined about the richness of SS Rajamouli’s craft.
Sharad Devarajan on animating S.S. Rajamouli’s iconic franchise for Disney+ Hotstar’s Baahubali: Crown of Blood stated, “It has been a personal life mission of mine – to change the perception of our animation for the entertainment industry in the world. I will never forget watching the first Baahubali films and experiencing them – to me, they took me into a place of wonder. They were unlike anything I had ever seen in my life and the vision that he (S.S. Rajamouli) brought to the screen, was very captivating, it was iconic in the archetypes and even the character is so uniquely Indian. It still moves me every time I watch it. What I think was amazing was – when we first spent time talking, when Shobu (Yarlagadda) and I were starting this journey was about how do we think about the Baahubali universe since the audience had seen was only the tip of the iceberg. When I saw the richness of the world they had created, the research and the story that was there which was far beyond what anyone had seen on the screen – I felt that is also the reason the films were such a success, because that love, care and attention is rarely brought by any filmmaker around the world. I think the history of all of Indian cinema, and probably global cinema, will be defined as before Baahubali and after Baahubali. If we can capture even a bit of the amazing brilliance that sir Rajamouli was able to be as a director and a creator, I will consider it my life’s work as a success.”
Talking about striving towards making animation more than just for kids, Sharad Devarajan said, “I think with both – Baahubali: Crown of Blood and The Legend of Hanuman, we’re trying to change the narrative in the country to not think of animation as a genre only for kids, but a medium where the greatest storytellers can come and craft whatever story they want – a visual storytelling medium that can really express deep senses of emotion, characterization and drama as sophisticated as any other live-action that people will see. We have seen this in the rest of the world, but my hope is that when people watch Baahubali: Crown of Blood and almost forget it’s an animation. I’m hopeful that the rest of India will see what we’re trying to do with animation here as that is something that is going to push the boundaries and allow a lot of young filmmakers, creators, and people across this country to tell their stories in this medium.”
On his collaboration with Disney+ Hotstar to bring the world of adult animation to India, Sharad Devarajan said, “I would like to thank Gaurav (Gaurav Banerjee – Head – Content, Disney+ Hotstar & HSM Entertainment Network, Disney Star) because without him, none of this would have been possible. It is very rare that the biggest animation company in the world, Disney, took a risk on adult animation, pushing the boundaries. But it is also very much the DNA of someone like Gaurav, who saw the potential early on and saw the power to promote this, just like he would any other big series, to bring it to the market in that way and showcase it in that way to the audiences. In the history books, if and when animation ever does take off in this country, it’ll be largely also because of his (Gaurav Banerjee’s) incredible role in allowing audiences to really experience it in this new way.”
This is not the first time that Baahubali has been given an animated spin. In 2017, Rajamouli released a four-season animated series titled Baahubali: The Lost Legends. The series was released on Amazon Prime Video.
Meanwhile, Baahubali broke several records following its releases, not only in India but also on the international stage, including Japan, China and major European countries. Baahubali 2 was directed by SS Rajamouli and amassed a staggering amount of Rs. 1810 crores, securing its position as the second highest-grossing success in the history of the Indian box office. In terms of domestic box office performance, Baahubali 2 has already claimed the leading spot. In 2017, Baahubali 2 revolutionised the landscape of Indian cinema, setting new benchmarks.
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