Will Kutti Chetan and Friends dethrone our Screen Gods?

At All About Animation, we are constantly striving to promote original Indian animation. Though we have seen that in the last two years, films based on Indian mythological characters like Hanuman, Krishna and Ganesha have been successful and plenty, it is indeed heartening to see a slew of fresh and original animated films finally coming out of our Indian studios. It has been our aim to encourage such ventures and promote them through our blog, website and e-magazine. In this first edition of our series on upcoming original animated features, let us take a look at “Kutti Chetan and Friends” by DREAMS.

Hyderabad-based DREAMS or Deepak Raj Entertainment And Multimedia Solutions Pvt. Ltd. was established only recently in July 2007 by Deepak Subhash Jadhav and V. Rajeshwar Rao. The studio is currently working on 3 projects – Kutti Chetan and Friends, Inside Me and The Trap. Their debut animated feature, Kutti Chetan and Friends, is already past the pre-production stage and into production. The film is slated for release in June 2008.

With an intriguing storyline, endearing lead characters, adventure, humour, music and fun, this feature-length animated film seems to have got what it takes to challenge the mythological heroes currently ruling the Indian animation scene. Here is a synopsis of the story:

Kutti Chetan & Friends
Action. Comedy. Magic. Nine-headed serpent sorcerers. A ruby the size of a Cantaloupe. Idiotic kleptomaniac minions. A mischievous blue spirit with no memory of his legendary past, strange powers and a wicked sense of humor. Two 12 year old kids, a talking dove, and a cab-driving grandfather. Put them all together and you get: “KUTTI CHETAN” – an action based adventurous comedy for the age group under twelve. It is a concept that can translate itself as a feature length film, 13 x 11′ animated series, and a huge variety of games. ‘Kutti Chetan’ is a Myth originated in Kerala and strongly believed by the people of South India.

Raj, a gadget-happy, city kid from Bombay comes to the boondocks to spend the summer with his country grandparents thinking–“Boy, is this going to be boring.” — little realizing the amazing adventures he’ll get into with Yamini, the cool magic-trick-wielding next-door-neighbor girl, and a talking dove named Snuggles (who used to be a human astrologer). After finding an astrological chart of mystical intent, our three heroes must solve its riddles in order to find a playful blue spirit named Chetan. Seems Chetan has been trapped as the guardian of a giant supernatural ruby for a hundred hundred years, and Raj and Yamini must free him after evading a cavern full of flying swords, a giant fire-breathing Hell Hound and a dragon maze complete with an ocean of drowning water, little realizing that the ruby is being hunted for by a mysterious hooded figure and his reckless minions Tej and Rajkumar. The kids think Chetan is the “funniest” new friend they’ve ever met.

When the ruby is stolen by the hooded one, it’s discovered that he is really Zatain, the ancient nine-headed serpent sorcerer bent on universal domination. Only by entering the ruby itself, which is a labyrinth of reflections fraught with certain death, and fighting a magical battle which transforms Chetan from a little fun-loving spirit into his true form: an all-powerful force for good, can the kids and their spirit friend defeat Zatain and save the world from darkness. The best part is that they have fun the whole time, too.

With songs, action, comedy and strong character friendships, this is a movie for the entire family.

Sounds exciting?

The feature is being directed by Deepak Jadhav and is also produced by him together with Raj. The story and screenplay is by Mark Zolve, dialogues are by Ashmit Kunder and music direction is by Pritam Chakraborty. Kaizar Mandal is the creative director of this project while the production is by M Saravanan and Ashutosh Naik.

Coming later this week: Interview with Deepak Subhash Jadhav, director of Kutti Chetan, where he speaks about the film, DREAMS and other projects that his team is working on.