Sequential Storytelling in India: Pioneers and Flag-bearers #2 - Amar Chitra Katha
Entertainment, Knowledge and Nostalgia...in the Indian comic book milieu, these three words impeccably describe 'Amar Chitra Katha'.
Anurag Jawale
Being the most recognizable brand of comic books in India, it has remained at the top for the last few decades. There is hardly a book reader who has not read at least one book by this publisher. The long-time editor and sometimes-writer of Amar Chitra Katha; Anant Pai (often referred to as 'Uncle Pai') is popularly called 'Walt Disney of India' for his contribution to the Indian comic scenario.
Amar Chitra Katha was established in 1965 by India Book House (IBH) at the insistence of a Bengaluru based bookseller G.K. Ananthram. In 1967, the first issue titled 'Jack and the Beanstalk' was published. The initial ten issues were all adaptations of western fairy tales like Cinderella, Pinocchio, Snow White etc. These titles were published in the Kannada language. Subsequently, they started publishing in English, Hindi and numerous other regional languages.
The later stories could broadly be categorized into five different sub-genres:
Mythology: Stories from Ramayana, the Puranas etc.
Folk Tales: Tales fom the Panchatantra, the Jataka etc.
History: Biographies of historical figures like Guru Nanak, Akbar, Shivaji etc.
Modern figures: Life and times of visionaries like Verghese Kurien, Pandit Nehru, JRD Tata etc.
Adaptations: Graphic adaptation of children's classics like The Blue Umbrella by Ruskin Bond etc.
Along with the well-known characters, they also published stories about several icons who were either forgotten or used to be famous only in a particular region. Accompanying the variety of stories, was the simplified and beautiful cover art for which they are particularly praised.
The books are published in giant A4 format and have consistently been relatively cheaper than the comic books by other publishers. The graphic violence is toned down to make it suitable for small kids and their grandparents alike.
Combined, these factors make Amar Chitra Katha a popular choice among parents who are insistent that their children must learn something from the comics medium.
In recent years, they have gone digital in the art section which adds an edge of modernity to their content. They regularly print new material alongside the reprints of their famous titles. Their home animation studio has produced a couple of high-quality animated TV movies based on their own books.
Amar Chitra Katha has maintained its presence on the shelves of major bookstores throughout the years and certainly intends to do so in the future.
Comments
Post a Comment