Here is a cyclone brewing in India’s animation film industry, after the ‘Hanuman’ took the Indian film industry by the storm. Many animation films are taking shape in the studios, with big budgets riding on them and industry insiders claim always that close to 10 such films will be ready for release in India soon in 2008.

Yash raj Films Ltd in alliance with The WaltDisney Studios has finished 60% work on its first animation film ‘Road side Romeo’, slated for release in later June 2008. Shemaroo has also finished work on ‘Ghatothkach’, its second animation film after the movie‘Bal Ganesh’. Govind Nihalani is working on ‘Kamlu’, his first animation film, and has lined up three other animation projects after that.

Apart from the big banners, a hand ful of other studios are also busy designing characters on their story boards for an animated movie.
Yashraj Films chairman Yash Chopra said animation has a huge business potential and India needs some good products.
“We have seen the success of animations films. We have just stepped into this field and hope to give a good product,” he said.

Yashraj’s film will be a full fledged 3D animated feature film, with all the elements of a Bollywood flick. The lead character is a dog and it will have the usual masala expected from that banner. So, Mr Chopra explained: “We will have everything like songs, romance, fights etc like a Bollywood film. Jugal Hansraj is directing the film.”

While he declined to give investment details, he admitted the amount involved is ‘huge’. The likes of Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, and Javed Jafri will give their voices to these animated characters. Though Mr Chopra was cautious, saying Yashraj’s future animation projects will be decided after the release of ‘Roadside Romeo’, it is learnt that the tie-up between Yashraj and Walt Disney extends to more films in the series.

Govind , Nihalani-the director known for critically acclaimed films like ‘Dev’ and `Thakshak’, has also turned to animation and is currently concentrating on his forthcoming 3-D animation film ‘Kamlu’. This is the first of four animation films he has lined up. Mr Nihalani said he is investing close to $3 million (about Rs 12 crore) in his maiden animation film, ‘Kamlu’, with a promise of making it something big and giving something for everyone.