Suppandi, Tantri the Mantri and Kalia the Crow — a generation of Indian kids born in the ’80s grew up with these characters. Long before comic books were cool, Amar Chitra Katha (ACK) was churning out enthralling stories with these beloved characters. Now, the next generation will get a taste of ACK on the big screen as Shikari Shambhu is all set to hit theatres in a short film.
The film is releasing on November 2, just in time for the Diwali vacations, in over 400 theatres across the country. “The Shikari Shambhu short film is packaged with our other film as a single unit. The short film will play just before the main Sons of Ram feature, as a double treat for fans,” says Vijay Sampath, CEO, ACK.
This is ACK’s first foray into films. But why did it take so long? “Our stories are perfectly suited for films and with them, we can reach a wider audience. There is a huge opportunity for wholesome family entertainment in India, that we intend to fulfil,” says Sampath.
After Shikari Shambhu, there are plans to bring other characters to the big screen. “We are already working on the production of Suppandi. Kalia and Tantri will follow soon,” says Sampath. “We are also working on two live action features based on our popular characters, which will release at the end of next year.”