Puppetica Media announces India’s first Sanskrit sci-fi animated film ‘Dhee’

Puppetica Media, the studio behind India’s first Sanskrit animated feature film Punyakoti, announced its next project: Dhee. This new feature film is set to be the first animated science-fiction movie ever made in Sanskrit.

The director Ravishankar Venkateswaran’s previous film Punyakoti was a critical success and was picked up by Netflix in 2020, stated that the warm reception of his debut project inspired him to take on a new challenge. After nearly three years of meticulous drafting and development, he is now ready to begin production on Dhee, which will feature a unique Indian storytelling style while leveraging global animation techniques. “We must learn from the best from around the world but have our own unique presentation suited for our audience and culture,” Venkateswaran said. “I am confident that new, experimental attempts like this will give a significant boost to the entire animation industry.”

The Punyakoti director who has over 30 years of experience at the intersection of media and creativity, including a tenure at Infosys, is in the early stages of production for his upcoming project. He has already secured the necessary funds for pre-production and is actively assembling a crew for his project.

Puppetica Media is now seeking producers, both in India and abroad, to support Dhee’s production and distribution. The movie is expected to be completed in approximately two years.

The director’s previous film Punyakoti, based on a popular folk song from Karnataka, not only captivated audiences but has also become a subject of academic interest and a case study in management schools for its unique production model.

The project was the largest crowdfunded animation film in India and was also crowdsourced, with animators from across the country contributing to its production online. This innovative approach, conceived by Venkateswaran, the film’s writer and director, was recognised as one of the top 100 startup ideas by the Government of Karnataka in 2017.

The film boasted a team of celebrated artists, including the legendary composer Ilaiyaraaja, who crafted the music for the film. Award-winning actress Revathi (Punnagai Mannan, Kakkothikkavile Appooppan Thaadikal, Love, 2 States) lent her voice to the lead character, taking the effort to learn Sanskrit for the role. The film’s editing was handled by National award-winning editor Manoj Kannoth.

In addition to that, it has been screened at prestigious international film festivals, including the Shanghai International Film Festival, and has won awards at the Golden Harvest Film Festival in Japan and the American Golden Picture Awards. The film was available on Netflix from 2020 to 2022, making it the only Sanskrit animated movie on the platform.

Beyond its cinematic achievements, the film is also making a significant cultural impact. The film’s 500 plus Sanskrit dialogues are being used as a tool for learning the ancient language in various countries. It is available for the audience to view on BookMyShowStream and in Prachyam OTT.