Move over superheroes, it’s now time for our heroine! Here comes the supergirl – Wingstar.
Zebu Animation Studios, Amar Chitra Katha (ACK) and renowned actor Rana Daggubati (Baahubali: The Beginning, Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, Baby, Rana Naidu) launched the teaser trailer of the upcoming animated series Wingstar at Bengaluru GAFX, taking place from 27 February to 1 March 2025. The IP was introduced as a superheroine in Tinkle comics by the Indian comics powerhouse Amar Chitra Katha in 2017.
Wingstar embodies the alter ego of 13-year-old Mapui Kawlim, a seemingly ordinary girl who discovers her extraordinary abilities as a crime-fighting superhero upon donning her inventor father’s gadgets. With her mother’s martial arts training and her own ingenuity, she becomes an unstoppable force, embracing both her strengths and vulnerabilities with a dash of confidence and a hint of sass.
In 2024, Bengaluru-based Zebu acquired the rights to the IP from ACK, to create its animated version. Along with Wingstar, Zebu had also acquired the rights to Tinkle’s evergreen comic book character Suppandi. At Bengaluru GAFX, in addition to the trailer of Wingstar, Zebu and ACK also premiered the first episode of the animated series Suppandi. As per the announcement during the launch at GAFX, the show is set to premiere on Powerkids Entertainment’s YouTube channel starting next month.
Suppandi, the beloved goofball, resonates with audiences through his simplistic yet humorous encounters with life’s unpredictabilities, drawing laughter and connection from readers as his escapades unfold within the pages of the comic book.
The Suppandi episodes and Wingstar trailer were launched by ACK president CEO and Preeti Vyas, Zebu founder and creative director Veerendra Patil and art director/co-founder Venkataramanan K, along with actor, producer, entrepreneur and investor Daggubati.
On this big launch, Vyas told AnimationXpress, “Suppandi and Wingstar are two of the biggest stars of the Tinkle universe. Suppandi’s timeless humour has delighted generations, while Wingstar, India’s first female superhero from the Northeast, is a feisty, relatable icon for today’s children and young adults. We’re beyond excited to see them leap from page to screen! Zebu Animation Studios has masterfully brought them to life in stunning 3D, delivering world-class quality and style which is sure to delight and wow audiences. At ACK, we believe in the boundless potential of transmedia storytelling, and today marks a thrilling milestone on that journey.”
On taking these IPs from comic book pages to their animated avatars, Patil shared, “Suppandi’s stories and Wingstar’s courage remind us that great storytelling transcends time. At Zebu, we honour this tradition by creating original Indian IPs that entertain, inspire, and push the boundaries of animation.”
Daggubati expressed, “Tinkle and ACK have shaped everything I know in life. I struggled at school and with almost everything else, but storytelling came naturally to me—thanks to my mother introducing me to ACK comics. I grew up with characters like Suppandi and Shikari Shambu, and today, with this launch, it feels like my journey has come full circle. Being part of this legacy is truly special. Preeti [Vyas] and I have talked for years about bringing Suppandi from print to 3D, and there’s no better team than Zebu Animation Studios to make this a reality. I’m thrilled to be here in Bengaluru to announce it.”
The actor has also revealed that Wingstar will be adapted into a live-action project. More details on both the projects are awaited. But we believe there’s a lot to look forward to in 2025!