India s first live-action/animation hybrid feature, BHAGMATI THE QUEEN OF FORTUNES, is set for release, reports NewIndPress.com. The work was completed entirely in three years by 120 animators from Z.I.C.A. (Zee Institute of Creative Arts).
"The film has no doubt taken its own share of time in the making and its release but it's probably the best ever creative work in which the art of animation has been used for story-telling, said director Ashok Kaul. Anything of this magnitude takes its own share of time. When we started the film, we thought that it will be an easy task, but it eventually became an Everest.
The film tells the 400-year old story of the romance between the ruler of Hyderabad, Mohammed Qutub Ali Shah, and dancer Bhagmati. Prince Quli Qutb Shah sees the beautiful dancer while returning from a shikaar and falls l in love with her at first sight. She is a Hindu and a commoner by birth so the king disapproves of the match. When the prince is prevented from meeting his beloved and kept under house arrest, he crosses the barriers in his fort and swims across the Moussi river on a stormy night to keep his promise to Bhagmati.
The animation forms the narration of story and the stars are the animated characters. Tabu, Milind Soman and Hema Malini act in this three-hour long film 90 minutes of which is animation. Vishal Bhardwaj has composed the music. Lyrics were written by Dr Bashir Badr, Abbas Tyrewala, Nida Fazli and Ravindra Jain. The film is set to be released by the end of this month.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
