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Volume - 13
Index
Impressions is a three day inter-collegiate media festival, organised entirely by the students of the Mass Media Department of
V.E.S College of Arts, Science and Commerce. The Festival brings together students from colleges all over Mumbai to compete
in events related to the theme. The theme for the 13th year of Impressions is ‘Comic Blast’
Keeping in mind the interest level of our fellow students and the craze of pop culture in our lifestyles, we decided on having
a hollistic approach to our theme and thus creating ‘Comic Blast’ - the word Comic as in a character right from Movies to
Cartoon, and from TV Series to Comic Books. We have it all covered for you. Just be there on 4, 5 and 6 December 2015
Comic and Other Things
We all love comics because they’re too much fun.
As you enter their enormous world, through your mind they run
Superman, Spiderman, Batman they save the world so dark.
when you feel like a deadman you can always watch South Park
Chota Bheem comes at 4 o’clock and teaches that evil gets down to a fall.
With Ash, Misty and Brock who wouldn’t love to catch’em all?
When you’re home alone and you feel trapped like in a den.
Those six will come to your rescue, your F.R.I.E.N.D.S,season 1-10
Lessons from Oswald and Vinie, Didn’t they teach us well?
And Remember Mickey and Minnie how good they together dwell?
Oh! The avengers,Hulk,Ironman and Thor.
All unleashing awesome and entertaining us way more.
Eating spinach gives you strength says Popeye the sailor man.
Being lazy comes with a price but Doremon always has a plan
Shaktimaan is our hero and so is Aladin.
With our own Harry Potter unbelievable magic we’ve seen.
Who will win the throne? This only time will tell.
Yes,when Jon Snow died I did cry and yell.
Whenever the Sitcoms started with that the theme we sang.
There are so many favourites especially the Big Bang!
We can go on forever about these lifesavers old and new.
But for now that’s all and hope they’ve made good IMPRESSIONS on you!
In Conversation With Abhijeet Kini
The Stage Is Yours
Bombay’s Pride, Lotus Ride
Cartoons that left an Impression
Dine Exceptionally
The Chronicles Of Fiction
Of Cartoons And Cartoonist
ESTD 1940: DC COMICS
When Bollywood Goes Evil
At Their ‘Regional’ Best
SAW
Japanese Comic Rage
The Gateway To Recognition
Forgotten Comic Books
Photography
Literary Section
Goonj Team
PRITIKA KHEDWAL
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
TYBMM ( JOURN.)
NIKHIL MOTGHARE
EDITORIAL TEAM
TYBMM ( JOURN.)
ARPITA TIWARI
EDITORIAL TEAM
TYBMM (Adv.)
HRISHIKESH SINGH
EDITORIAL TEAM
TYBMM (Adv.)
KOMAL DUSSEJA
EDITORIAL TEAM
TYBMM (Adv.)
OMKAR THAKUR
HEAD DESIGNER
TYBMM (Adv.)
Sub Editors:
Debika Chatterjee,
Nabonita Acharya, Debangana Ghosh , Natasha Rajput
Front & Back Cover:
Nishant Lingayat & Omkar Thakur
IN CONVERSATION WITH
ABHIJEET KINI
Gone are the days when comics were about real books and not some virtual display on an electrically powered
device. The art going behind the artist’s work reflected even in those $1 thin binded books. However in today’s
times a niche audience still continues to cherish the slowly vanishing art. One such person Mr. Abhijeet Kini is striving hard to
revive the culture of comic books, by going the Indie way. Hrishikesh Singh from Team Goonj met with Mr. Abhijeet Kini and
here’s what he had to say.
Q1. How did you develop the
skill of sketching or acquire the
knack of illustrations?
A.
I have been sketching and
doodling ever since I remember. As
a kid I used to draw right across old
envelopes, magazine pages, text
books and so on. So I guess my aim
was set way back then itself that I
wanted to draw for a living.
Q2. How did Angry Maushi come into existence?
A. When I decided to participate in the Mumbai comic con in 2011, I wanted to design a
set of Mumbai-centric characters which would get featured on our merchandise. My wife
(then fiancé) Diksha had decided that we go ahead and print those artworks on coasters and
magnets. I designed a very angry looking Mumbai Maushi because such characters are quite
commonly found on our local trains or busy markets. I didn’t really have any other intentions
with that design of the angry Mumbai Maushi face. But people loved it so much they started
asking me who she is. We decided to use this curiosity and build the character further. We
named her Angry Maushi, and made her a reflection of the average Mumbaikar’s frustrations
and anger.
Q3. What went behind the awesome puns and character
formation?
A. I wanted to keep the comics multi-lingual. It is largely
an English read, but incorporates a lot of Marathi and Hindi.
For those who get it, it gives a lot more punch, and for those
who don’t there’s always Google to find out what the words
mean. So, keeping the language quite street-savvy, I went
with expletives and puns used by us all on a daily local basis.
We look into Youtube, the fastest growing digital platform and what it has to offer.
In this mass transition that we are witnessing, everything from a wallet to a painting has gone digital. They say Digital is the
future for us, whereas some people believe that it is very much the present. Our sedentary lifestyle, that one element that you thought
might never change has also shifted from behaving like a couch potato in front of an Idiot Box to a PC. Remember the time when you
had to memorise the time of your favourite tv series, and probably fight with your sibling for the remote? Today’s generation doesn’t
have to go through all the fuss. Missed an episode of Simpsons? you can log onto Youtube and watch it. FREE OF COST. We Indians love
free stuff don’t we? This gigantic platform filled with video content has single handedly created a whole new constellation exclusively
for your entertainment.
YouTube, it’s all about sharing. When we become a YouTuber, it comes along with it. Your dream of going live on a channel finally
gets a direction. It makes it easy to turn our personal channel into an attractive virtual destination and if you do it right, helps you
make money. In today’s time, India has a maximum views over the light and funny channels gravitating audience which try to create
opinion in their minds. Many famous channels like TVF (Total Viral Fever), Culture Machine, A.I.B , Funk you, The Trouble Seeker Team,
Tech Guru, Chief Harpal Singh, Kanan Gill, Vikram Yadav, Geeky Ranjeet Ghar ka khaana etc; are elevating India.
“India’s choice and taste of viewing has improved, they are keen towards it and T.V is the best way. They want YouTube channels to get
broadcasted in T.V and slowly it will start in India too as in the foreign states” says Sudharshan Nair (founder of channel “Trippy Sudd”).
Q4. How was the journey from a simple coaster design to a three
volume strong Comic book?
A. It has been fantastic. We never thought this character would get
this famous and have a little cult following of its own. I never planned
any of this. Even the comics got made in a span of 10-14 days before
launch, start to finish. So each of the comics has been pretty much a
last-minute exercise every year, but the final product has been loved
by many. I am thankful to all my readers and merch buyers!
Q5. How did you manage to go the DIY/Indie way with Kini merch?
A. I think indie is the way to go. Be it films, music or art, indie is a genre to be keenly followed. Our merch line may not be a multibillion dollar venture (snicker snicker), but we are happy with the way we have grown over the last 4 years. The investment and
money put in is our own, and most of the times the profits are put back into production. But the awesome feedback we keep getting
from our clients and buyers is very satisfying.
Q6. Tell us about Kini Merch.
A. I and Diksha have kept things simple. I handle my setup – Abhijeet Kini Studios, and she handles hers – Kini
Merch. AKS is the art dept, and Kini Merch is the sales and
merchandising business. Our brief to ourselves is also
simple. Keep the merchandise humorous and stuff that
we ourselves would love buying at affordable
prices. Which is why we have a lot of
people saving up to come over
to our stall at the Comic
cons. We have coasters,
magnets, mouse pads,
mugs,
art
prints,
posters and some
quirky
jewellery
as
well.
Our
merchandise and
collectibles
are
popular not just
here in India, but
also abroad. We
have participated
in the Middle East
Film and Comic
Con (Dubai) and the
Singapore Toys Games
and Comic con, and have
had a fantastic time getting
people over at our stall and
buying our stuff.
The Stage is Yours
Q7. Tell us about your nominations and other work besides
Angry Maushi.
A. I have been a freelance cartoonist and illustrator since 1999,
when I was in college. I started with Jam magazine, went on to
Mid-Day, and then the names got added to the list as the years
went by. I have had the pleasure of contributing art to Timesgroup,
Timeout India, Hindustan Times, Verve magazine, Pop
Culture Publishings, Comic Con India etc. My younger
readers know me for my art in Tinkle comics. I
started freelancing with Tinkle back in 2004
and currently draw for some of their very
popular series like Defective Detectives,
Butterfingers, Superweirdos, etc. I
also draw for Dimdima, a children’s
magazine, which features a comic
series called “Haddiraj” which is
illustrated by me. MetaDesi comics
is a regular client of mine and I
draw for their series called “Holy
Hell”.
Harpal Singh Sokhi
130,267 subscribers • 20,624,496 views
The jolly chef of India and a well known YouTuber, also known as always
smiling cook, Harpal Singh Sokhi. After
completing his diploma and gaining
position of an Executive Chef; in the year
2009, he pioneered a YouTube Channel
named “Chef Harpal Singh”. He also
owned a restaurant named The Funjabi
Tadka - in 2013. His channel is all based on
new dishes and how to cook. Harpal Singh
also hosted a food show - Turban Tadka.
He has also hosted the TV shows Kitchen
Khiladi and Sirf Tees Minute on FoodFood
channel. In 2014, he hosted Zee News’
road food show Desh da Swaad, travelling
across India. The Channel is one of India’s
top cookery channels on YouTube.
Total Viral Fever (TVF)
1,271,882 subscribers • 118,571,264 views
Popularly abbreviated TVF, Total Viral
Fever is an online youth entertainment
network launched in 2010 and by June
2013 the views reached +1 million. The crux
of this channel is to make or to distribute
short comical videos that expose the funny
side of everyday life. Arunabh Kumar is
the founder of this creative network. The
recent online series made by them is TVF
Pitchers which got 9.3/10 IMDB ratings
and was highly appreciated by viewers. It
is the first company in India in the realm
of entertainment network to blend reality
and parody in their creation ushering in
a new genre of entertainment. They are
the creator and distributor of 12 online
entertainment hits.
Kanan Gill
311,233 subscribers • 28,524,783 views
Also considered as the “cute movie guy for
girls”, the stand-up comedian Kanan Gill
passed out as a B.E’d from Bangaluru and
worked for a M.N.C as software engineer in
Exeter Group Inc. for three years. During
this time he won a competition called
Punch line Bangaluru followed by another
win at the Comedy Store in Mumbai. This
achievement did build his confidence
and made him quit his job to create a
career in comedy. He gained popularity
with the viral YouTube series Pretentious
Movie Reviews. He reviews critically
panned hindi movies along with Biswa
Kalyan Rath. Kanan also plays a role in an
international show “The Living Room” in
the channel Comedy Central.
With the rapid growth and popularity in this digital entertainment platform, one now has a fresh and new career option. You could
become a star, a Youtube star if you wanted to. Or you could follow the cliched career paths of becoming a mechanic or a capital
monitor. Afterall who doesn’t like fame? There’s a guy inside each one of us who always wants to say “Look Ma I’m on TV”. Well the
stage is yours and so is the choice.
BOMBAY’S
Pride,
Lotus Ride
The car, in its peak during the 1970s-1980s, achieved immense popularity among youngsters, celebrities and women. It looked
more modern in appearance, more fuel-efficient and was very easy to drive.
The Tamil superstar Rajinikanth, yesteryear’s evergreen actor Dev Anand and actor-producer Aamir Khan have all been
owners of the Padmini.
Movies too have been made featuring this car. The most recent being, John Abraham - Nana Patekar - starrer Taxi No. 9211.
Illustrations from everyday musings based on the
Kaali-Peeli Taxi from the city of dreams.
Premier Padmini, has been the jewel in Mumbai’s crown for
as long as I can remember.
The word Padmini means “She who sits on the lotus”, similar
to Goddess Lakshmi.
Kali-peeli Padmini taxis on Mumbai’s streets are now being replaced by
other automobile brands.
Premier manufactured the Padmini at their Kurla plant in Mumbai.
By 2000, it stopped producing the car, with the Kurla plant suffering a lock-out after workers went on a strike the
following year. From the mid 1980 onwards, with the advent of more modern, cheaper and more fuel-efficient cars from
Maruti Suzuki, the popularity of the Padmini slowly began to wane. Numerous examples still abound as taxicabs in
Mumbai, though these are now being phased out due to new regulations enacted in 2013 by the government disallowing
vehicles over 20 years old.
Many of these taxis now run on CNG for fuel economy.
Illustrations by Yoshetaa Jogi
Premier Padmini is an automobile that was manufactured in
India from 1964 to 2000 by Premier Automobiles Limited.
CARTOONS THAT LEFT AN
IMPRESSION
Children are like clay in a potter’s hand and nowadays the potter’s hand is not just the parent’s hand but also the media,
friends and television too. As children, everyone is captivated by cartoons and can relate to them. Earlier, the cartoons were chaste,
thrilling, and awakening but today, cartoons are dying a slow death. Cartoons made during the earlier era conjectured the notion that
every character has equal and important role shared and that every character taught us a lesson which left an IMPRESSION. The kind
of cartoons made in the 90’s had set massive examples for the upcoming creators today. But unfortunately, not many cartoons these
days are able to meet the expectation of being unparalleled.
Listed below are the cartoons that have been incomparable yet vanished from sight today.
Scooby Doo:
A number of series wherein the teenagers Fred Jones, Daphne Blake, Velma Dinkley,
Norville Roger a.k.a Shaggy & their brown
great dane Scooby Doo would solve mysteries and fight supernatural beings to get
through misadventure. They taught us
that your confidant will always rescue you
out of distress, to face your fears head on
and that Humans are the real monsters.
Addams Family:
Addams family was a bunch of spooky
people living under one roof. The series
was all about how they would fight back
unusual events and the convict who
wanted the Addams to leave
their
house.
The most
The Flintstones:
The Flintstones belonged to the Stone
Age. Fred Flintstone along with wife
Wilma and daughter Pebbles lived
in Bedrock. Barney Rubble and his
wife Betty, who was also Wilma’s
best friend, lived next door. Barney
adopted a son named Bamm-Bamm
who was unusually a strong kid. They
taught us that it is completely okay to
make blunders. It is important to pardon
the screw ups and carry on optimistically.
Courage the Cowardly Dog:
Courage was a tiny little faint-hearted
dog that belonged to an old couple, Eustace and Muriel. He loved his owners and
hence he’d go out of his way to save them
from the bizarre events that would occur
around. He taught us that Bravery is nothing but hiding one’s fears and putting your
best foot forward is essential.
Rugrats:
The concept of Rugrats was to uncover the
world through the eyes of babies and how
difficult and untidy things get meanwhile.
The oldest amongst all, Angelica, would
petrify her cousin Tommy and his friends
just for fun. Tommy isn’t a fisted leader, he
frequently uses the input of his friends to
guide their quests. This shows that if you
are going to be the person to lead, provide
guidance instead of being subjective.
The Tom & Jerry Show:
The animated cat-mouse duo is known
for messing up every place they head
towards. This show is virtually silent
and consists primarily of a cat chasing a
mouse. Jerry taught us that size doesn’t
really matter, confidence does. And also
that friendship is a boon, no matter how
much you fight; you’ll always have that
one friend to fall back on.
Dine
Hey Arnold:
Arnold is a fourth grader who lives with
his grandparents. He loves to help
people in every possible way. Even
though Helga loves to annoy Arnold,
she secretly has a crush on him. Arnold
taught us that if you’re ever uncertain
about anything in life, there’s one
thing you can be certain of, that you
will always be happy if you’re willing
to give others selflessly.
important lesson this weird family teaches us is that do
not care about what the world has to say
about you, if you are content with your
family and yourself, there’s absolutely
nothing stopping you.
Recess:
Recess mainly focused on a bunch of
school kids, their relationships with their
fellow classmates and teachers. The six
kids - TJ, Ashley Spinelli, Vince LaSalle,
Gretchen Grundler, Mikey Blumberg and
Gus Griswald would team up against what
they thought was unjustified. They teach
us that even if you’re trapped in a highly
clichéd environment, if there’s something
imprecise happening around, don’t turn a
blind eye to the situation. Speak up to be
heard and accelerate a necessary change.
The Adventures of Tenali Raman:
The adventures of Tenali Raman included historic tales with a humorous
inclination. Tenali Raman was one of
King Krishna Dev Raya’s eight wise men.
Tenali was a witty man and would assist
the king during the kingdom’s trial times.
Tenali Raman stories taught us wisdom
and values through wit and humor.
Though these treasured cartoon shows
are not much aired these days or have
vanished completely, the characteristics
of these cartoons have imprints on our
minds and hearts like a potter has on his
pots.
Exceptionally
Bored of visiting the same family restaurant? Take a look at
a few themed diners we picked out for you.
Everyone loves eating but when
a mere platter of food is catalyzed by
delicious taste, it simply whets your
appetite. But enjoyment arrives only
when backed by entertainment and in the
edible cosmos, entertainment has its own
way of making the dining experience vivid
and interactive. Thus it was only a matter
of time before someone cooked up the
brilliant idea of elevating one’s culinary
experience by introducing themed food
and restaurants. With an unconventional
concept that surprisingly appeals to the
crowd, the theme of a restaurant revolves
around a location, a famous personality,
a movie character or even a sports team.
The main objective of these restaurants
is to create an unusually finger-licking
dining atmosphere.
Theme based restaurants met with
their inception in India not more than 6 to
7 years ago and were received quite well
in the paradise of foodies. In the present
times, the most well known and fastest
growing chain of themed restaurants is
the RAINFOREST RESTO-BAR. Rainforest
as the name suggests has the ambience
of a tropical jungle. The place is dimly lit
and the music involves lending your ears
to a soothing waterfall. The décor soaks in
the jungle aura with various wild animal
statues you will enjoy having food around
without fearing for your lives, tempting
isn’t it?
Another themed restaurant is
FLAMBOYANTE at the World trade centre,
Mumbai. The décor interestingly has the
likeliness of a ship. It is south Mumbai’s
only open air restaurant. The ambience
has one reminded of a ship’s deck.
While you munch on the delicacies at
Flamboyante you’ll fantasize dining on a
deck, only this time you won’t get sea sick.
Now if your mouth drools at the sight
of regional flavors then there are two
sensational restaurants you must
pay a visit to - GOA PORTUGESE and
DIVA MAHARASHTRACHA. Both these
restaurants have been founded by Dr.
Suhas Awchat who strives to bring Goan
and Maharashtrian flavors and culture to
your table. The décor of these restaurants
captures the true essence of medieval
coastal lifestyle. The food here will leave
your taste buds craving for more. All in all,
mouth-watering food and ambience.
Theme restaurants ever since their arrival
have broken stereotypes and thus dining
at one such place will give any customer a
breath of fresh air.
So this weekend go to a themed
restaurant with your family because,
just eating is not enough, the taste buds
deserve better!
The Chronicles Of Fiction
Know a little something more about the game changers of the fictional lands
Believe it or not, children have
for aeons been subjected to hardcore fiction, toddlers rightly consider their very
own birth process to be a fictional tale
and infants religiously perceive even their
wriggling fingers to be fictitious. As hilarious as that sounds, it is also undeniable
that ‘nothing remains constant except
change’, and consequently the idea of fiction changes too. Eventually, right when
‘adulthood’ kicks in, the fictitious bubble bursts into reality. Stress and anxiety
come wrapped as added perks and alcohol becomes an easy escape into the
vivid world of illusions. It’ll be perhaps
difficult to imagine that there also exist
certain adult individuals who have had
themselves purely dedicated to inventing,
innovating, developing, grooming and
nurturing CHARACTERS, both comical and
cartoonish, fictional enough, to suck the
stress out of tormented lives.
Cartoons have always compelled
their audience to fall head over heels in
love with their humour. A simple character until it humorously touches the language of joy as a joyous character itself.
Such may have been the coveted process
while renowned, prolific, ingenious cultural icon, Walt Disney touched our lives
with his lovable, happy-go-lucky and zesty
creation MICKEY MOUSE in all his glory.
Disney didn’t just create but also voiced
the character until 1947 and pronounced
MICKEY as one of his most priceless inventions. Then strode in his successive
creations- a vexed, sloppy DONALD DUCK
and a good old GOOFY amongst the others, once again cherished by the audience
for the added humour and entertainment.
And as by now it is quite universal that we
go all nuts when it comes to cartoons for
they provide us with fits of laughter, how
unjust would it be to not be reminded of
our very own pair of “friendly foes”, symbolizing moronic acts of rivalry and narrowing it down to hopeless friendship and
love, the one and only TOM AND JERRY, a
proudly blossomed flower in the creative
lawns of William Hannah and Joseph Barbara garnered by the Warner Bros banner.
With impossible instances of slapstick
comedy, the show till date has had us in
splits.
Certain cartoon shows succeeded not just in terms of occurrence but also
humour and fun all fantastic in their own
way. Think about DEXTER’S LABORATORY
and you are reminded of a science prodigy Dexter, his custom-built laboratory,
his obnoxious sister Dee Dee and his attempts to outrun his rival next door Mandark leading to hilarious fiascos, all kudos
to the creator Genndy Tartakovsky. Sip on
some humorous nonsense as you recollect a macho JOHNNY BRAVO best known
for his “Ohhh mumma” and “Hoo- Hah”,
girls would merely window shop at his
muscular physique and pay no heed to his
charm, much to his oblivion. That’s how
hilarious creator Van Partible could get,
quite a charmer himself.
Not long since cartoon gained
realization did MARVEL and DC COMICS
stroll into the industry conjuring an altogether diverse heroic world of characters
who glorified the triumph of good over
evil and in no time won the hearts, minds
and souls of millions of people across the
world, age was finally no bar. MARVEL revolutionized the concept of superheroes
by building the dauntless Wolverine, the
spectacular Iron man, the disciplined Captain America, the friendly neighbourhood
Spider- Man the ever so boisterous Hulk
(HULK SMASH, anyone?). If that wasn’t heroic enough, instilling the values of Unity
is Strength, MARVEL saw inception of heroic groups by the name of Avengers, The
Fantastic Four, X-Men all grooming fascinating superheroes sharing the same roof
and purpose of destroying the evil that
plagues the society. Evils viz., Green Goblin, Doctor Octopus, Loki amongst the rest
again given shape by MARVEL, have humbly done their deeds as spirited and magnificent antagonists only to end up facing
the wrath of our superheroes. On the other
hand, DC COMICS gave birth to mighty personalities, SUPERMAN, BATMAN, WONDER
WOMAN, THE FLASH, GREEN LANTERN being few of them battling against unholy
villains namely Lex Luthor, Deathstroke,
Joker who very competently did the job of
antagonizing our heroes and calling upon
their doom.
MARVEL and DC comics keenly whisked a new spirit of heroism in the
recipe of fiction and fun and then followed
heroic shows like DRAGON BALL Z, an adaptation of the Dragon Ball Manga series
created by Akira Toriyama which revolved
around the life of the protagonist Goku,
his family, his struggle with his dark past
and the connecting battles with evils like
Maajin Boo, Freiza and cell. The series was
dubbed in various international languages and the audience savoured heroism at
its finest. Toriyama had considerably given American Comics quite a run for their
money.
However, while all of us resume
on the fun quotient as we enjoy cartoons,
comics and superheroes, how many of us
are actually inquisitive enough to unravel
the name of the creator behind the fascinating characters viewed? Chota Bheem
as an Indian animated cartoon series is
cherished by one and all. Interestingly,
the name of the creator, RAJIV CHILAKA is
known only to a bare few. The current generation is quite ignorant of famous Indian
cartoonist, RK LAXMAN’S skilful comical
satires highlighting “the common man”.
Our beloved, courageous and selfless
“Mowgli from the Jungle Book Series” was
the contrivance of Indian author RUDYARD
KIPLING quite not known to everyone.
Keeping knowledge about the existence of
a hilarious comic series “Chacha Chaud-
hary” is boasted by all, while the fact that
cartoonist PRAN brainstormed for the creation of the same, remains a fact of least
importance.
Why such outright ignorance about the
very creators who gifted us with such
awe-inspiring and fun-filled creations?
This web of fiction that we whimsically
yet cheerfully fall prey to would remain
non-existent if it weren’t for the creators to
tackle sleepless nights coupled with high
levels of stress, and for what? For drawing
persistent smiles, plain and simple. So for
the fun quotient to only ascend, fiction
needs to hover infinitely.
Of Cartoons And
Cartoonists
Animating the real world onto paper. Mr. Austin Coutinho
talks about his experience with cricket and comics.
Belonging to a country where people love recreation we
can never forget to add cartoons to the list of recreating things.
Cartoons have subsisted in our country since the era when we
were ruled upon by outlanders. Ever since India has considered
Late K. Shankar Pillai as the Father of Indian cartooning we
have never given a miss to cartoons in India. We have had an
elongated list of tectonic cartoons in the past created
by great brainiacs who made us habituated to
these cartoons. But the trends have changed
and likewise the faces of Indian cartoons too
have had a brush up.
Austin Coutinho is a renowned
caricaturist who wears many hats. He
has successfully combined a corporate
career, with achievements in sports – as a
player and coach – and in cartooning and
writing. He is the author of six books, has
illustrated more than a dozen books and
has contributed cartoons and caricatures to
some of the best publications and websites
in India. He is also mentor to the present
Mumbai Ranji captain and the Maharashtra
football captain – a unique record.
Reporters of Team GoonjPritika Khedwal and
Shantanu Nagvekar
spoke to Austin
Coutinho on his
experience
as
a
cartoonist/
caricaturist.
P r e s e n t e d
herewith are the
excerpts
of
the
interview:
When and what inspired you
to become a comic artist?
My inspiration was Mario Miranda.
Also since I was
a kid I used to
read
‘Phantom’
and other comic
books illustrated
by the late
cartoonist. I used to keep looking at Mario’s cartoons and very
soon they became a part of my daily life. Later, reading other
classics in illustrated form, I was enamoured by the ‘comic’
form of telling stories and therefore started doing sketches
of my own. In fact, cartooning is one of my passions, besides
cricket and reading/writing. My parents also encouraged me to
do a correspondence course in cartooning. That really fired up
the passion for comic art and I cannot thank my parents
enough.
Why specifically sports caricatures?
I am a sports person. I have
read about, dreamt
and lived sport all
my life. In order to
be a good cartoonist
or caricaturist,
you need to
have deep
knowledge
of
your
subject.
So
sports humour
comes
naturally
to me. Secondly, Indians
are crazy about cricket
so I also go by the
popularity and fanfollowing of sports
and sports person while
drawing a caricature.
Since I started
posting sports
cartoons
on
‘facebook’ and
‘twitter’ I have
had thousands of
friends and fans responding
to them.
How was the initial reaction of the readers or viewers towards
your caricatures?
My first cartoons were published by ‘Sportsweek’ in 1972. The
subject was India’s hockey debacle in the 1972 Olympics. Then
in 1974, when Ajit Wadekar’s team India was shot out for 42 in
England, a few more cartoons were published. Among them, was
one about a ‘socks stealing’ episode at Marks & Spencers. I was
severely criticised by that player’s supporters and many of the
‘Sportsweek’s’ readers. That incident dented my confidence and I
didn’t do any cartoons for almost 4-5 years.
have cartoons and of course, the daily ‘gag’ cartoon like Laxman’s
‘You Said It!’ to be part of all publications.
In May 1977, I joined Anant (Uncle) Pai – founder of Amar Chitra
Katha and Tinkle Comics, and Pradeep Sathe – a master comic
illustrator, after my last BSc paper. I had written to Uncle Pai
earlier, asking him if I could work under his guidance. I worked
with him for a year, learning the fundamentals of cartooning,
illustration and editing from top artists and writers. I had to leave
because I was by then making a name as a pace bowler and had a
few job offers which were quite tempting.
According to you what should the media do to improve or
highlight the contribution of comic artists?
There was a time when people used to read the R.K. Laxman
cartoon before reading the headlines. Those were times when
cartoonists were held in high esteem for their political and
social views. But publications no longer give that importance to
cartoon illustrations and humour, which in a sense make reading
a publication easier. Modern publications would rather pick up
‘clipart’ than employ a fulltime cartoonist. The editorial cartoon
is more or less dead. Honestly, I would like the editorial page to
What is your advice to the comic artist of the new era?
A cartoonist has to look beyond the features of a person to
interpret his or her character. Hence, a cartoonist has to read a
lot, be in touch with life, study people’s personalities and features
and of course possess or develop a great sense of humour. In our
country, comic artists and cartoonists do not earn a lot of money,
as in the west, unless you make a name for yourself. We do not
have cartoon syndicates which sell artists’ work. It’s real hard
work in the initial years with very little compensation. But once
people start liking your work, it’s quite paying. My only advice
to young cartoonists is that they should keep at it, believe in
themselves and improve on a daily basis. Don’t be satisfied with
mediocre work. In the end only your passion will take you to the
top of the heap!
As a whole, I believe, Indians are losing their sense of humour.
There have been instances where writers and cartoonists have
been persecuted. This limits your creativity. There is unofficial
censorship – for you do not know when somebody in power may
take offence to your cartoon or joke. In a democratic country like
India, if free, responsible speech is curbed, then what comes out
of creative efforts will be mediocrity rather than creativity.
With inputs from
Shantanu Nagvekar
1970: The Character Logo
ESTD 1940:
Further DC went ahead with Logo alteration, by including characters into the logos. Though they still
stuck to the association of Superman in the logo. (There’s a reason he’s called Superman, you see?)
A comment made on August 2, 1970 said that, “It’s just some stupid new logo that they’re putting on the
covers. Because what we really need is a small picture of Superman, next to a big picture of Superman
on a magazine called Superman”
DC COMICS
A timeline of the change in logos over the years, of one of
the biggest creators when it comes to fiction.
1972: The Block Logo
When DC comics debuted as National Allied Comics in the year 1935, the tabloid sized cover read the title as ‘New Fun: The Big
Comic Magazine’. Imagine even considering picking up such a magazine and reading it today. We Indians are fascinated with brands,
don’t believe it?
Everybody these days knows about DC Comics, right? Yet a platoon of our generation never bought a DC Comic. On y a minute
chunk of the audience are appreciative of the exquis•te art behind the Comics. The visual y appealing designs, bubb e p acement, the
sketch sty e, character, colors etc. play a Vltal role in putting out that one comic.
Com•ng back to our examp e, Brands to us are such a big deal that we Tinkle reading posers claim, that we are pass’ onate about
Comics, yet on y a niche group(especial y Bangalore people for some reason) out of the masses know about Indie Comics ike Raj
Comics, Graphic Pop, Kin’ Merch.
However DC maybe had a revelation, or maybe not and finally decided to get rid of the Superman-centric
branding. But no matter what you try, you can’t make everyone happy. Several readers called the 70s
screen printing text, a Converse All Star rip-off. The shoe maker company was a favourite back then with
the varsity font and the youth had a brand recall when they heard ‘Converse’. DC tried to gain popularity
by getting rid of the original fonts and making it look extremely similar to that of the popular shoe makers.
This naturally resulted in a setback with the readers bad mouthing this move, made by DC.
1974: The Line of Super Stars
The 1974 logo was an absolute debacle. The logo used to words ‘Super Stars’. Now the geeks reading these
books wouldn’t have resorted to Superheroes, had it not stood for a unique element. Back then Marlon
Brando or an Al Pacino was a super star. The fans were outraged after this incident, naturally resulting in
DC making a new logo.
But hey, theres nothing wrong about being biased or in better words, oyal to a particular brand. After all Khushiyon Ki Shuruwat
Da•rymi k Ke Saath_ If brands to us mean the world, the history beh’nd it also has certain importance. One such famous brand is of the
Detective Comics, that has gone through several changes in its brand symbol i.e the logo.
The Orig•nal Logo aunched in 1940 as an attempt to have a brand symbol for Detective Comics, faced mass criticism with peop
e being judgemental about negative space and offset. Mind you this was in 1 940, and several brands today still make such mistakes.
Peop e then commented saying “stupid garbage cluttering up the cover” on the topic of the ago.
1940: The Original Logo
The Original Logo launched in 1940 as an attempt to have a brand symbol for Detective Comics, faced
mass criticism with people being judgemental about negative space and offset. Mind you this was in
1940, and several brands today still make such mistakes. People then commented saying “stupid garbage
cluttering up the cover” on the topic of the logo. One such comment on April 9, 1940 in particular stated,
“Ugh, this is the worst done job since they lumped Jay in with the rest of those goons into the so-called
Justice Society. It’s one shameless marketing ploy after another with those guys at National”
1942: A Superman-DC publication
DC though not giving up tried another modification in the year 1942, yet faced similar criticism. This
time with the public taking offence, thinking that mentioning the character name was in order to remind them about the comic they’ve chosen. Along with Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the DC franchise was
bombed with people even going to the extent of switching their comic preferences. One of the DC fans
on June 4, 1942 said “Rather than sticking to the classic DC Publication logo, they’re slapping this cash
grab onto every single comic they publish”
1949: superman-DC, version 2
The 1949 logo was made fun of by saying that it was quite staid and plain – the sort of thing you’d expect
from an era which was still lurching out of war. Also DC tried to get the Superman red into the DC text
which implied that Superman was to be the center of DC Comics, hence indicating a bias. There was an
outrage by readers who weren’t Superman fans. Some said, “You want Superman to be the center of
everything so much that we can’t even look at the spinner rack without seeing his name in bright red
everywhere.” Bias is still fine, but it so happened that one of the issues with the logo didn’t have anything
to do with Superman in the book. Ouch!
1976: The DC Bullet
After changing the ogo 7 times, it was ucky number slevin for DC.
Fans preferred the new logo over the existing ones, as this one had more a modern tone to it. However
there were some peop e raising questions saying, “Did DC start producing Toothpaste?’ Well haters gonna
hate, what are you gonna do?
2005: The DC spin
After changing the logo 7 times, it was lucky number slevin for DC.
Fans preferred the new logo over the existing ones, as this one had more a modern tone to it.
However there were some people raising questions saying, “Did DC start producing Toothpaste?”
Well haters gonna hate, what are you gonna do?
2011: The New Logo?
DC took to the more clean and neat finish of the logo with the changing times and the dawn of
modernization. By positioning itself as a strong brand and the peeling effect that of a page in the logo,
signifies the duality of the illustrious characters that are owned by the DC Comics.
The DC logo therefore has undergone a line of changes, but now has a stable base. The company now
changes the logo only to suit the modern times and go with the advancement in the production of their
content. No more do the people hold Warner Bros responsible for any developments, calling them ‘Warner
Blunders’. The current DC logo for all we know will stick around for at least for the next 26 years.
When
Bollywood
Goes
Evil…
“Bete, so ja, so ja nahi toh Gabbar
Singh aa jayega….”
Every mother used this line, to put her
kids to sleep after the enormous success
of the 1975 film, Sholay. Thus, these kids
grew up, petrified by this diabolical figure
called Gabbar Singh. Throughout their
childhood, all they knew was Gabbar is
some dangerous monster or some fearful international criminal, until they grew
wise enough and watched Sholay themselves. And as the thumb rule of that era
suggested, every person would pick up
the lines from this movie and started using
it in their quotidian conversation. Hence,
quoting one of them, “Ab tera kya hoga
Kaalia?”
Such was the effect of these wonderful
characters on the minds and lives of the
common people of India. Although they
were the baddies, their ways and wicked
one liners fascinated the masses to such
an extent that they ended up becoming a
part of people’s daily speech. So, what if
these villains weren’t the ultimate handsome heroes the women clan would readily fall for? They were marvelous actors
who successfully instigated the feeling of
hatred and fear among the audiences and
especially women with their great acting
skills.
Some of the veteran legends are Pran,
Ranjeet, Amjad Khan, Ajit, Jeevan, Mac
Mohan to name a few. Pran was the ultimate onscreen villain of the 1950s-70s era.
Popularly known as the kind hearted and
respected Pransaab in the Bollywood Industry, he played a villain in more than 300
Bollywood films. In fact he was so much in
demand in the 1960s-70s that he was paid
more than the lead actors like Amitabh
Bachchan for a film. Yet another legendary
is villain Ranjeet who has done over 200
movies and he holds a record for committing more than 350 onscreen rapes.
Truly Bollywood has got a wide variety of
villains right from desi to vilayati! Desi being the infamous Gabbar Singh (portrayed
by Amjad Khan) from Sholay and vilayati….well, how can we forget the blonde
baddie Mogambo (Amrish Puri) from Mr.
India, who wears a shiny suit and carries a
stick in his hand. He also has the copyright
to this very dialogue, “Mogambo khush
hua!” Apart from him, another interesting
vilayati villain is the suave Ajit who talks
in a certain accent in all of his films. One
of his most memorable roles was Seth Din
Dayal aka Lion from Kalicharan and here
goes what he said, “Saara sheher mujhe
Lion ke naam se jaanta hai.”While these
villains were being categorized, there were
some who decided to erase this line of difference like Shakaal played by Kulbhushan
Kharbanda in Shaan, a desi villain who is
a copy (or inspired by, like they call it here)
of Blofeld, a James Bond supervillain.
Since we talk so much about gender
equality now a days, let’s move on to the
vicious women of Bollywood movies aka
Gabbar
the vamps. Lalita Pawar is the most significant in this list. She is the stereotypical
evil mother-in-law of Bollywood who is a
prodigy in kitchen politics and torturing
the heroine. Shashikala, an award winning
vamp appeared in movies like Tarachand
Barjatya’s Arati, but she also did positive
roles in other movies like Khoobsurat.
Bindu was not just the bold seductress of
Bollywood films, but a great dancer who
did cabaret numbers too. She rose to fame
with the movies, Ittefaq and Do Raaste.
It’s not really that bad to play a villain in
the movies as it will not just boost up an
actor’s career but will also project them
as an adaptable and accomplished artist.
This was proved right by superstars like
Shah Rukh Khan, Vinod Khanna, Priyanka Chopra and Vidya Balan. The king of
romance of Bollywood - Shah Rukh Khan,
played the role of a psychopath lover in
At Their ‘Regional’ best !
Cinema is more than just Bollywood and Hollywood, so we took to
exploring the underdog cinema worlds.
Our Indian Cinema harbors a vast history in the world as it’s not only the Bollywood and Tollywood which mould Indian Cinema
but also the small – scale regional film industries namely -Dhollywood, Pollywood, Mollywood, Sollywood which outline Indian
Cinema. But as the crest of Indian Cinema is Bollywood, people rarely recognize regional cinema. Made with shoe-string budgets,
amateur crew, make-shift arrangements, cast among the crowd and bizarre improvisations, these movies still manage to do a good
job of fabricating a certain kind of target audience and accomplish their passion to produce a movie but fail to establish limelight for
themselves. There are certain Regional Film Industries which are worth prominence.
Mogambo
Darr and Anjaam which fetched him a
Filmfare award for best villain. Priyanka
essayed the role of a villain in the films
Aitraaz and 7 Khoon Maaf. While Vinod
Khanna was in a negative role in the films
Aan Milo Sajna and Parvarish, to name a
few.
Like it is said, a Bollywood mainstream
movie won’t be complete without a villain.
The protagonist can’t exist and be the hero
without the presence of an antagonist.
The hero’s life would be meaningless and
the film would be pointless without them.
Even with their wicked confidence and demeanor, they managed to remain etched
in their audience’s hearts for years and decades as they narrate the stories of these
villains to their children and grandchildren whenever that actor is mentioned.
kancha
cheena
Mollywood (Malegaon movies)
Being shot by a VHS camera, with a very
low budget and lack of skills, these movies
surely do a spectacular job to be talked
about in the New York Times. That’s Right!
Malegaon ka Superman was a smashing
hit. Also, the documentary made on the
making of the film won multiple awards.
Unlike other regional cinema, Mollywood
acquires an ace response and the
producers benefit from it too. With a
budget this acute, they still manage
to earn around 2 lakhs, but they lack
resources enormously – No good bunch
of actors; the cinematographer is the
wedding videographer residing in the
“Low Budget,
Big Money.”
village, the props or location used lies in
the premises of the village. Because of the
society’s conservative nature, the female
population of Malegaon is not allowed to
act, so actresses are called from Mumbai
and paid Rs.1500 per day. Working on
a tight budget also implies optimum
utilization of resources. A tracking shot
is canned by mounting the camera on a
cycle’s seat with extra padding to ensure
a jerk-free shot. A crane shot, on the other
hand, is taken with the aid of a bullock
cart minus the bullock. The actors work
part time, and during the day they sell
vegetables or work in a factory.
The movies made are mostly spoofs of
both Hollywood and Bollywood movies.
“What have we copied? Can’t we keep blue
dress and red cape? Location isn’t same,
the artist isn’t same, the story either isn’t
same, I don’t think I am copying anything,
I am just using the concept with an Indian
touch” says Nazir Shaikh - the director
of Malegaon ka Superman when asked
about why they duplicate work of other
established industries.
Sollywood (Sindhi Cinema)
“To promote and preserve Sindhi culture
and heritage is the main motto of Sindhi
Movies” says the Director of ‘Fatho aa
Bhagwan’, Paresh Jhamnani.
Sindhi cinema is almost 75 years old and
yet unfamiliar to many. They first began
with ‘Ekta’ in the year 1940 by Homi Wadia
- India’s prolific and oldest film director
and producer from Bollywood. Sindhi
movies are not necessarily chuckle-some
or spoofs, instead they are furthermore
moral intended and depicting family
cultural values. Faatho Aah Bhagwaan
(FAB), released in 2013, screened only in
Ulhasnagar, was a success despite stiff
“Art Matters”
competition from Ayan Mukerji’s Yeh
Jawaani Hai Deewani. This was like a
milestone for Sindhi Cinema.
Made with a low budget or sponsored
by the Elites or Municipal corporate of
the area, the film doesn’t even get return
costs; the sponsors ask for free passes to
market the movie. Sindhi Spoofs are well
known in their market which are either
remakes or inspired by Bollywood. Sindhi
Sholay, Sindhi Devdas are few of them.
Sindhi PK is new and soon to be released.
The most well liked movie which can
moisten the eyes of even a 90 year old
in Sindhi community is Abana (Maternal
home); the story depicts a girl who has
to abandon her maternal home after
marriage and what woes she faces.
Aagri Cinema
Aagri Movies are made by people from
Aagri Samaj, who reside in coastal towns
and villages of Thane and Mumbai. The
idea of making regional Aagri movies
contrived because farmers couldn’t
afford watching Bollywood movies and
the masses couldn’t understand Hindi. As
the majority belonged to a low class, they
faintly had budget to produce a movie
with whatever available.
“We do not have great technology and we
believe technology should not be a barrier.
We mostly shoot the entire film on digital
camera as we do not have funds to spend
in technology” said Dhondhoba,
“Aagri Culture”
the director of most of Aagri movies.
Also the movies are mostly inspired by
Bollywood or Hollywood as they don’t
have exceptional actors and very few are
literate enough to understand. Even if
the makers have an untypical concept,
it faces execution hurdles due to scarcity
of resources. However, they continue
to make movies since their community
appreciates it, and can relate to the issues
as exhibited in the movies, withal the
language is their mother tongue. To aid
their talent they have started uploading it
on YouTube to reach more people of their
community. As of which, the production
of movies have started on a larger scale in
recent years.
Thus even with the shoestring budget,
poor
resource,
unusual
shooting
techniques, atypical artists, and a narrow
target audience, these movies are gaining
popularity because of YouTube, social
platforms and other sources. This should
be the inspiration for the contemporary
society as to how these slightly educated
with no training and zero resource
communities are emerging with such
prodigious outputs.
Japanese Comic Rage
We talk about the growing popularity of Manga, aesthetics of the art
form and Cosplay!
He was twelve when he first saved an eight year old boy from drowning. He is a brave heart in true sense, who saved many lives
and gave many a hope of a second chance in their lives, in the passing years. Rajaram Joshi, a common fisherman from Vashi gaon
became extraordinary with his fearless spirit and noble deeds. SAW TEAM was indeed glad to have a tete-a-tete with Mr. Rajaram Joshi,
a hero in true sense.
When did you made your first attempt to save someone from drowning ?
I was twelve when I saved an eight year old boy from drowning in a local pond. It happened accidently the boy was making an attempt
to swim.
When did you decided to take up this noble task as your profession?
I decided to take up this as a profession four years ago and for me more than a profession this is a free service to humanity and society.
Till date I have saved 23 people alive and pulled out 18 dead bodies. Maximum of them belonged to 20 - 35 years of age group.
What is your immediate step after removing a drowned person?
I mainly work with the fire brigade department in rescuing a person from drowning and at times in removing dead bodies of the
drowned. If I save someone or find a dead body I immediately inform the Police about it and I am really thankful to them for their
cooperation which encourages me to continue this noble task.
In which ways do you want the government to help you in carrying forward this noble cause?
I have already requested the government to help me by providing with two speed boats so that I can rescue people efficiently and save
maximum people from losing their lives.
What message would you like to give to the people who take up the drastic step of ending their lives?
I would just like to say that up’s and down’s are part of every one’s life do not end you all you need to do is see them in a different way.
favourite manga character and represent
them and this is commonly known as
cosplay viz a portmanteau of the words
costume and play. Cosplay events are
the main features of fan conventions
such as a Comic Con, which takes
place all over the world. Some of
the most popular manga series
are Pokémon, Bleach, Maid
Sama, Naruto, Inuyasha,
Fantasy, Death Note,
Nodame Cantabile, The
Space Brothers and so
on. These manga book
series have been adapted
into animated tv serials and
garnered popularity from diverse corners of the world.
Manga is nothing more than those extreme sides of the spectrum,
but yet manga is incredibly diverse and there is a whole manga
title out there to meet any reader’s interest.
Sketches by Akshata Giri
TEAM SAW
Manga is a Japanese word referring both to comics and
cartooning. “Manga” as a term used outside Japan refers
specifically to comics originally published in Japan. Manga
books are typically printed in black and white, though colourful
manga comic series also exist. This is done in order to draw more
attention and appeal to the new audience.
Manga is heavily infused by the Japanese culture and traditions.
It is created in the lands of Japan and hence they have a different
style of drawing the Manga characters called Anime. Anime
are Japanese animations which are hand drawn or computer
animations.
Anime is a diverse art form with distinctive production methods
that have been adapted over time. The production of anime
focuses less on the animation of movement and more on the
realism of settings and the use of camera effects. These drawings
deviate from the generic comical drawings on a very basic level.
The girls in the Manga comics are tall and slender whereas, the
guys have a strong jaw line and unrealistic hair of every colour
possible. For instance, the face, nose, eyes and lips are not drawn
using a realistic point of view. The eyes are comparatively bigger,
the nose and lips are ridiculously smaller.
Manga isn’t a genre, as much as it is a format. Just like there
are tonnes of different genres within comics, there are just as
many genres of Manga. More than genres, these are labels for the
intended audience. Manga cartoons and comics come in several
different styles, geared towards different audiences that range
from young to the old. Like western comics, manga can be about
anything from historical fantasy, superheroes, action-adventure,
comedy, detective, historical drama, horror, mystery, romance,
science fiction and fantasy, games, sports and suspense.
Manga does have a very specific and unique approach to it.
Coming from the Japanese art, it has its own style of reading too.
It is read from right to the left which is a Japanese way of writing
and reading. Ardent manga/anime fans self-identify themselves
as Otaku. Otaku is a Japanese term for the people who are
obsessed with manga comics and anime. It is a subculture as well
as a central theme for various anime and manga works. Manga
has also been translated in many other languages apart from
English, and the fandom has
been growing rapidly.
In India, the youth have been
highly influenced by the
Japanese culture and have
been drawn towards Anime
and Manga books.
They’ve become a part of the
Otaku community and have
started taking up anime
drawing. The trend of
drawing anime has
been increasing ever
since tutorial videos
on how to draw
anime characters got
introduced with the
digital age. Often
people wear costumes
and accessories of their
The Gateway To
Recognition
Read about the faces that went unappreciated and
why they deserve an applause.
Book, a fodder for ferocious readers, reaps many characters in order to create an enchanted world brimming with different
personalities. Every character as the protagonist, a mere supporting cast or the antagonist, breathes through the words written by an
author, but all have a crucial essence towards the completion of the story. Everybody marvels at the presence of a humble yet heroic,
short-lived yet moral-enriched protagonist who often steals the show and leads the plot. But how many of us pay heed to the supporting cast without whom the protagonist would only deal with his own insanity? The unsung heroes deserve as much adulation as the
leads and we’ll find out why!
Professor Severes Snape (Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling)
Professor Snape, the Half Blood Price, was the most intriguing character in this particular series yet barely made it to
the movie posters. Though this particular character was nothing
less than a multifaceted gem, all potterheads despised him religiously until the very end.
It was he who informed Voldemort about the Prophecy and with
his death he also ensured the end of the dark lord. That is to say,
the actual vicious circle of Harry Potter saw its inception and end
at his doorstep.
A misunderstood character with a golden heart dedicated his entire life to protect the primary protagonist, Harry Potter. He was
as important as wise Dumbledore, braver than any other character, and yet was left diluted amidst the recognised protagonists.
Natalie Prior (Divergent by Veronica Roth)
When it comes to Divergent, Four and Beatrice always
take the centre stage. Sure they lead the series but we can’t be
ignorant about the contribution of Dauntless turned Abnegation
mother of the protagonist Beatrice who chips in and projects a
strong maternal lead.
In the entire series she only lives through the first book and lies
on the death bed by the end of it as a repercussion of keeping her
daughter from the occurrence of the same. But unfortunately her
character is not given as much essence and she too gets stranded
in the very crowd of unsung heroes. That she ensured the existence of one of the leads is reason enough why we applaud her
heroic charms!
Mrs. Bennet (Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen)
“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man
in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife” and a
mother who is unfortunately aware of the same will chase such
an expensive man down the lane until she ends up engaging her
daughter to him in a wedlock and breathing a sigh of relief. If one
can describe Mrs. Bennet any better than this, he/she might as
well be the reincarnation of Jane Austen herself.
Imagining Pride and Prejudice without Mrs. Bennet doesn’t do
justice to the story. “Just Tolerable” Elizabeth would never stroll
into the life of the owner of Derbyshire’s “miserable half”, Mr. Darcy without her savage and nerve-wrecking mother Mrs. Bennet.
This classic love story that finds a special place in the heart of every reader wouldn’t have actually been conceived if it weren’t for
Mrs. Bennet who persistently insisted on her female off springs to
get acquainted with such expensive men.
Crystal Merchant (Alchemist by Paulo Coelho)
Santiago, the protagonist in search of his fortune loses
every remaining sheep that he possessed and we all know about
him and his coveted journey. But we fail to recognize the crystal
merchant who was his beacon of light navigating him through the
pricking path. The leads aren’t as much talked about as the crystal merchant, but the wall of fame speaks otherwise.
Throughout the story we run into the character a couple of times.
A stagnant character afraid to take any risk learns how important it is to challenge the norms of basic life. The Crystal Merchant
played a role of a mother hen who helped the protagonist to construct a new beginning to achieve his dream.
These intriguing yet charming characters, though didn’t share equal stardom with the protagonists, surely did strike the strings at the
reader’s heart. We may have neglected their presence but deep down we haven’t been naïve to completely look past them, for they
have given us valid reasons to believe and fall in love with the protagonists and the plot, impossible in their absence. Kudos to such
marvels and open doors for more to come!
Forgotten
Comic Books
Being a kid born in the 90s, I had the opportunity to read many comic books during my school days.
The school library would always possess the magic of imagination and joy in form of Comic Books. But with
the craze of electronics and technology increasing immensely, there’s very little room for your imagination
to spread. Today unfortunately children merely think of Comics as ‘Books with a lot of pictures in it’. As of
today, the only comic books flying off their shelves are about famous Superheroes who have movies based
on them too. But amidst all this, where have the classics vanished? So let’s recollect and shine some light on
those comic books which were on every child’s reading list.
2. Chacha Chaudhary
Chacha Chaudhary has been one of the best Indian Comics that had the essence of humour and
Indian Culture in it. A reader wishes for a hero,
adventure, crime case, something to tickle
your funny bone and this comic had all of
these elements. Chacha Chaudhary had
everything to grab your attention and to
make you love him and his antics.
3. Archie Comics
Everyone who read this comic wanted
to be like Archie Andrews and his friends.
This is a typical teenage romantic-comedy based on high school students. The
comic sometimes took a turn towards science-fiction and horror too. Betty, Veronica and Jughead were the kind of characters you wished you were friends with.
4. The Adventures of Tin Tin
The hit TV series in the early 90s also
adapted into a film in the year 2011, The Adventures of Tin Tin was a mega hit. The comic was well
written which was then featured in a digital form
which enthralled the audience.
5. Tinkle Digest
The good old tinkle has completed 35 years and has consistently been successful in India. A light hearted digest with many
characters consists of stories filled with many twists and turns.
The simple earthy characters such as Suppandi, Shikari Shambhu, Kalia - The Crow, Tantri the Mantri and many others are to
ogle at in these comics.
6. Blade
This particular comic seemed to have faded. It makes chills run
down your spine. A vampire hunter with a disturbing back story becomes the knight in shining armour and saves the “night”.
This is a must read marvel comic for readers who like the action/
horror genre.
Though these are just a few, comic books are a great source of
entertainment. At Least better than television
and computer games. It gives you the freedom to imagine the story in your way but
this medium is slowly growing apart due
to their movie adaption and television series. And as great people have said “LEARN
TO IMAGINE” and this is exactly what
comics have taught us.
Remember what Carl Sagan said “Imagination will often carry us to worlds that
never were. But without it we go
nowhere.”
Sketche by Sarthak Mhatre
1. The Phantom
Remember the vigilante dressed in purple? Everybody knows
about Superman and how he became a superhero and same
goes for Batman. But very few know about the guy named Phantom who led a creepy yet heroic life. This is not just any book
with pictures but it is filled with adventure, mystery and suspense.
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