10 funny animated movies that convey knowledge about Indian culture and mythology
Visual media are extremely powerful. We learn from what we see, so it’s important to make sure little ones are watching meaningful content. And mythological dramas are a way to highlight the rich culture and traditions of India. Anime movies do a great job of delivering such content in an entertaining way.
As Independence Day is just around the corner, we’ve peeked into the beautiful world of animated shorts and feature films, and discovered a whole new realm of Indian treasures. From mythological tales told to social messaging via animation – these 10 Indian animated films are a wide range of brilliant creations.
Here is a list of animated films that will creatively help children learn about Indian mythology and culture:
1) Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama
Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama is a 1992 Indo-Japanese traditional anime film directed and produced by Yugo Sako and based on the Indian epic Ramayana. The original English version with Sanskrit songs was screened and released on home video under various names including Ramayana: The Legend of Prince Rama and Prince Warrior.
Ramayana is perhaps the best epic to teach children about good and evil. The film beautifully depicts the story from the birth of Lord Rama to his battle with the evil Ravana.
It was considered a top notch Japanese anime film, considering the time period it was released. The audience could feel the depth of the character in the animation, and the wide angles of the ancient cities made the visuals more stunning. The motion camera angle and precise direction are amazing and will make you feel like you’re inside the movie even if you’re not. The film won Best Animated Film of the Year at the 2000 Santa Clarita International Film Festival in the United States.
The film can be viewed on various YouTube channels.
2) Mahabharat
Released in 2013, this epic drama is considered one of Bollywood’s most expensive animated films. The film depicts the story of the legendary battle in an entertaining way. It is interesting to hear the voiceovers of popular stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Shatrughan Sinha, Sunny Deol, Anil Kapoor, Ajay Devgn and Vidya Balan among others. This movie is a must-watch for everyone because of its engaging content and thrilling depiction of events.
The Hindi computer-animated historical drama film is directed by Amaan Khan. Mahabharat is produced by Kushal Kantilal Gada and Dhaval Jayantilal Gada.
The entire film is available for free on the Pen Movies YouTube channel.
3) Arjun: The Warrior Prince
A collaboration between Walt Disney Animation Studio and UTV Pictures, Arjun: The Warrior Prince, is a mythological animated film chronicling the life of Arjun from his childhood to his heroic days. Directed by Arnab Chaudhuri, the action-packed film offers a complete experience, thanks to Visual Computing Labs’ brilliant aesthetic. It was a breakthrough feature film and the first Indian animated film to make the Oscar shortlist. It was also nominated for Best Feature at almost every prestigious international animation festival – Annecy, Holland, Ottawa – again a first for Indian animation.
And, although the 96-minute adventure strays from the from Mahabharata telling the story of Arjun, the artistic freedoms of the writer make it a whole new experience guaranteed to keep you captivated. Arjun: The Warrior Prince released in 2012 and is one of the greatest achievements of the Indian animation industry.
The film is available on Netflix.
4) Hanuman
Narrated by Mukesh Khanna (our beloved Shaktimaan), this film depicts the life of Lord Hanuman from birth. It’s fascinating for children to see Hanuman’s innocent misdeeds as he uses his divine powers to harass the Saints. The film also shows how the monkey god used his wits and abilities to rescue the goddess Sita from Ravana’s imprisonment.
Hanuman was released in 2005 and is directed by VG Samant. The Indian animated feature is produced by Percept Picture Company and Silvertoons. It is India’s first fully-animated feature film released in theaters and was a box office success.
The full film is available on YouTube.
5) Krishna aur Kans
Hailed as India’s first stereoscopic animated film, Krishna aur Kans is a thrilling tale full of action and drama. The film chronicles Krishna’s early years – from his birth as a sworn enemy of his tyrannical uncle Kans, to his battle with deadly demons until he was 10 years old. This captivating film brings to life the various adventures and miracles of Krishna, in order to achieve his goal. on earth – to put an end to evil.
The film teaches a great lesson by showing the battle between Krishna and his evil uncle Kansa; and depicts that good always wins in the end. The Hindi flash animation film was released in 2012 and was produced and distributed by Reliance Entertainment. It was directed by Vikram Veturi.
You can watch the full movie on Amazon Prime Video.
6) Bal Ganesha
This animated musical film has many versions, which feature all the adventures of Lord Ganesha. The story brings together funny examples from Ganesha’s childhood, which makes it interesting to watch for children. It also introduces viewers to Mooshak (the mouse) who is Ganesha’s companion in all his misdeeds. Despite his youth, Ganesh fights the forces of evil and protects the world.
The animated characters of Bal Ganesha are emotional; excellent work done by the voiceover artists. They are still endearing throughout the movie as they indulge in their naughty antics. The movie is a great way to bring kids closer to the real hero, the Almighty! Bal Ganesha was released in 2007 and was directed by Pankaj Sharma.
You can watch the full movie on Amazon Prime Video.
seven) Tales of Lord Shiva
Created by Chotoonz, an online channel of Toonz Entertainment Company, Tales of Lord Shiva was made in two parts which were released in 2009. The animated film features a grandmother telling the many heroic stories of Lord Shiva to her grandchildren. This series of mythological films is a fine testimony to the art of storytelling.
The movie starts with the story of the great big marriage of Shiva and Parvati in the history of time. You can also see stunning visuals depicting the story of Hanuman, his birth and incidents from his childhood. The grandmother also shares the story of the famous fight between Lord Shiva and Brahma during the creation of mankind and is a delight to watch.
Both parts of the film are available on Dailymotion – Chotoonz’s channel.
8) Chaar Sahibzade
The Indo-Punjabi 3D animated historical drama film written and directed by Harry Baweja was released in 2014. It is based on the sacrifices of the sons of the tenth Sikh Guru Guru Gobind Singh – Sahibzada Ajit Singh, Jujhar Singh, Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh . Om Puri provided the narration for the film and it was also the highest grossing Punjabi film at the time of its release.
Chaar Sahibzade is a non-linearly narrated motion capture animated film. The design and creation of the animation along with its 3D effects are spectacular and every frame of the inspirational film is attractive and impressive. The music fits perfectly into the narrative and the background score enhances the viewing experience.
A sequel titled Chaar Sahibzaade: The Rise of Banda Singh Bahadur was released on November 11, 2016.
The full film is available on YouTube.
9) Akbar Birbal
For anyone who grew up reading about the witty exchanges between the great Emperor Akbar and his quick-witted minister Birbal, this film offers you a throwback to those fond childhood memories. Directed by Nitin Vijay Supekar, the iconic tales of Akbar and Birbal come to life on screen, despite being true in amateur animation. And the highlight of this movie is its beautifully crafted storyline and the nostalgia associated with every scene.
You can watch the entire film on YouTube.
ten) Pandavas: the five warriors
Pandavas: the five warriors is an excellent film in English, which tells the classic Indian tale of one of India’s greatest epics The Mahabharata. The story depicts the eternal fight between good and evil. It is the story of the five ‘Pandava’ brothers and their war against their cousins ’The Kauravas’. The epic conclusion to the battlefield of Kurukshetra is wonderfully filmed and the visuals will keep you glued to the screens.
The Hindu mythological animated film released in 2000 is directed by Usha Ganesh Raja and produced by Pentamedia Graphics. It is India’s first computer-animated film and won the National Film Award for Best English Language Feature. The film placed third at the Vancouver Effects & Animation Film Festival (2001) held in Canada.
You can watch the full movie on JioCinema.
~ Happy 75th Indian Independence!
