The Artistry of Animation: Spotlight on Pakistan’s Thriving Studio
Pakistan’s animation industry has been slowly gaining the spotlight it deserves, through their humble
beginnings from animated cartoons like our childhood classics, Commander Safeguard and later on Burqa Avenger.
Animation Studios in Pakistan, are undergoing a gradual renaissance of sorts, though much needs to be
covered in the long haul to cement the spotlight. Here in this blog, we’ll ponder over some of Pakistan’s thriving
animation studios.
The Recent Classics – Insights from the PiFF
In celebration of much of Pakistani animation studio’s efforts and classics, the Pakistani International Film
Festival (PiFF) featured the recent classics from Talisman Animation Studio such as Donkey King, Allahyar and the
Legend of Markhor, Quaid Say Baatein, 3 Bahadur (akathe Three Braves).
Pakistani animation studios have shown much tremendous progress and have begot some marvellous
children and family-friendly animation films, focusing on family, culture and national identity, social aspects and of
course what animations strive for…. The celebration of nature and human life.
The Pakistani animation studios that churned out such animated films and series follow relatively similar
graphics design and animation tools as the other. This is unprecedented for the Pakistani film industry as something
being more of a fresh content in light of the typical drama serials and movies.
Though staunch critics have pointed out genericity and subtle political messages across animated films
such as Donkey King from Talisman Animation or Quaid Say Baatein from Wakhra Studios. Though, it seems to be
an exception amongst the other in its political message.
Donkey King, has whatsoever grossed Rs. 250mn/- at the box office and proven to be very lucrative for
Talisman animation. Content relayed has been said to be key factor that not only engaged children but attempted to
“democratise animation genres”, as the founder, Aziz Jindani adds.
Noveau Artiste (New Artists) – Newcomers and Innovators
Like Usman Riaz’s animation are enticing and alluring for many Japanese anime subculture enthusiasts in Pakistan.
Surely, the idea of a Pakistani version of the Grave of Fireflies sounds engaging to most teens in the country.
Usman Riaz’s Glassworker reflects some of the new styles that are prevailing in the silent transformation of
Pakistan’s animation studio which is relatively almost unbeknownst to the country’s older population segments and
early Millenials.
Mano Animation, which Usman Riaz runs, is fashioning a desi Ghibli film centered around a glassworker
apprenric and a violinist virtuoso; featuring a love story. It appears that Ghibliesque animation styles are also finding
their way through the new animation studios in Pakistan.
Challenges and Making the most of Available Resources
Acquiring proper training and resources to make hand drawn animations is tedious and as Usman Riaz adds
requires enduring commitment in a resource-scarce industry. Training and skill set development remains an
unprecedented challenge for some beginning their careers across animation studios in Pakistan.
Though, the thriving atmosphere as evident from the PiFF 2019 suggests that skilled animators are setting
up shops across the country and have been leveraging their connections in the developed world economies to
establish certain footing.
Jindani, founder of Talisman Studios also notes that various animation projects face challenges other than
just technicalities and resources for animation studios in Pakistan. He says:
“At the end of the day, it’s about storytelling and appeal. As people closely associated with the
medium worldwide often point out; animation is perhaps more dependent on talent than other
media and graphic lines of work.”
Cinema and media have been facing economic crunches, where salaries have become less competitive and
meagre against other professions. This has proven detrimental to certain studios, impacting the thriving atmosphere
evident in the last decade across animation studios in Pakistan.
What to Expect for the Future of Pakistani Animation?
The future holds much promise for the artisans across animation studios in Pakistan, in that new as well as
classical hand-drawn animation is gaining popularity owing to its aesthetical touch. Though, by scale 3D animations
with tailored content for children and their families has been of much value to the Pakistani taste, and shall continue
to grow.