Special Report
Toons liven up cricket fiesta
Sports channels have realised that sport and animated characters make for a heady combination when it comes to the bat and ball game.
Max got the ball rolling with its `Tiger‘ animation. This was done in conjunction with 2nZ Animation in the ICC mini World Cup in Sri Lanka last September and the recently conducted World Cup in South Africa. The sight of the tiger hopping on one leg after a batsman is given out leg before defies description! Taking a cue from this was ESPN Star Sports who decided to have not one but four characters. The broadcaster formed an alliance with Hyderabad-based Colour Chips India for the recent Dhaka tri-nation series.
Of course kids channel Cartoon Network played a major part in the relationship between cricket and cartoon characters with its invigorating Summer initative Toon Cricket. Fans got to see Tom, Jerry and the gang battle it out.
As far as the animated characters we see onscreen are concerned 2nZ Animation Co. executive producer and business head Marvin Fernandez said, "Animation has now gained importance, reflected in the fact that ESPN has also done character animations, because of its ability to enhance the value of the cricket broadcast without taking anything away from the cricket itself. Besides this, it also has the ability to focus on certain target audiences and further localisation, depending on individual channel needs." 2nZ is a division of Climb Media India Private Limited.
So what has contributed to the emergence of animation in advertising and television? Fernandez feels it is a combination of factors such as influence of characters from the western region and developments in the Indian animation industry. "It can be attributed to emergence of foreign cartoon channels, more local animation which is a result of greater availability of necessary skills and resources (more studios and trained animators), and greater understanding of the potential uses of animation by advertising agencies and advertising film producers."
Creative director of Mumbai-based Famous House of Animation E. Suresh points out that the usage of animation in cricket was also done way back in 1985. "It is very interesting to see this kind of usage coming back. As far as I remember in 1985 or something they had used animation for the first time during the live coverage of Benson & Hedges Cup Held in Australia. I really liked the animation used for the last world cup and I can see a lot better animation scopes for these," he says. Suresh‘s team has worked with Novartis, Kelloggs, MTV, Channel V and Nickelodeon channel US among the others.
So how does usage of techniques such as clay animation, used by Famous House of Animation in recent television commercials such as Top Ramen Noodle advertisement, helps in differentiating? "It is a major visual relief while watching a serious match. Some amount of light air being created while watching a serious match. Also it helps identify the events like a wicket fall or a four or a six, as they come out clear breaking clutter (visually). These characters somehow relate more closely to the real human characters. So viewers do not distance themselves away taking them as cartoons and unreal. It is working very well as it cuts across the visual clutter of the glossy live programmes on television networks," says Suresh.
RKSwamy BBDO Advertising manager-media development, Gowri Arun made the following remarks, "Animation as a tool for communication in my opinion has not been fully exploited here. Animation can help in better recall, has better flexibility. Especially the usage of animation in live shows like cricket is cost effective and is non-invasive, in the sense that the viewer may not switch channels and the it is a fun to watch animated cartoons moving up and down the screen." .
"Brand building is easier especially with no dependence on celebrities. The cartoon character is by itself a celebrity. For instance take Calvin and Hobbes (It is my favourite cartoon). Calvin is the kid with very mature ideas portrayed in a simple manner. There is a difference between Denis and Calvin which is distinct. Same principle applies for products too. Coke can have an animation that drives home the point that it has more fizz and is easy to play with to produce diff. campaigns. As for the technical aspect on production of animated films, it has considerably improved. For example despite a full fledged serial on Mahabharata that ran in TV the animated version of Pandavas (by Pentamedia) also was interesting to watch."
On its part, ESS‘ characters portray the diversified culture of India as they belong to various cities across the country. The four characters are: `Anda Bhai‘ from Hyderabad, `Gilli Swamy‘ from Kochi , `Yogi‘ from Patna and `Runjeet Singh‘ from Jullundhar. According to the country‘s leading sports channel, "These four animated characters embody the spirit of the quintessential cricket fan – passionate with a capital ‘P‘, as they laugh and cry with the viewers through each match. All four are proudly Indian cricket fanatics . And because of what they are, they will help us in our ever increasing efforts to relate to our markets."
*The quality of live coverage is enhanced through usage of animation and graphics in overall packaging and identity including the score cards and also use of characters to enhance events/ cricket situations (like the tiger). Suresh feels the operations of animation studios hasn‘t changed much though the attitude of clients towards animation is getting positive. "In animation studios there is always a demand for "more creativity per project". It may also be because animation as a medium cannot be explained to neither the clients nor the animation artists unless pre-visualised. (Or created in the mind). So always we have to be in the look out for newer and versatile medium as well as looks."
"The animation awareness has improved and clients are accepting animation as a possible option to tell their brand and product stories. Since TV exposes a lot of these medium on air all the clients also understand readily what we are talking about. Also it helps us to site examples from the TV Programs to give our clients a clearer picture," says Suresh.
With use of animation gaining popularity, the mood is upbeat among the animators. "The `tiger‘ created the perception that Indian animation is now world class. This is only the beginning of some even more exciting animation products from 2nz Animation Co," says Fernandez. "It will only get better, with more and more new looks getting introduced like clay animation/stop motion etc," says a confident Suresh.
MUMBAI: Some friendships are made in heaven; others are coded in Mumbai. Hamara Vinayak, the first-ever digital original from Siddharth Kumar Tewary’s Swastik Stories, turns the divine into the delightful, serving up a story that’s equal parts start-up hustle and spiritual hustle.
Some tech start-ups chase unicorns. This one already has a god on board. Hamara Vinayak takes the leap from temple bells to notification pings and it does so with heart, humour and a healthy dose of the divine.
At its core, the show asks a simple but audacious question: what if God wasn’t up there, but right beside you, maybe even debugging your life over a cup of chai?
The show’s tagline, “God isn’t distant… He’s your closest friend” perfectly captures its quirky soul. Across its first two episodes, screened exclusively for media in Mumbai, the series proves that enlightenment can come with a good punchline.
The series follows a group of ambitious young entrepreneurs running a Mumbai-based tech start-up that lets people around the world book exclusive virtual poojas at India’s most revered shrines. But as their app grows, so do their ethical grey zones. Into this chaos walks Vinayak, played with soulful serenity and sly wit by the charming Namit Das, a young man whose calm smile hides something celestial.
He’s got the peaceful look of a saint but the wit of someone who could out-think your favourite stand-up comic. Around him spins a crew of dream-driven youngsters – Luv Vispute, Arnav Bhasin, Vaidehi Nair and Saloni Daini who run a Mumbai-based tech start-up offering devotees across the world the chance to book “exclusive” poojas at India’s most sacred shrines. It’s a business plan that blends belief and broadband – and, as the story unfolds, also tests the moral compass of its ambitious founders.
“The first time I read the script, I found the character very pretty,” Namit joked at the post-screening interaction. “It’s a beautiful thought that God isn’t distant, he’s your closest friend. And playing Vinayak, you feel that calm but also his cleverness. He’s the friend who makes you think.”
The reactions to the series ranged from smiles to sighs of wonder. Viewers were charmed by the show’s sincerity and sparkle, a quality that stems from its creator’s belief that faith can be funny without being frivolous.
Among the cast, Luv Vispute shines brightest, his comic timing adding sparkle to the show’s more reflective beats. But what keeps Hamara Vinayak engaging is the easy rhythm of its writing – one moment touching, the next teasing, always gently reminding us that spirituality doesn’t have to be solemn.
Luv spoke fondly of his long association with Swastik. “Since my first show was with Swastik, this feels like home,” he said. “Every project with them is positive, feel-good, and this one just had such a different vibe. I truly feel blessed.”
Saloni Daini, who brings infectious warmth to her role, added that she signed up the moment she heard the show was about “Bappa.”
“We shot during the Ganpati festival,” she recalled. “The energy on set was incredible festive, faithful, and full of laughter. It’s such a relatable story for our generation: chaos, friendship, love, kindness, and faith all mixed together.”
Vaidehi Nair and Arnav Bhasin complete the ensemble, each representing different shades of ambition and morality in the start-up’s journey. Their camaraderie is easy and believable, a testament to how much the cast connected off-screen as well.
This clever fusion of mythology and modernity plays to India’s two enduring loves, entertainment and faith. Mythology has long been the comfort zone of Indian storytellers, from the televised epics of the 1980s to the glossy remakes that still command prime-time TRPs. For decades, gods have been our most bankable heroes. But Hamara Vinayak tweaks the formula not by preaching, but by laughing with its characters, and sometimes, at their confusion about where divinity ends and data begins.
Creator Siddharth Kumar Tewary, long hailed as Indian television’s myth-maker for shows like Mahabharat, Radha Krishn and Porus, explained the show’s intent with characteristic clarity, “This is our first story where we are talking directly to the audience, not through a platform,” he said. “We wanted to connect young people with our culture to say that God isn’t someone you only worship; He’s your friend, walking beside you, even when you take the wrong path. The story may be simple, but the thought is big.”
That blend of philosophy and playfulness runs through the show. “We had to keep asking ourselves why we’re doing this,” Tewary added. “It’s tricky to make something positive and spiritual for the OTT audience, they’ve changed, they want nuance, not sermons. But when the purpose is clear, everything else aligns.”
For the creator of some of Indian TV’s most lavish spectacles, Hamara Vinayak marks a refreshing tonal shift. Here, Tewary trades celestial kingdoms for co-working spaces and cosmic battles for office banter. Yet his signature remains: an eye for allegory, a love for faith-infused storytelling, and an understanding that belief is most powerful when it feels personal.
Hamara Vinayak, after all, feels less like a sermon and more like a conversation over chai about what success means, what faith costs, and why even the gods might be rooting for a start-up’s Series A round.
As Namit Das reflected during the Q&A, “Life gives us many magical, divine moments we just forget to notice them. Sometimes even through a phone screen, you see something that redirects you. That’s a Vinayak moment.”
The series also mirrors a larger cultural pivot. As audiences migrate from television to OTT, myth-inspired tales are finding new form and flexibility online. The digital screen lets creators like Tewary reinvent the genre, giving ancient ideas a modern interface, without losing the emotional charge that’s made mythology India’s storytelling backbone for decades.
In a country where faith trends faster than any hashtag, Hamara Vinayak feels both familiar and refreshingly new, a comedy that’s blessed with heart, humour and just enough philosophy to keep the binge holy.
For a country where mythology remains the oldest streaming service, Tewary’s move from TV to OTT feels both natural and necessary. Indian storytellers have always turned to gods for drama, guidance and TRPs from Ramayan and Mahabharat on Doordarshan to glossy mytho-dramas on prime time. But digital platforms allow creators to remix reverence with realism, and in Hamara Vinayak, faith gets an interface upgrade.
The result is a show that feels like a warm chat with destiny, part comedy, part contemplation. And in an age of cynicism, that’s no small miracle.
As Tewary put it, smiling at his cast, “The message had to be positive. We just wanted to remind people that even in chaos, God hasn’t unfriended you.”
With 5 episodes planned, Hamara Vinayak promises to keep walking that fine line between laughter and light. It’s mythology with memes, devotion with dialogue, and a digital-age reminder that even the cloud has a silver lining or perhaps, a divine one.
If the first two episodes are any sign, the show doesn’t just bridge heaven and earth, it gives both a Wi-Fi connection.
