IPL provokes more 'animated' action

The Indian Premier League may be the focus of considerable controversy over ownership and tax issues, but its heady mixture of cricket and Bollywood has kept the fans undaunted. Cashing in on this unflagging popularity are Miami-based animation film maker Motion Pixel Corporation and sports marketing company Cornerstone Entertainment, which have tied up to produce Captain India, India’s IPL-based animation movie in which Yuvraj Singh will play the voice-over for the super-action hero. Pravda Godbole spoke to Motion Pixel’s Chairman Manny Bains on what the film is all about. Edited excerpts:

What does this joint venture imply?
It is more a partnership than a joint venture, for which Cornerstone is providing the talent for the film and Motion Pixel Corporation (MPC) is doing all the production and distribution. We’ll work jointly on marketing and merchandising.

Why Yuvraj Singh?
Without giving too much away, the movie is about a boy whose dream is to play cricket but he can’t afford a bat. Ultimately, he discovers one that gives him magical powers. Captain India has the excitement of cricket action, crime-fighting and super-hero action all rolled into one. Yuvraj Singh as one of India’s cricket super-stars embodies all the characteristics of a superhero. He is a leader, strong, humble, caring, honest and has all the traits that we felt make him perfect for the project.

Where will the movie be developed?
The movie will be developed by Motion Pixels exclusively. We are a US company and all animation is done at our studios. Voice-over capabilities will be taken care of in the US, though we will get Yuvraj to dub in India.

What release date are you looking at?
We are hoping to release the movie soon after the 2011 World Cup, but a lot of that has to do with how quickly we can churn this out. Typical animated movies take 20 months to complete.

Any other characters in the movie that deserve a mention?
There are lots of other characters in the movie, we’ll be releasing a synopsis early next month, but the characters include: the hero’s best friend and dog Ludo, his father Balbir and mother, the bad guy Kala Haat and many others like Veer, Asha, Pravent and Raghu.

Which actors have signed up for these roles?
I don’t think anyone has been signed up so far. We cannot say anything at this moment.

What kind of investment would this movie entail?
The film’s budget will be close to $8 million (around Rs 36 crore). The film is also going to be made in 3D. It is going to be a unique treat for movie goers because it will combine the feel and style of Kung Fu Panda and The Incredibles.

What other projects are you working on?
We have several films in production including a completed film that was done in partnership with Pritish Nandy on EKEH v2.0, which will be in theatres soon. There’s also a film that we are in final post production for called KICK, which is a soccer film for the World Cup. Several other super-hero animations are set to begin production in the coming year.

Will the movie see a multiplex release?
Yes, the movie will have a theatrical release followed by home entertainment, but the goal is a long theatrical release worldwide.

Who has the distribution rights?
Distribution rights are owned by Motion Pixels in partnership with Cornerstone Entertainment. Many parties are already interested in distribution worldwide. It is too early to name them, but I can confirm that they are big names.