Punyakoti - Work In Progress - Introduction

August Update

Bank account details

Here is the current account details that we have opened for the transactions of the movie:

Account Name: Puppetica Media
Company Address: E-10, Industrial Estate, Guindy, Chennai 600032, India
Account Number: 000-000-6728-5964-950 (Dont put hyphens when entering)
Bank: State Bank of Travancore
Branch: Ashok Nagar, Chennai – 70988
Bank Address: Gth B & C, 12th Avenue, Ashok Nagar, Chennai 600083, India
IFSC Code: SBTR0000988
MICR No.: 600009029
SWIFT Code: SBTRINBBFED or SBTRINBB988

Donate through Paypal for Punyakoti

Many of you have asked if you can pay through PayPal. It is possible. You can donate multiples of USD 10 through Payal for Punyakoti. Please click on the button below to do so:

Thank you for your support.

Punyakoti - A Sanskrit Animated Movie - Teaser

The Better India Portal Article

The Better India Portal covers Punyakoti

Here is the link - feeling humbled...

www.thebetterindia.com/25774/india-first-sanskrit-film-will-have-30-animators-ilaiyaraaja-music/

Concept Art by Rakesh

As the grass on the banks of Kaveri dry up, a worried Kaalinga decides to look for new pastures...

The Core Team

Really privileged to be working with these great talent - I thank god for the people he made me meet for this movie. My life has certainly expanded.

May Progress of various scenes

Raaja Sir requesting fans to support Punyakoti

Thai Piranthal Vazhi Pirukkum

There is a saying in Tamil that says that "once Spring comes, new avenues will opn up" - the month of May was like that. Characters got made. We got one more storyboard artist. We got a Layout Artist. And now a mail from a Sound Designer. The project is attracting talent. In May, we completed the dialogues of the movie (first cut). With my impending travel to Paris, next week - I am hoping to connect with a few Indian there as well. And am more eagerly awaiting the week after when I am in Trivandrum to connect with the core team. May was hectic but the progress is pleasing. And the giant shift in the social media presence. We almost garnered a 1000 likes in this month. And I just noticed in Twitter, that there is so much activity including an 'All the best' from Subramniam Swamy.

A LIKE for Punyakoti

One year back – a few of us got this crazy idea of making a crowdsourced animated Sanskrit movie and a music album by Sri. Ilaiyaraaja. We had no idea that in a year, it will get us, this kind of media attention and support from the creative community within and outside Infosys. In a unique model, we made Punyakoti an open project and divided the movie into 30 segments and asked leading animators/budding directors to visualize a scene each. Almost 20 of it now have leading animators working on it. I was asked to present the model  around the world and received positive feedback and support from the faculty at IIT-B, Art Institute of Atlanta and Stanford. Things I would have never imagined before.

We are now relaunching the website and the project has been selected by Wishberry to run a crowdfunding campaign to complete the animatics and the album for the movie. This will be one of the largest fund raising campaign in India for an animated movie. I need your support to create a social media buzz. I have a humble request. Do LIKE the FB page, if you have not done so already and also ask your friends to LIKE the page. Tweet about the campaign in your circles. Continue to comment and share posts.

This has been one of the biggest personal risks I have taken in my life. But my primary motivation was to create a platform for the budding creative community in the country. Please share this with other creative groups as well that may be interested as I do not have permission to post into some groups. Looking forward to your continuing support, suggestions and feedback.

Get Ready to Support us on Wishberry (www.wishberry.in)

Loved this...

Storyboards

The first few storyboards of this month have come in. I love the one where the majestic cow is introduced (0103). Thanks Anoop.

Progress of various scenes in Punyakoti - A status update

Thanks for everyone who supported us financially and with talent to make progress on various scenes in the movie. Now that the train has left the station, the journey is going to be exciting...

The example of Ganga by Chamu Krishna Shastry

Ganga starts as a small trickle. She never delves into her smallness nor question her ability to reach her destination - the faraway sea. She just keep moving forward. Along the way, she collects others like the Yamuna into her flow. She never changes her course nor lose sight of her vision. She continues to retain her original character as well, so when Yamuna merges with Ganga. Yamuna becomes a part of Ganga and not the other way around. And when she finally reaches the sea, she is as big as the sea itself.

What a profound insight from a great man. As the director of Punyakoti, the example of Ganga inspires me to keep moving without losing sight of my goal, take small steps, take people along with me and never compromise. Thankyou sir.

Personal plans in Feb and March

Lots of people have been calling up to check if I am available over the weekends or for short trips. So here is the schedule. I am off to Sabarimala on the 12,13,14,15 of Feb. There is a planned European trip in Feb and March. I continue to be available through social media. :)

Hectic week at office and at the PK project.

A hectic week at office. Have been juggling work and Punykoti. Can't beleive that animatics of one full act is now close to being completed. We have a first glimpse of the colour concepts for the movie and all of the things I see are both exciting and intimidating.

The drive to collect 20 lakhs is also gaining a lot of attention. Nearing 2000 views in a week and 20 shares. Continue to support.

After many people asked me the trick of managing office and the project together, I have started maintaining a physical dairy (much easier) to pull out and write :). And already in the last 20 odd days, it is filled with 200 odd items. But it is a great aid to keep track of several things at the same time.

Promise to be more meticulous from next week. Exciting times!

For Profit or For Passion

Why make a Sanskrit animated movie? Why take on a difficult and ambitious project like this? Why risk your reputation and put others into trouble as well?...goes the questions when I share about making Punyakoti.

My friend Badri aswered this beautifully, when he said, I am not sure if Punyakoti is a 'For Profit' project, it surely is a 'For Passion' project.

I am reminded of Chamu Krishnamurthy's words when he said, Ganga starts as a small stream up in the Himalayas but it takes the others rivers as it goes along without losing its own character, and ends up as the Ganga Sagaram when it reaches the Ocean. To me, Punyakoti project is like that. It is a long and arduous journey, but it is powered by passion.

I believe I am just a 'nimitham' - a medium for it to happen.

A Fulfilling January

A concept art from one of the animatics that is in progress

Was traveling last week and could not update. January has been a action packed month. Here is the action on the ground.

1. Rough animtics of almost 12 of the 31 scenes is in progress. A huge jump from the 5 which started last month. More and more people are now actively involved in the project from around India. And more are joining every week.
2. Presented the project and prospects to Sri. Ram Vaidya, who is reaching out to the Sanskrit lovers in the UK and Europe. His words that we are just 'nimithams' (mediums) made me feel inspired. Great work happen through us and not because of us. Blessed by the association of such selfless evangelists. 
3. Dr. Srinivas's enthusiasm is infectious. He has agreed to endorse the movie among his friends.
4. We started a 'I Support Punyakoti' campaign that has received a good reception - close to a 1000 pageviews. More testimonials are coming in the coming weeks.
5. We have a law firm supporting the project now. We are thankful to them for coming on board.
6. We had the first Punyakoti workshop in Kochi on the 18th that had 12 attendees working on various aspects of the movie. 5 others could not make it. There is great enthusiasm among them. I met many of the people who are working on my project for the first time!
7. Have been fortunate to have the leading contemporary writer and poet of Kerala work on the dialogues and song sequences of the movie. His endorsement means a lot to me.
8. The programmers are putting in the paypal button in the contribute page that will help contributors to send their contributions easily. It should be done by next week.
9. In February, we should have the dummy dubbing and scratch music ready.
10. I am confident that we can complete the animatics of the movie by April '15.

The first concept art received for Punyakoti in 2015

Thanks Samir