KOCHI: For Rajiv Chilaka, the phenomenal success of the small screen cartoon character Chota Bheem, created by him, has been nothing less than overwhelming. Chota Bheem, the laddu-loving nine-year-old helpful young boy living in Dholakpur along with his small circle of friends has become a hit among cartoon-loving young kids in India. It has become a brand name by itself. The most successful cartoon series in the country at present, Chota Bheem has propelled Green Gold Animation Studio and its CEO Rajiv Chilaka to the a household name in the Animation Industry.
Having created a cartoon series around Krishna, Vikram-Vetal, Luv Kush and more in his earlier days, one might assume that mythology has always been an inspiration for Rajiv Chilaka. Clarifies Rajiv, “It is true that mythology has always been the foundation for cartoons, though it was not so popular in the Indian Industry at one point of time. Even if you take the old Disney cartoons like Snow White, there is a mythical story behind it.”
He adds that apart from the name, the series or the character has not been inspired from mythology. Says Rajiv, “While my earlier characters and the events were based completely from mythology, Chota Bheem has always been different. Apart from his name which has been inspired from the Mahabharata character, he is just an ordinary boy next-door living in Dholakpur, which is again non-specified as a place somewhere in India.”
Speaking about what makes Chota Bheem so special among kids, the creator says, “Everybody who views the series will be able to feel some kind of connection to a particular cartoon character, from the friendly, intelligent character of Chutki to the courageous four-year-old Raju.” So is the studio planning to stick with Chota Bheem or will fans get to see a bigger Bheem?
To this, Rajiv responds, “Right now, the character of Chota Bheem has become so successful that to bring a sudden change will be a little risky. We will definitely think about it after weighing the pros and cons.”
Though Rajiv is excited about tasting success through Chota Bheem, his dreams does not end there. He winds up,”We already have a huge success to our credit, but the same formula, for instance, mythology, may not work all the time. We want to bring out something new and unique, with a universal appeal. Something as successful as the Disney film ‘Frozen’. I am confident that at the stage we are in, the goal is not too far away.”
Completing around 7 seasons with over 400 episodes, the character also has around 15 animation feature films to its credit. One of the recent series was where Chota Bheem was introduced as Super Bheem.