Shilpa Ranade's immense contribution to the Indian Animation Industry

WOMEN ENTERTAINER

Ranade's first feature-length film, which she directed, was released in the year 2013. 'Goopi Gawaiya Bagha Bajaiya' is the name of this feature film, which was premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. She directed this film for the Children's Film Society of India. The film was adapted from the 1915's children short story written by Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury. The story speaks of two musician friends and their adventure.

The Indian arts and entertainment industry has forever been blessed with excellent women in various fields of art. From editors to illustrators to actors, women artistes in the entertainment industry have proven their worth time and again. Over the years, along with other entertainment industries, the Indian animation industry has been improved and enhanced immensely too. According to the FICCI EY Report 2022, the Indian Animation industry leaped up by 24 per cent in the year 2021. It attained the peak of Rs 30.5 billion. Reports valued the Indian animation and VFX industry at around 83 billion Indian rupees in the year 2021.

Shilpa Ranade is a notable name in the Indian animation industry. She has directed and animated films that have been recognized in International film platforms, while also bagging notable awards.

Shilpa Ranade's journey started as an intern under the guidance of the noted Indian animator Ram Mohan in the year 1989. She interned with him after completing her master's degree. Following it was a two- year journey as a filmmaker. She joined the TATA Institute of Social Sciences and worked as a filmmaker for two years. She picked up themes for her films at TISS, which demanded utmost attention. This included the likes of mental health, blind parents bringing up sighted children and the interesting social implications of art.

Ranade then went on to complete her Master in Philosophy degree in the year 1996. The same year saw the artiste produce her first animation film. The name of the film was 'Mani's Dying'. This film was based on Kosala, a groundbreaking Marathi novel that was published in the year 1906.

It was the year 2001, and Ranade made a comeback to the Industrial Design Centre at IIT Bombay. She set up the centre's first degree program in animation and the first batch for the same graduated in the year 2006.

The credit for giving birth to project Damroo goes to Ranade too. She was one of the founding members of the project, which aimed at creating content for children. Under this project, she worked in a close relationship with children and produced films and books for them. Her contribution also includes illustrating books for some of the nation's top publishers like Scholastic, Ekalavya, Pratham and Karadi Tales.

One of the artiste's most recent endeavours includes two large volumes: Plant Life and Child Farmers. These two publications tend to two particular themes. Plant Life is a collection of works involving children's drawings and writing on their perception about lower and higher plants. On the other hand, 'Child's Famers' was a depiction of the lives of the children of the farmers of Vidarbha, a region in Maharashtra. These children lost their fathers to suicide.

Ranade's first feature-length film, which she directed, was released in the year 2013. 'Goopi Gawaiya Bagha Bajaiya' is the name of this feature film, which was premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. She directed this film for the Children's Film Society of India. The film was adapted from the 1915's children short story written by Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury. The story speaks of two musician friends and their adventure. This film was also screened at Busan Korea, MAMI India, DIFF Dubai and NYICFF New York, among many others. This film won the Best Indian Animated Feature Film (2014) award under the FICCI BAF Awards. The film also won Animation Award (2013) under the WIFTS Foundation International Visionary Awards and the Best Professional Animated Feature Film (2013) under the ASIFA Awards India.

Ranade's first animated short film 'Mani's Dying' received the Critics Award (1996) in the Bombay International Short Film Festival. She wrote the screenplay along with directing and animating the movie.

Other films by the artiste include 'The Harvest' (1995), where she was involved as the director and animator, 'The Childhood of Krishna' (1997), which she directed and Naja Goes to School, which she directed as well. All of these three films were animated short films.

Ranade was enthusiastic about art and drawing since a young age. Her parents were very supportive and let her pursue her career in the field of her interest. After her schooling, she went on to pursue a career in applied art at the Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art. She undertook the specialization of Illustration and Video there. After that, she decided to pursue visual communication at IIT Bombay. She graduated with Master in Design (Visual Communication) from IIT Bombay, in the year 1989. Her specialization was in Advanced Illustration and Video. After that she went on to pursue animation formally. She went to the Royal College of Art in London and completed her M.Phil in animation. The topic of her thesis was 'Indigenous Images andNarratives for Socially Relevant Animator'.

Shilpa Ranade's works and contributions have inspired many. Enthusiasts and aspirants in this field of art use her work for study purpose.

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