Animation That Brings Families Together

A recent animated feature film — ‘Return of the Jungle’ by Vaibhav Studios — could well be a trendsetter by “inviting over 10,500 children and families to view the film. 

“Through our ‘Donate a Smile’ movement, with support from global benefactors, we provided free tickets to the underprivileged, neurodiverse and cancer survivors across 15 Indian cities. It was a first time experience for many children visiting a theatre in a shopping mall with reclinable seats, swanky toilets and escalators. Their response was an overwhelming and humbling experience for our team. Gratitude to our donors, NGOs and on-ground volunteers for their selfless, tireless support in making this a reality. The audience’s immense enjoyment and love for the film, including standing ovations at the end, were simply the icing on the cake,” introduces Founder, Producer, Director, Animator Vaibhav Kumaresh.

Shifting back in time, starting from the beginning, we then move forward in time, chronologically. 

Vaibhav reveals, “As a kid I was always fascinated with storytelling. Amar Chitra Katha — the visuals of this cult comic brand of the 1980s was probably one of the first influences in my life. I soaked in Indian folklore and mythology from there. Hindi movies of the 1980s also inspired me. As a five year old, I remember singing songs from Don, Karz and other films. Cartoons by RK Laxman, Mario Miranda, Tintin, Asterix & Obelix and MAD comics were my favourites. Other influences were animated shorts watched on Doordarshan TV and Disney’s The Lion King (1994). I started drawing my own comics, acting, singing, entertaining and being supported by my audiences at home, school and other gatherings as the family joker. I guess it’s a manufacturing defect!” he jests. 

After graduating in Fine Arts from Mysore, it was during his two years at National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad where this animator was ‘born’. 

“Animation film-making was a natural transition for me. It allowed me to combine my visual art and performing art capabilities for the purpose of storytelling, and further igniting my curiosity for the media. Watching inspiring animation short films, and producing my own, confirmed this is what I wanted to do all my life!,” he affirms. 
 
With his father being in the army, his nomadic life helped Vaibhav to meet varied people, absorbing various cultures and stories. “During college, we were encouraged to observe people, places and spaces around us and sketch them live. I believe this one exercise is hugely responsible for me developing my own way of ‘seeing’ and ‘expressing’. Clubbed with my life experiences, my work developed a unique Indian sensibility.”

“Of my characters, Simpoo, the angry math teacher, is a mascot close to my heart. Created in 1999 for Channel [V] — a youth music channel, I was inspired by my own math teacher from 10th Grade. Simpoo became an instant hit, as for the first time the Indian audiences got to see an animated character that was natural and relatable,” he recollects.

During his advertising years, 1999-present, Vaibhav has created numerous noteworthy campaigns, with the stopmotion idents for Nickelodeon and the Emmy nominated ‘Lamput’ for Cartoon Network being among his favourites. “We are really proud of Lamput. Director Anand Babu and our entire team have built a truly unique show that continues to win hearts globally. The Emmy nomination — not once but twice — was definitely proud moments for us. Advertising taught me to produce shorts and microshorts by simplifying and arriving at the core of the message, captured in a 30 second story.”

Next, it was time to fulfil Vaibhav’s desire to tell longer stories. “Long format allows time to build your ‘story worlds’ and its characters, and engage with your audiences. I wanted to experience sharing my long format stories with the spectators. So at Vaibhav Studios, we decided to jump into a new, unknown horizon and start work on our maiden animated feature film. It was like running from 100 meter sprints to 42 kilometer marathons. It was the most beautiful decision of our lives,” he beams. 

Back to the present with ‘Return of the Jungle’. Informs Vaibhav, “It was released in theatres across India on 29 May 2026, and despite a small release, ran for nine weeks. Its strong USP was the rooted culture captured in the film which appealed tremendously to the audience across all ages. Regarding the title, to me the jungle represents wisdom, inspiration and fun — where most beautiful folk tales have evolved. It was time to bring back the jungle.

 Majority of the animator’s stories stem from his own experiences and inspirations. “Yet packaged with a little fiction and a ‘dash of masala’ where needed. Since animated characters are a fusion of art and imagination, they have a neutrality and a likeability about them, successfully elevating on-screen experiences and emotions. That’s probably the reason for its strong impact with audiences,” he justifies 

Responding to what appealed to me — blending contemporary cricket with the warmth and wisdom of a grandfather figure — he explains, “My sole vision was to re-tell stories and experiences that have inspired me growing up, and hoping it would motivate the audience as well.” 
 
The simplicity and everyday wisdom of India’s rich folktales impresses this storyteller with their relevance even today. He devised a structure to fuse timeless wisdom with contemporary lives of children. Found the young audiences increasingly consuming foreign animated content, therefore missing out on something truly beautiful and meaningful. He then focused on retelling India’s indigenous inspirational stories with a local touch, and therefore making it easier more relatable.

The India theatrical run of Return of the Jungle is over. However, special theatrical shows continue due to demand from schools. Theatrical release in international territories is also being planned. As a result, the OTT release will be considered only once the theatrical run finishes completely. Digital streaming of the family oriented film will do very well on OTT as well.

Founded in 2003, the Vaibhav Studios core team, comprises of animation artists, film makers and technicians. 

Looking at the future. “We have two more feature length films at different stages of writing and pre-production. There are episodic spin-offs. 

Merchandising will open soon too. Other than that, Vaibhav Studios is launching the first, six month online course on IP Creation and Storytelling in Animation for potential animation film makers, content creators and storytellers, starting October 2026. I have a few words for new animators — create content for the local market first. We need to build a strong eco system with our local audiences. Subsequently, if a global audience loves it too, it’s a bonus.”
 
“In the next 10 years, we are definitely going to see more local stories maturely captured in animation as theatrical feature films. These will appeal to diverse audiences including adults and international viewers. I believe AI will be cleverly exploited by our human artists to make the production process more efficient,” he comments. 

 In conclusion, I ask: “If you could go back and meet the little child who first dreamed of becoming an animator, what would you tell him today?”

His quick response: “You’re doing great! Keep going! When you are deeply committed to something you dearly love, and you know it’s the right thing to do, then despite all the challenges it never feels difficult.”
 
Contacts:
Instagram: Vaibhav.kumaresh / Vaibhavstudios