City-based firm plans to adapt novels of famous Kannada authors into comics to reach out to the masses
City-based firm plans to adapt novels of famous Kannada authors into comics to reach out to the masses
All-time favourite characters from Kannada literary works are set to make their impact worldwide.
For the first time, a city-based firm has decided to adapt these works into comics and launch them in more than five countries including the US, UK and New Zealand.
The comics will be published in both Kannada and English.
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Characters come to life: Glimpses from Klub Class's Dooradabetta |
Create awareness
Klub Class, the company behind the move, believes that the comics will not only popularise these great works but will also bridge the cultural gap between generations. "People in India and abroad are not aware of the richness of Kannada literature," said BS Raghuram, managing director of the firm.
"We want to familiarise them with our litterateurs. Comics are an effective means to reach a larger audience."
Great authorsKlub Class has short-listed 48 works by authors including Kuvempu, Purna Chandra Tejaswi, Triveni, Shivram Karanth and Masthi Venkatesh Iyengar.
The comics will span genres such as historical and mythological and will also have a moral at the end.
"A team of professionals is working to simplify the great works. We hope the comics will prompt readers to read the original works. They will also educate children on reasoning and scientific thinking," said Raghuram.
Future plans
Klub Class is spending Rs 3 crore on the project. It aims to release two comics in Kannada and English in the country and abroad, every month from Jan 2010.
The company plans to repeat the initiative in six other states Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Kerala and Gujrat in order to create regional awareness.
The firm plans to rope in private schools and state governments to take the initiative further.
'Frivolous' "Comics and literature are entirely different entities," said Prof Chandrashekar Patil, a renowned writer.
"There are chances of serious novels becoming frivolous during conversion into a comic.
The beauty and essence of great literary works can't be retained through such an exercise."
Prof Siddalingaiah, another scholar, said, "The challenge is in retaining the essence of the novel while converting it into a comic.
However, it also depends on the novel they choose."
