What REALLY Happened to Indian Animation?

Why does everyone say Indian animation sucks? I watched the popular videos criticizing Indian cartoons and comparing them with Japanese anime—and I still had questions they didn’t answer. In this video essay, I examine the arguments behind that verdict. Why are Indian cartoons called bad? What happened to Indian animated films? And does comparing a few familiar shows with anime tell us what is actually happening in the Indian animation industry? Some criticisms may be fair. Others need a closer look. Rather than repeating that Indian animation has “failed,” I want to find out what the evidence supports, what the usual debate leaves out, and what it would take for Indian animation to improve. Which criticism of Indian animation do you agree with most—and which one are you tired of hearing? #IndianAnimation #IndianCartoons #animationindia Videos used / mentioned (the best video) 1. Padhaku Panda : Why Indian Animation SUCKS !? And it’s not our ANIMATORS! and What can we do about it !EP 13    • Why  Indian Animation SUCKS !? And it’s no...   (Vaibhav Sir the Goat) 2.Vichar and Vibes: Anime’s Global Rise: What Went Wrong for Indian Animation?    • Anime’s Global Rise: What Went Wrong for I...   (wish the host was interested about the topic, Tejonidhi sir always answers very honestly and realistically to the questions) Nesh: India Could Be the Next Animation Powerhouse | Global Dreams: Creating Our Own Disney,Studio Ghibli?    • India Could Be the Next Animation Powerhou...   Some Ok ones 1. YBP Filmy : What Happened to Indian Animation Films ?    • What Happened to Indian Animation Films ?   2. Hidden Caliber: Problem & Future Of Indian Animation Based On GODS | Explained In Hindi    • Problem & Future Of Indian Animation Based...   3. Shan Prasher : How INDIA KILLED CARTOONS Forever!    • How INDIA KILLED CARTOONS Forever!   4. ScorpionSpeaks: Why 80% Animation & VFX Students Struggle in India — The Hard Truth ft. Chaitanya | ScorpionSpeaks    • Why 80% Animation & VFX Students Struggle ...   (I watched it, so you don’t have to) 1. Why India Can’t Make a Demon Slayer!    • Why India Can’t Make a Demon Slayer!   2. Why Indian Cartoon Are So BAD?    • Why Indian Cartoon Are So BAD?   3. Why INDIAN CARTOON is so BAD I INDIAN CARTOON History I DEATAIL ANALYSIS    • Why INDIAN CARTOON is so BAD I INDIAN CART...   4. Problem with Indian Animation 😮‍💨    • Problem with Indian Animation 😮‍💨   5. Why India Failed In Animation | Indian Animation Industry - Cine Mate    • Why India Failed In Animation | Indian Ani...   RESEARCH & SOURCES Government of India — AVGC Promotion Task Force Report (2022): https://mib.gov.in/sites/default/file... FICCI–EY — Windows of Opportunity (2023): https://www.ey.com/content/dam/ey-uni... FICCI–EY — Stories, Scale and Impact (2026): https://www.ey.com/content/dam/ey-uni... FICCI–KPMG — Media for the Masses (2017): https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/k... Roy et al. — Performance Measurement of Animation Design Pre-Production Artist During COVID-19 Pandemic in India (2021): https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/... Ormax Media — Cine Sense: Five Types of Hindi Film-goers in India (2023): https://ormaxmedia.com/stories/cine-s... Ormax Media — Mahavatar Narsimha: Mythology Wins, Animation Follows (2025): https://www.ormaxmedia.com/insights/s... FICCI–KPMG — The Future: Now Streaming (2016): https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/k... FICCI–KPMG — Indian Media and Entertainment Industry Report (2015): https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/k... Tejonidhi Bhandari and Nikhil Advani interviews — Why India’s Film Animation Industry Is Still Struggling: https://www.livemint.com/Consumer/sro... Rajiv Chilaka — Chhota Bheem: A Journey Worth Every Moment: https://pickle.co.in/animations/chhot... 88 Pictures — Animation Projects: https://88.pictures/animation/ Toonz Media Group — Studio and Projects: https://toonz.co/ Joyce's Research Paper: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1np2W...