As a young lad, Pran ji was inspired by his drawing teacher in school. Born in a small kasba, Kasur which is now in Pakistan he would daily visit his drawing teacher in school. The drawing teacher didn't had thumb , yet he would sketch beautiful drawings. This inspired our young Pran to draw. He would read foreign comics being published in newspapers and try to copy them. His teacher would tell him, " Always do your best. Even if you want to be a Goon, be No. 1". I have seen my father perfecting the art of cartooning through out his life.
At the age of 21, after passing out from Sir JJ School of Arts, Mumbai Pran ji was looking for a job as a drawing teacher. But unfortunately he couldn't get a job. One day he met a publisher who offered him to draw cartoons for his newspaper " Daily Milap". Thus began Pran ji's career as a cartoonist.
In those days all the newspapers would publish foreign comics. Readers couldn't understand American humor . Pran ji thought of creating Indian comics with Indian humor with which people could correlate. Unlike Super heros Spider man, who could make a web or Superman , who could fly, Chacha Chaudhary was created. Chacha Chaudhary was a short stretchered person who would solve problems with his brain. " Chacha Chaudhary ka Dimag Computer se bhi Tez Chalta hain" words were incorporated. Which became very popular.
Pranji was a visionary. He always thought ahead of times. While working as a cartoonist in a newspaper he thought of creating comic books and cartoon characters. In his life time he craeted Chacha Chaudhary, Sabu, Raaka, Billoo, Pinki, Raman, Shrimatiji, Channie Chachi, Meeku, Daabu, Piklu and many more.
Can you image how can one person create so many cartoons and simultaneously publish them in newspapers , magazines and comic books. I would say it's not Chacha Chaudhary who's brain is faster than a computer but Pran ji the man behind creation of iconic "Chacha Chaudhary".
In my coming blogs i would touch topics like:-
How comics are created?
Various Villians in Chacha Chaudhary comics.
5 untold habits of Cartoonist Pran.
How to legally protect your copyright cartoons characters.
After Pran ji death in 2014, what's our vision towards Chacha Chaudhary comics.
How to commercialize your cartoon characters ?
Please share your views and suggest topics you would like to read.
Regards,
Nikhil Pran