Lakadbaggha leaps off the screen to illustrated comic book universe

After a successful motion picture with a sequel in the making, Lakadbagga, the desi Indian animal lover vigilante universeis here to stay and expand. Fans can now enjoy the adventures in the form of a book, published by Om Books International. The book is wriiten by Anshuman Jha, a film-maker and producer of First Ray Films, a dynamic and rapidly emerging film production house in the Hindi entertainment industry. While, the book is illustrated by Brittain Peck whose work includes production design for animation and motion design studios, editorial illustration,murals, tiles mosaics, sports branding, and comics. Varsha Verma spoke to them to know more about the adaptation of a film to book. Excerpts.

Anshuman shares…

AABP: How did the idea of Lakkadbaggha first come to you?

Anshuman: The germ idea for an animal lover vigilante story came after I adopted my first Indie dog (Casper) in 2013 through “World For All”. There was an incident when I saw a security guard beating a stray indie with a stick and I had confronted him. He reacted with a holder than thou attitude about how he felt humans had a right to beat animals. This incident was 2014. And somewhere I had an urge to hit back anyone who hurts harmless animals. And probably subconsciously the seed of the idea got sown. Then I wanted to do an action film as an actor but not just another action film. I needed the action to have some purpose. And wrote the opening scene of a boy saving a puppy in the streets of Kolkata. Then the ‘Biryani’ dog meat racket happened in 2019 in Kolkata & that was the inspiration t0 write of the film – Alok Sharma – who was hired because he is a comic book geek – so he used that as the take off idea for the story. During the scripting in 2021-22, I wished to create a comic book on the animal lover vigilante universe. But it was only after the film has released that I got the time and the chance meet with Brittain- I found an inspiring ally to create this animal lover vigilante comic-verse now.

AABP: What inspired the choice of a striped hyena (Lakkadbaggha) as the symbol for this superhero, rather than a more conventionally heroic animal?

Anshuman: After we began writing the first film – we wanted to call it Lakadbaggha as firstly, I loved the title. Secondly, Hyena’s are considered very ordinary as scavengers. And I wanted the film to be about an ordinary superhero. Hyenas can also hunt down lions when they come to it so they are very sharp & smart. So that was the thought – an underdog story. And then in 2021 an Indian Striped Hyena was spotted in Corbett for the first time in 5 years. When Alok & me read that piece, we said why not incorporate the Hyena in the film story at the centre as well. With the film & the comic book we wanted the Hyena to be a metaphor for all living things – and also for the protagonist Arjun Bakshi,for whom being ordinary is the superpower

AABP: The comic promotes coexistence and animal conservation. How did you balance these serious messages with entertainment?

Anshuman: That was a tricky balance. But luckily human beings in reality are creating more disturbances in nature. Respecting all life is our basic nature – conditioning and lack of self knowledge are the reasons people think eating non-veg is fine or hunting is fine. These are borrowed ideas from parents, society so one has to first sharpen their intelligence to understand our relationship with nature and second – we need to use that sharpened sense of intelligence to make our choices.

AABP: Lakkadbaggha is India’s first comic-book series to have a film franchise. How did the transition from screen to page come about?

Anshuman: I always wanted a comic book on this ordinary super hero. His intent, moral grounding and his simple love for all creatures is what gives him power – ofcourse the martial arts training aids him. So it was the perfect recipe for an animal lover vigilante comic verse. I was looking for an illustrator who could come to imagine my thoughts and understood the intent behind it. And I bumped into Brittain Peck two years ago. And it took nearly two years for the first book to take shape.

AABP: What were some challenges in adapting the visual storytelling from cinematic scenes to comic book panels?

Anshuman: Firstly, the comic book world is its own beast in the Lakadbaggha franchise. The first book, for example, is “The Prologue” so what you see in this book is not even there in the first film. It’s beyond the film. And that’s how the upcoming books will also work. Creating a film vs. a comic book involves very different creative processes, strengths, and constraints. Comic books are, in some ways, even more taxing. Because you can have everything on paper that you dreamt of – there is unlimited visual imagination. Sometime films can restrict you due to time, logistics or budgets. But you can create and depict anything on paper & that’s where an able artist like Brittain is very helpful. Comics allow you to explore backstories, internal monologues, world-building over multiple issues. For eg: I wanted Shonku to be established like a super dog in the comic book prologue – you only hear of Shonku in the film, never see him. But in the comic book you straight away see him as Arjun’s trained companion. Comic books allow you a kind of freedom that is as fulfilling as challenging. They have more limited mainstream reach but can attracts passionate niche audiences (especially for animal vigilante). Keeping both verticals in unison is the intimate dream. But both will have a life of their own.

AABP: The first film clocked over 150 million minutes on Zee5. What kind of audience feedback stood out the most?

Anshuman: Well, for me the World Premiere at the Prestigious Kolkata International Film Festival, at a full house 900+ audience Nandan Cinema was the Litmus test. That audience feedback was reassuring. And then PVR Nest did nearly 10 odd screenings for underprivileged kids from Government schools and watching the movie with those 5000 odd kids over the screenings was therapeutic. They were rooting for Arjun, like verbally encouraging him & cheering him in theatres as he fought the baddies. It also told me there is an audience for the comic book. The theatrical reactions really gave us confidence & then ofcourse the numbers on OTT was very encouraging and the sequel is on its way now.

AABP: Will future installments stay grounded in India or expand the Lakkadbaggha universe globally?

Anshuman: Lakadbaggha will be a global film franchise. Part-2 is set in Indonesia, Part-3 will be in the Americas. But all of them will have the central theme of co-existing & animal welfare. Ofcourse action being a big part of it but also animal-human relationships & how we need to communicate better with them. Animals understand everything because they understand intent. Humans have gotten confused because they are using their intellect to manipulate intent. World over and therefore the film universe has to expand.

AABP: The story touches on extinction and humanity’s relationship with nature. What do you hope readers and viewers take away from it?

Anshuman: “Lakadbaggha” is my love letter to animals and nature at large. It combines two of my biggest passions – animals & action – the comic book & film universe will continue to raise a voice for the voiceless in my lifetime and hopefully beyond me.

Brittain shares…

AABP: The visuals are striking. What references or styles did you draw upon when designing Lakadbaggha and the other characters?

Brittain: Creating clear, powerful imagery that is engaging and visually appealing to an international audience is one of my primary goals as an artist, so thank you for that praise! Just as the Lakadbaggha franchise has a growing, global reach, the influences and references for my work, and specifically for designing the style of the Lakadbaggha comics, span numerous countries and cultures. Herge’sTinTin from Belgium is one of my most recognizable influences, while Osamu Tezuka, the creator of Astro Boy and the Buddha manga series, and Akira Toriyama, creator of Dragonball, both from Japan, are also primary sources of inspiration.

AABP: How did you approach illustrating fight sequences, especially considering the use of martial art Krav Maga?

Brittain: The fight sequences are one of my favorite parts of the story to draw! Arjun’s fighting style reminds me of a hurricane, with him being a calm center around which a whirlwind of motion and energy rage and spin. Fight sequences also interest me in how sometimes the panels follow a linear progression with the action in one leading sequentially to the next. At other times the grappling, punches, and kicks operate more like a collection of snapshot moments, similar to jump cuts in a film.

AABP: What tools or techniques do you use in your illustration process — digital, hand-drawn, or a mix?

Brittain: My work involves a mix of digital and traditional (pencil and paper) media, but nearly all of my work begins as pencil sketches on paper. Sometimes I sketch out single poses or panels and other times I will sketch entire pages or 2-page spreads. Over years, I have found that my mind simply works more freely and that my drawings feel more alive when they begin on paper and I like to have a pretty clear idea of what the images, panels, and poses will be on paper before working with them on a computer. Digital media is much better suited for coloring and the printing process, so I am thankful to have found a way of working in which I incorporate what I love about drawing on paper while ultimately producing digital files for printing.

AABP: How long does it typically take you to complete a full page from concept to final artwork?

Brittain: I estimate that it takes me about a day or two to create a completed full page, but making that estimate is tricky and probably not very accurate. Not only does the time required for different types of pages vary greatly depending whether they include fight sequences, dialogue, or large establishing shots and imagery, but I seldom ever develop any one page in isolation, especially from beginning concept to final artwork, but rather work on 4 to 10 or even 20 pages simultaneously.

AABP: What was the most technically challenging scene to draw in the comic series — and why?

Brittain: Sometimes I will catch myself overthinking how the characters, the story, and ultimately the drawn panels of the comic are moving the reader through a setting or a location. In most cases with the Lakadbaggha comics I am able to rely upon the shots and composition of images from the film as a guide, but in what Anshuman and I have put together in “The Prologue” we intentionally created a scene and a setting that is mentioned in the first Lakadbaggha film but is never shown. This gave us a great opportunity to add to the Lakadbaggha universe beyond what we see in the films, and we are excited to continue to do this in the upcoming comics as well.

AABP: Do you think the Indian comic art style is evolving in a unique direction, especially with projects like this gaining cinematic exposure?

Brittain: Comics in India most certainly have a unique and rich tradition and I am deeply honored to be able to contribute to its continuing evolution, particularly as the reach of the Lakadbaggha franchise broadens to an international audience.

AABP: Anything else you would like to add…

Brittain: One of the greatest rewards of working as an artist is to see your work connecting people who may not otherwise be connected, and to offer your own voice in the service of those who may not otherwise be heard. This opportunity to join Anshuman in his vision to bring Arjun and the Lakadbaggha franchise into the comics medium has already been an incredibly fortuitous opportunity for me to do exactly that, and I am excited that we are just getting started.