India's home-grown comic-book characters set to stage a comeback

For generations of Indian children, the Amar Chitra Katha comic books offered a simple and engaging way to learn about the country's rich cache of myths, fables and historical figures. But as television and movies began to replace reading, the publisher started to lose its young readers. The introduction of satellite television to India in the 1990s only accelerated the decline.

But Amar Chitra Katha may enjoy a reversal of fortunes under its new owner, Samir Patil. The 38-year-old entrepreneur, who bought the publisher two years ago, has big plans to engage children of today, who have grown up playing console games, texting and surfing the Web.

The chief executive and founder of ACK Media plans to roll out animated versions of the comics. A 26-episode television series is due early next year on Cartoon Network and there are two films in the works.

'Yes, kids are reading less, but there are other ways to reach out to them,' Patil says. 'Kids are open to everything, even Japanese stories. It's just the story-telling that needs to be good.'

More than 30 per cent of India's population is 14 or younger, but most television shows that cater to children are imports that have been dubbed in regional languages.

'There is a need for stories with relevance to India and distinctive Indian characters,' says Patil. 'Amar Chitra Katha always worked because it told the story straight up, without any moral lessons.'