Chennai publisher’s work is India’s first graphic novel adaptation for OTT

As a young child, Asvin Srivatsangam grew up reading comics and watching cartoons, notably Amar Chitra Katha and Tinkle. He later graduated to DC and Marvel. His love for comics eventually made him pursue graphic design as a career and he then shifted to California for work.

When Srivatsangam set out to create his own graphic novel, it was not easy to get it published. So he turned publisher himself and thus his company Yali Dream Creations was born.

Asvin Srivatsangam, Founder, Yali Dream Creations

Now, Srivatsangam has a new feather to his cap — Amazon Prime has adapted his publication’s work ‘The Village’, making it the first graphic novel in India to become a show. Touted as a horror series, the first look poster was released by the OTT giant a few days ago that has Tamil actor Arya in the lead role. 

‘The Village’ has Tamil actor Arya in the lead role

Written by Shamik Dasgupta with art work by Gaurav Shrivastav and colouring by Prasad Patnak, the novel’s plot revolves around a family’s road trip gone wrong when they come across a cursed village.

The cover image of ‘The Village’

The green light

Since 2012, Srivatsangam has been working with different artists, writers, and visual graphic designers on multiple graphic novels. Along the way, he decided to create a comic that was possible to be made into a live-action adaptation.

“I started finding directors or producers for my project,” he tells BusinessLine in a Zoom chat. “I then came across director Milind Rau’s (of Aval fame) interview online and I felt he was perfect.” Feeling he had nothing to lose, Srivatsangam sent him a message on Facebook and he was certain he wouldn’t receive any response.

Pages from the graphic novel

A few days later, he was surprised to see Rau’s reply and the latter said he was interested in the story. The duo started talking and after many struggles, around 2019, the pair pitched their idea to Amazon who gave them the green light.

Power of balance

Looking back at all his experience so far in the last 10 years of running his own company, and at the same time working at a full-time job as a UI graphic designer, Srivatsangam strongly believes that perseverance and patience are the key. 

‘The Village’ is written by Shamik Dasgupta with art work by Gaurav Shrivastav and colouring by Prasad Patnak

Ask what advice he would give to new comic creators, Srivatsangam feels that studying visual communication is an excellent path to get started. “It helps you understand the overall aspect of what it takes to work on a wide range of creative arts from filmmaking to writing,” he says and adds that to become a good storyteller, one needs to “read a lot”.

Before he signs off, Srivatsangam says that is busy with other sets of books that includes the sequels of Codename Alpha and Rakshak Crackdown, The Last Guardian, Jugaad, and Scions of the Cursed King.

COMMENT NOW