Seems that India will not be satisfied conquering the world of business and technology. While browsing the racks at my local comic shop, I came across Devi. Yet another story of--what else?--good versus evil, right? Yes and no. What's exciting here is that this is one of the first offerings from Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Comics. The debut Shakti line focuses on mining and re-imagining Indian mythology, and is backed and supported by Indian heavyweights author Deepak Chopra and Oscar-winning filmmaker Shekhar Kapur. According to reports, a separate Directors Cut line will feature stories by filmmakers John Woo, Guy Ritchie and Kapur, who will develop stories and content that can be turned into global franchises.
Once again, the East has taken a page from the playbook of the West: Embrace your rich cultural history, put the best creative minds and together with significant financial support, and repackage it for global consumption. Now, no one can say what the ultimate success of this venture will be. However, what I think this will do is add yet another nuance to the ongoing conversation about Brand India for mainstream Western audiences.
Tags: Brand India, Indian comics, Virgin Comics, Sir Richard Branson, Deepak Chopra, Shekhar Kapur, Devi
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