Harvinder Mankkar, best known for creating the iconic comic characters Motu Patlu more than three decades ago, was in Dehradun a few days ago. He spoke with Yogesh Kumar about his immortal characters and how he envisions the comic book industry in the country in the futureTell us a bit about how you came up with the Motu Patlu characters?I started making cartoons at a young age. It was more of a hobby which later become my lifelong passion. For inspiration, I just looked around my own life in Delhi -- where I was born and grew up. The cues for all the characters — not just Motu Patlu but also Dr Jhatka and Ghasita Ram came from people around me.How do you perceive the children entertainment genre has changed from the time that you started out?The children entertainment genre has seen great improvements over time. But there is still a lot left to do. If mainstream TV channels start airing child-centred shows in their prime time slots, that will be a big step forward.Motu Patlu is often talked about as being similar to Laurel and Hardy in appearance and storyline...This had never crossed my mind, In fact, Motu Patlu is actually a gang of four with Dr Jhakta and Ghasita Ram, and the storyline, too, is different in essence from Laurel and Hardy.You created ‘Motu Patlu’ as a comic strip. The characters have had a revival with a TV series. Is having a digital/TV presence now essential for any character to sustain in today's times?Yes, it has become necessary now as television and digital media are important platforms which cannot be ignored by content creators.Since children nowadays are more comfortable with these platforms, we have to adapt accordingly.Do you feel there is as strong a comic book culture now in India as existed 3-4 decades back when a lot of indigenously developed characters like Chacha Chaudhary,Billoo, Pinky, Daddyji, Suppandi etc were created?The population of comic book enthusiasts has seen a huge dip in the last few decades. People are moving towards other digital platforms like animation/live-action adaptations instead. This is a reality which comic book creators today have to contend with.What do you feel can be done to promote the comic book reading culture in India?Parents can take the initiative in this regard by encouraging their children to read and take up comic books. This can become a real turnaround for the comic book culture to prevail strongly in near future.

Stay updated with all the Dehradun Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.