When DD animated lives!
By debashish • Jan 15th, 2004 • Category: EntertainmentI had my childhood nourishment of entertainment from Vividh Bharati and Doordarshan so this post of Turbanhead revived old memories. 
The “Ek Anek” short animation film was targeted at National integration and was used as filler by DD at that time and, thanks to the fact that satellite TV wasn't even there, was immensely popular. Many readers might not know perhaps about the persons behind this animation marvel, Vasant Desai (one of my favorite lyricists) and Bhimsen, one of India's finest animation talent. Desai has been better known for his work in the movie Utsav but Ek Anek is perhaps one of his best innocent work.
I had known about Bhimsen as a filmmaker first, from his serial against superstitions (damn, I can't recall the name of the serial now, do you?) featuring Ashok Saraf, Sulbha and Arvind Deshpande and Dr.Maya Alagh. This was a very successful Sunday bonanza on DD. It was later that I came to know that Bhimsen was actually an accomplished animator.
Speaking of animation, we have come a long way now, but in those days of 70's Films Division was the only harbinger for such projects. It's good that India's animation industry is now a sought after entity but it perhaps cannot be denied that it stands on the shoulder of stalwarts such as Bhimsen. I was pleasantly surprised to find a nice write-up on him here, so do read it if you have time.
Oh! ek-anek and didi, anek kya hai? The good old DD days……
Right Charu, nostalgic moments!
good ol days… thxs for the post yaar, puranee yadein taaza ho gayee.. Do u remember the other ones.. one was from a Mahabharta series wher Krishna takes a single dana of rice to satisfy his hunger…. and the one about MAA in all different languages of INDIA.
its was just so great.
and these things leave a perma imprint in ones memory
thxs again!
Ya Amit “Ek ann ka daana, sukh dega tumko manmaaanaa”, the docu-animation on conservation of food. Difficult to imagine where would these gems could be fitted in today’s TV surfing habitat.
The ek-anek link doesn’t seem to work anymore. Could you please email the file to me, if you have it?
Many thanks.
The Ek Anek animation was fantastic. I plyed that and a lot of colleagues just came around and surrounde the comp. All were virtually singing along the film. It was just too great as it throws one those old days. Guess what, “Ye daulat bhi le lo, ye shauhrat bhi le lo”.
Anyways, after that, i have been trying to get my hands on the Krishan Darupadi aniation of “Bas ek ann ka ye dana”. Friends, kab mileag. Can anybody out there just send me across those memories.
Hey,
Came across your blog searching for ‘Ek anek’, and am now desparately looking for the ‘ek anna ka ye dana’, would you know where I could lay my hands on that?
Take care
Praachi
Sorry Prachi! Have no idea about that.
Who were the child artists for ‘Ek Anek’? Sung so well!
i am so greatful to u when i see my old days story. as so many childrens i also grown with this story. thanks
Thanks Debashish for bringing back those precious memories back. One of my colleagues at the office posted it on his orkut profile n then it was the hottest pick of the day. Then I was seaching for the Krishna-Draupadi animation, “Bas ek ann ka ye daana..” and found your blog Null Pointer. Got to know the real source. Thanks a lot. I read other guy’s comments and was glad to know that people across the nation share the same feelings. I still used to sing the song. It was so nice to hear it after so many years. Nothing can beat those innocent memories.
Thanks for sharing information about Vasant Desai and Bhimsen. They really did a great job during those days when we as kids had limited access to animations and used to wait for these animations on documentries of “Film Division”.
Are you talking about the series Honi-anhoni , the serial on superstitions. I dont know the artists mentioned by you but I can recall this serial we used to watch fondly.