For almost 17 years now - beginning with A Bug’s Life - Pixar has been screening its feature films along with a studio-sponsored short film. The upcoming The Good Dinosaur is no exception. This time, the short film, Sanjay’s Super Heroes , is by Indian-origin director Sanjay Patel, who has worked as an animator at Pixar on films like Toy Story 2 and Monsters, Inc . Excerpts from a conversation at Pixar Studios, California:-
I noticed that your film portrays Hindu deities as superheroes. Do you identify yourself as a religious man?
No, I’m not religious at all. But here’s what is interesting. Every day, my dad sits on a mat and chants his mantras to his deity for hours. Meanwhile, I sit in front of my Mac monitor and paint, almost meditatively. I don’t know if both are that different. In fact, we wanted to title the short film, Diya . But we realised the film wasn’t so much about religion.
In a way, I’m rather selfish for having made this film. It’s the sort of film I wish I had seen as a little kid in America, who had trouble trying to balance two contrasting cultures. With Sanjay’s Super Heroes, I’ve made a film that makes Indian culture seem cool. The film also helps me make it up to my parents.
Were you very dismissive of their religious practices while growing up?
Absolutely. In fact, at the beginning of the short film, you see that the boy (who is modelled on Sanjay himself) is restless and just cannot sit still. He has no respect for his father’s culture. Growing up, I didn’t want anything to do with my dad’s culture. But I realise how important it is now. In fact, even the ending of the film is in keeping with the Hindu philosophy that bad people can also be good.
The film’s main characters are modelled on your father and you. You even end the short film with a photograph of you both. Did you feel uncomfortable about putting so much of yourself into the film?
I think all artists put a bit of themselves into their work. But yes, maybe not so explicitly as I’ve done. I understand what you mean. It was John’s (Lasseter, Executive Producer, Pixar) idea that we carry that photo at the end. He explained to us that the story was after all about my father and me. And that’s why we’ve also used my name in the title. In fact, I’m told that this is the first time something so personal is being promoted at Pixar.
You mentioned before the screening of the short film that though you were raised in America, you never felt a sense of belonging. You then went to India, and realised it seemed alien too. After this film, after your tryst with Indian mythology and culture, do you feel closer to India?
Well, to be honest, I’ll never speak for India. Let me speak for America. I was born and brought up here. By making Sanjay’s Super Heroes , I like that some of Indian culture is now a part of America’s pop culture. It also feels extremely validating to be woven into the Pixar fabric.
Do you see yourself making more films about Indian mythology? Or perhaps making a feature film next?
Well, Indian mythology is a bottomless pit. There’s 3,000 years of history in there. But I don’t know. It was Pixar’s idea that I do this short film. Maybe they’ll motivate me to do something else in the future. Until then, I’m just happy to be spending time with my parents, and being a part of all the amazing work that the studio does.