I did not know what to expect when I heard that an Amar Chitra Katha learning centre, the first of its kind in the country, was coming up in manna Hyderabad. But the words Amar Chitra Katha did evoke nostalgia and before I made my way to this centre in Jubilee Hills, a trip down memory lane was warranted. If not at home, copies of Amar Chitra Katha (India’s largest selling comic book series based on India mythology, folklore and history) or its sister publication, Tinkle (a children’s anthology) could be found in abundance at the school library.
Unlike other heavier and more serious-looking books which gathered dust in a corner, this company’s books would be dog-eared since they were such page-turners. It was in between the pages of Tinkle where I was acquainted with friends like Shikari Shambu, the accidental hunter who despite being a funny and clumsy coward was hailed as courageous, and Suppandi, the silly simpleton who worked as a servant in households. Fast forward to Amar Chitra Katha Alive (ACK Alive), a centre for learning that opened its doors to learners and fandoms alike on March 31, 2019. Situated adjacent to the famed Ramanaidu Studios, this three-storeyed building occupies 10,000 sq ft of land.
Its happy yellow walls beckoned me inside and the moment I stepped in, I time-travelled back to my school library, praying that the bell never goes off and the next class never starts so that I can spend some more time with my new paper friends.
Behind the scenes
When Lord Krishna vanquishes the evil rakshasa Kamsa for the aristocracies he doled out on his kingdom, he, along with his brother Lord Balarama, travelled to the ashram of Sage Sandeepini. There they learnt 64 art forms and 14 sciences in 64 days. Where in this modern-day world can one find such a place? As an answer to this question, Kishore Biyani, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Future Group; Anuraag Agarwal, CEO, Amar Chitra Katha; Vidisha Bageree, Director and Telugu heartthrob Rana Daggubati came together to set up ACK Alive. Speaking to Vidhisha Bageree over a call, she tells us how, “Our country is so rich in art forms which is why we need a centre like this which encourages you to experience, if not master, an art.”
