Green Gold Animation joins hands with Manasa Sharma and Niharika Konidela for Rākāsā, bringing a fully digital character to life as it moves beyond kids’ animation

Mumbai: Green Gold Animation, the studio behind India’s iconic Chhota Bheem and one of the country’s leading animation companies, is expanding its creative footprint beyond kids’ content, with its VFX division contributing to the upcoming Telugu language comedy-fantasy thriller Rākāsā. The project marks a notable move for the studio into complex, character – driven work for mainstream theatrical cinema. Directed by Manasa Sharma and produced by Niharika Konidela under Pink Elephant Pictures in collaboration with Zee Studios, the film is set for a theatrical release on April 3, 2026.

At the heart of Rākāsā is a fully computer-generated character that plays a central role in the narrative – an ambitious and relatively unexplored approach in Telugu cinema, especially at this scale. Uniquely, the character does not speak, relying entirely on animation, movement, and visual expression to convey emotion and connect with audiences. Green Gold Animation’s VFX division was closely involved from early pre-production through to final delivery, working in sync with the direction, production, and VFX teams to ensure the character translated seamlessly on screen.

Mr. Rajiv Chilaka, Founder & CEO, Green Gold Animation, said “Rākāsā was a very interesting project for us because it pushed us to approach character creation differently. Building a fully digital character were every emotion had to come through performance and detailing. What made this journey even more meaningful was delivering something of this scale within real-world timelines and budgets. It reflects the strength of our teams and the kind of collaboration we were able to build with the filmmakers.”

The project demanded a high level of precision and coordination, particularly given the complexity of executing a VFX-heavy character within tight timelines and controlled budgets. With over 750 CG shots completed and delivered on schedule, the team focused on strong planning, efficient workflows, and seamless collaboration rather than relying on new or experimental technologies. The work included detailed character animation, performance design, and fluid simulations, executed by a team of over 100 artists, including extended collaborators.

Mr. Murali Manohar Reddy, VFX Supervisor and VFX Creative Director, Green Gold Animation, said “Rākāsā was a unique creative challenge because the character’s emotional depth had to be communicated entirely through visual performance. With every detail—from subtle facial expressions to body language and simulation work—had to feel intentional and believable.

What makes this project particularly rewarding is that we achieved this level of complexity within real-world production timelines and budgets which was only possible through strong planning, strong team and close collaboration with the filmmakers. It speaks volumes about the discipline, planning, and collaboration between our artists and the filmmaking team. This wasn’t about reinventing technology, but about using our tools and processes with precision to serve the story.” It’s a project that truly reflects the strength of our team and our approach to storytelling through VFX.

For the filmmakers, the collaboration played a critical role in bringing the vision of Rākāsā to life. “From the very beginning, Rākāsā was a film that relied heavily on how convincingly this character would come alive on screen. It’s not easy to build something so performance – driven, especially when it doesn’t rely on dialogue. The Green Gold VFX team really understood the vision and brought a strong sense of detail and emotion to the character. What stood out for me was their ability to execute something this complex within timelines and practical constraints, without losing the essence of the story. That kind of collaboration makes a big difference to a film like this. “said Niharika Konidela, Producer, Pink Elephant Pictures.

The successful delivery of Rākāsā comes at a time when VFX – heavy films are often challenged by delays, underscoring the importance of strong alignment between production, direction, and VFX teams. For Green Gold Animation, the project reinforces its growing presence in the VFX space and its ability to handle complex, large – scale execution within practical production constraints.

Rākāsā is a fantasy-comedy-action film that blends humour, action, and mythological elements, following an NRI protagonist through a chaotic and magical adventure. The film features a cast including Sangeet Shobhan, Nayan Sarika, Vennela Kishore, Brahmaji, and Ashish Vidyarthi, with music composed by Anudeep Dev. The film will release in Telugu with a full theatrical rollout in India on April 3, 2026.