Sanjay Patel Turned His Childhood into a Movie. And It’s Just Been Nominated for an Oscar.

Sanjay’s Super Team has featured in the category of Best Animated Short Film.

By Meryl Garcia

February 17, 2016

Indian-American Sanjay Patel’s animated short film, Sanjay’s Super Team, has been nominated for an Oscar this year. It is featured in the category of Best Animated Short Film.

Sanjay was born in the United Kingdom to Gujarati parents. The family moved to the United States when he was 5. Sanjay’s Super Team is inspired by his own childhood.

His conflict of growing up in the US within a traditional Hindu family is reflected in the film.

Sanjay_Patel

Photo source: Wikipedia

The film is about a young boy who wants to watch cartoons but is forced by his father to pray. When the father starts meditating, the boy starts imagining Hindu gods as superheroes. He imagines a battle between a demon and Hanuman, Durga, and Vishnu. The fighting has an Indian classical dance style to it.

“I didn’t want the deities animated in typical superhero fashion — just throwing punches and blocking. I wanted something that was more specific, more elegant and more graceful,” Sanjay told The New York Times.

At the end of the seven-minute film, Sanjay’s ends up realising that the gods his father prays to are powerful as well.

Photo source: themarysue.com

Sanjay, who works with Pixar, first pitched the idea of this story to his boss in 2012. The movie has been shown as a curtain-raiser, ahead of Pixar’s latest film The Good Dinosaur.

The 88th Academy Awards will be held in Los Angeles on February 28.

Here’s the first look:

Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: [email protected], or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).

Similar Story

Want to Play a Role in Shaping India’s Climate Laws & Policies? Here’s a One-Stop Guide

Civis, a platform that enables citizens to participate in public consultations in the domain of environment and policy has released Climate Voices. This is a handbook and guide for Indians to participate in environmental law-making and play an active role in shaping our climate policies.

If you found our stories insightful, informative, or even just enjoyable, we invite you to consider making a voluntary payment to support the work we do at The Better India. Your contribution helps us continue producing quality content that educates, inspires, and drives positive change.

Choose one of the payment options below for your contribution-

₹201 ₹501 ₹1001

By paying for the stories you value, you directly contribute to sustaining our efforts focused on making a difference in the world. Together, let's ensure that impactful stories continue to be told and shared, enriching lives and communities alike.

Thank you for your support. Here are some frequently asked questions you might find helpful to know why you are contributing?