India is the world’s biggest film producer and Indian films are increasingly finding a place for themselves on the world stage. Yet the majority of them have an appeal that is restricted to an India-centric audience. The look and feel of Indian cinema across genres is attractive and mesmerizing yet, often, it is the essential storyline that fails to connect with a larger audiences. Even though over 35% of India’s population is under 15, the Indian film industry has always neglected children’s films. This is surprising for a country which has such a wealth of folk tales, mythology, magic, fantasy and, moreover, great technical expertise, especially in animation.

PAL and Eleeanora believe there is much greater potential for Indian film production for young people and family audiences: productions that are rooted in Indian stories and culture but also reflect the real lives and concerns of children growing up in India today. The design of the Lab is based on the Pygmalion programme. Writers are given time and space to explore their projects, to discover strengths and weaknesses and try out creative solutions, supported by writing and industry mentors, a resident troupe of actors and a storyboard artist.