Q. Your views about the present condition of Indian Comics Industry?
Ans. These days Indian comics industry is in poor condtion and it requires some new and fresh projects. Worst condition of distribution comics in india will panic industry soon.
Q. What challenges one faces as a comic publisher? How is India different from other nations with huge craze for comics?
Ans . As publisher lots of challenges we have to face with. Biggest challenge is production and for that selection of perfect artist for ur concept. At last moment DISTRIBUTION is major problem in India. India is different becoz in india parents allows their children to watch movies like DABANGG, SINGHAM but they will not allow their child of reading comics.On the other side in USA and UK comics is big market not for teenagers but also for elders.
Ans. I m father of my character so all are same for me.
Q. Tell us something about your hometown & nearby areas.
Ans. I m from Surat, Gujarat and it is a business hub for textile and diamonds. 80% of saree exports of world goes from surat.
Q. How many artists, writers are working (or worked) for Fenil Comics (approximately)?
Ans. We are team of 14 persons including writers, artists, editors and some helping hands.
Q. Please share some of your childhood memories.
Ans. Childhood is a sweetest stage of life. In childhood I was brilliant in study. Good in cricket also played some village matches. But in vacations we used to read comics and science magazines in noon time. We also started a library in our group where we collected comics, novels, magazines of our circle.
Q. Your favorite artist(s) and writer(s)?
Ans. Favorite artist in India is Dilip Chaubeyji, Colorist Zakir hussain ji and Writer is Sanjay Gupta ji.
In foreign countries : Artist and writer one and only ALEX ROSS.
Q. Favorite comics?
Ans. In India : Nagayan Series. And out side of india JUSTICE all 12 parts.
Q. Current status of your distribution network?
Ans. Currently we have good grip in major cities of GUJARAT, MAHARASHTRA, UTTARPRADESH, MADHYAPRADESH and PUNJAB.
Q. Favorite Sport(s)?
Ans. Cricket & our National Game Hockey.
Q. Role model(s) in your life?
Ans. My Father.
Q. Your hobbies?
Ans. Reading, Writing scripts, Hollywood movies, Body building.
Q. What was your family’s response when you told them about your idea to start FC?
Ans. An idea of starting FENIL COMICS was in my mind since i was only 15. At that time I developed FAULAAD and also illustrate his comics myself which was 64 pgs issue. Later I changed his story synopsis when I put it in market. My father is my mentor. When I told him abt my project he told me start immediately. Now no more wait. :D
Q. Your travel diary chapters (places you have been in brief or just names)?
Ans. I have visited almost 40% of india GUJARAT, RAJASTHAN, DELHI, JAMMU KASHMIR, GOA(my favorite spot), DIU ISLAND, HIMACHAL, KARNATAKA.
Q. You are also involved in social work. Tell us more about it?
Ans . Not at this time.
Q. Your schooling & college?
Ans. I finished my school education in JEEVANBHARTI SCHOOL (surat) and collage education in SIR K.P. COLLAGE OF COMMERCE.
Q. Passive yet effective contributors who helped you to achieve your dream?
Ans. First of all my family, they inspired me to do better and better. My friends like Saurabh Saxena, Vidur Gotawala, Abhishek Vishwakarma, Sanjay Guptaji(raj comics head). All fans who indirectly helped me in all way, otherwise I was nothing.
Q. Memories related to your love for comics?
Ans. : Most happiest moment >> When my mom bought me “AGNIPUTRA ABHAY AND TOMANGO” Most Miserable Moment >>> When I bought : “AGNIPUTRA ABHAY AND BLACK THUNDER”
Q. Memories related to comic communities, forums you were part of?
Ans. If I talk about comics communities, first of all I joined RCFC on ORKUT after there were so many communities on ORKUT like RCJ, RFN, VC & of course RC Forums. I m still a member of these communities.
Q. You witnessed decades 80s, 90s, 2000-10, what changes you observed and things from the past you want back?
Ans. Ys I witnessed all decades written here… but I also witnessed 1970s as I have many comics of that decades too… Changes are in presentation… These days no publisher is fully successful to attract big reader group. Reason is hightek cellphones, gaming, Hollywood movies. I m trying to bring that past back with my little efforts.
Q. I noted one common thing people say about comic which is, Technological changes made comics an outdated medium of entertainment. What are your views on this?
Ans. Who says comic is outdates medium of entertainment? In fact, These days many bollywood movies releases their comics. Ra-One, Agnipath, Don movie team have created comics related to their movies. I have one project from bollywood, I will announce later.
Q. Don’t you think that FC base should be closer to North India, as initially it is targeting North Indian Hindi speaking belt?
Ans. FC is at it’s experimental period. At this time, we are doing only production of our upcoming series of 2012. FC is hindi language which is our mothertongue and it is targeting 70% of Indian terrotary. We shall release ENGLISH translated titles also and some titles will come only in ENGLISH.
Q. I know this is a bit difficult can you please share the list of online comic lovers who are continuously supporting you?
Ans. : So many comics fans supported fenil comics till now. Mohit Sharma ji (Trendster), Dk boss, anubhav rakesh ji, saurabh saxena ji, mandaar ji, aman ji, prashant arts from facebook, ashish khare ji, saket ji, naval thanawala ji, prateek charanji, shalu gupta ji, hussain zamin ji and many others they all supported fenil comics on social communities like facebook and orkut.
Q. Progress of FC website and forums?
Ans. Fc forum work is almost finished and we added some tools on its typing pad. So now fans can post pics, post smilies and everything. But it is still work in progress. Abt site we are adding more and more materials on our site. We are also starting ONLINE STORE soon.
Fenil Comics k CEO, Studio head, Writer Fenil Sherdiwala ji se baat hui. Pesh hai unse puchhe kuch pramukh sawal. Kuch aur bhi sawal the jinke jawab Fenil ji ne phir kabhi bhavishya mey dene ko kaha.
Originally posted on Raj Comics Website and forums (December 2011).
- Mohit Sharma (Trendster)
