Thursday, June 7, 2012

Interview with Fenil Sherdiwala (CEO-Creative Head, Fenil Comics)


Fenil ji ne kuch questions k jawab nahi diye, jo uhhone bharosa dilaya ki samay k saath wo sabko pata chal jaayenge.

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.


Q.    Out of 35 characters/series choose your top 5.
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)

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Interview with Mohit Sharma (Trendster / Trendy Baba) [2009]

Dated: 14 July 2009, Originally Posted - Raj Comics Forums, RC Website Community Section & Orkut Communities. 

Vishal Tripathi with Mohit Sharma (Trendster / Trendy Baba)



MY NAME IS VISHAL TRIPATHI aka PERMAN. :) MANE LIYA MOHIT SHARMA JI KA INTERVIEW AUR PAROSA AP LOGO KE SAMNE LIJYE TRENDSTER(aka baba ji)KA INTERVIEW!!!! HEHEHEHEHE

1) Perman - Aapka naam?
Trendster - Mohit Sharma.

2) Perman - Aapki age? kya hai?
Trendster - 20 Saal.

3) Perman - Aap kya kaam karte hai? Apne Lekhan k baare mey bhi batayen?
Trendster - Issi saal Graduation karne kay baad MBA Entrance Exams jaise CAT, MAT, XAT, FMS, etc ki prepration kar raha hun. Waise mai writer banna chahta hun. Kuch magazines, newspapers mey rachnayen, abhivyaktiyan publish huyi hai, School-College mey bhi plays, poetry likhi aur perform ki hai. Ab dekhte hai shayad aage kabhi financially free ho paaya to fulltime writing mey aa jaaunga.

4) Perman - Aapki family ke baare mein kuch jaankaari dijiye?
Trendster - Mere Father C.I.D. ki Crime Branch mey Inspector hai, meri mommy Homemaker hai, mujhse ek 8 saal bade bhaiya aur ek 7 saal badi didi hai....dono ki shaadi last year hui...bhaiya Bharti Airtel mey engineer aur zonal manager hai. 


5) Perman - Kya aapki family ne kabhi comics padhne pe apatti ki?
Trendster - Karte rehte hai....ab tak kar rahe hai...par mai kabhi maana nahi....waise mai unke saamne comics padhta bhi nahi. Ek baar jab mai 8-9 Class mey tha to mujhe chidha kar meri comic padhvane ki aadat chhudvane kay liye ghar waalo nay mera naam hi Parmanu rakh diya aur mujhe Parmanu keh kar bulane lage..unhe laga ki mai iss naam se mai chidhne lagunga par ulta mai bahut khush ho gaya aur half rate par Parmanu ki hi 5-10 comics aur le aaya ...Ab to Bhaiya aur Didi bhi nahi hai to...comics bina disturbance kay aaram se padhne ka.

6) Perman - Kya family mein aur koi comics padhta hai?
Trendster - Nahi. Haan, achchhi magazines ya books padhte hai sab log.

7) Perman - Aapne comics padhna kabse shuru kiya tha?
Trendster - 7 Saal ki age mey.

Perman - Aur wo lucky pehli comic?
Trendster - Actually, mujhe uss waqt ek bhaiya se 2 comics 'Nagraj' aur 'Aag' mili thi. Maine naam se impress hokar Nagraj pehli padhi thi.

9) Perman - Aapko kaun se comic characters pasand hai?
Trendster - Mujhe Parmanu, T.H.S., Anthony, Nagraj, Dhruva aur Gamraj pasand hai...

10) Perman - Aapke favourite artist aur story writer?
Trendster - Mujhe Bharat Negi ji as a writer bahut pasand hai. Artist mey Anupam ji, Manu ji (Edison George), Lalit Singh, achchhe lagte hai. 

11) Perman - Comics se realted koi interesting ghatna batayein? :P 
Trendster - Jab mai chhota tha to badi mushkil se toffees, etc khaane kay baad kuch paise bachte to wo bhi aaye din khelte waqt ball kho jaati thi to usme bhi dosto kay saath paise milane padte thay. Ek din mere paas 9 Rupaye thay. Mere dost nay bataya ki Rui ki Mandi mey comics half rate ki milti hai. Maine socha ki 6 ya 8 Rupaye waali 1-2 comics to half rate mey mil hi jaayengi. Mai wahan gaya par utrane par tempo waale nay 6 rupaye le liye...par mai to comics kay sapno mey khoya tha....mai book stall gaya aur wahan bahut chhantne kay baad 6 Rupaye waali ek comic half rate mey le li...par ab mere paas paise khatm ho gaye thay...maine socha chal kar ghar pahunch jaaunga par ghar bahut door tha par ab chalne kay alawa koi chara nahi tha...ghar pahunchne mey bahut dair ho gayi aur mai bahut thak gaya....waise to mai khaana khate hi so jaata par maine khaana khaane kay baad Yoddha ki wo poori comic padhi aur ek Yoddha ki tarah bed par comic kay saath hi so gaya. 

Perman-ahhaahahhahehehehheheh maza a gaya hehehehhehe :lol: 


12) Perman - Aapka forum se parichay kaise aur kab hua?
Trendster - Pehle to kabhi kisi project banvane kay chakkar mai hi Cyber Cafe 3-4 mahino mey jaata tha par har baar RC ki website zaroor visit karta tha. Graduation first year mey aise hi net par messenger id, orkut par id banane ka mann karne laga to Cyber Cafe aaya aur RC ki site par bhi gaya...Homepage par kuch stories aur blogs padhe...to ek-do din aur visit kiya tabhi forum par bhi click kiya aur.....bas fir sab itna achchha laga ki regular ho gaya yahan. 



13) Perman - Forum aur comics ke alawa aapke aur kya shauk hai?
Trendster - Sports, G.K....Current Affairs, Stories/Plays likhna, Poetry.

14) Perman - Aapki favourite comics kaun si hai?
Trendster - Waise to list bahut lambi hai par overall mujhe Kohram ek complete comic lagti hai. 

15) Perman - Aapne apna username Trendster kyon rakha?
Trendster - Mai koi unique username soch raha tha jo sunne mey achchha bhi lage aur pehle kisi nay use bhi nahi kiya ho. Tab to aesa hi tha fir baad Jazzy B aur Rihanna nay iss word ko use kiya....ek samay RC par meri profile Google search mey "Trendster" word ki search mey top par thi....fir to kuch companies nay bhi ye naam use kiya par ab bhi Google search mey top individual Trendster to mai hi hun...Thank you....ahm!! :lol: 

16) Perman - Log aapko kai baar trendy baba bulate hai, 8) iska secret kya hai? :?: 
Trendster - Maine thodi masti kay liye "Forum Members in Real Harsh World" topic mey ye Trendy Baba naam kay character ko use kiya tha....Ye 2 links dekhiye. Maine inpar 4-5 Funny scenes likhe thay. Tabhi se baaki posters ko bina mehnat kay mera khud rakha-rakhaya naam mil gaya. 

viewtopic.php?f=79&t=1708&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=150

viewtopic.php?f=79&t=1708&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&start=175


17) Perman - Forum ki kaun si baat aapko sabse zyada attract karti hai?
Trendster - Yahan comics par baat karne aur share karne ko itna kuch hai....yahan bahut se talented members bhi hai jinki stories, artworks, discussions, dekhna mujhe achchha lagta hai.

18) Perman - Forum ki koi buri baat?
Trendster - Firstly, Active Members ki sankhya abhi bhi bahut kum hai. Forum par ki gayi mehnat kay hisaab se kisi ko recognition nahi milta. Jaise yahan to aesa socha jaata hai ki "Maine kahin se sune-sunaye jokes ya kisi website se funny pics daal di to log bas usse hi dekhe aur uspar comment kare...baaki kisi kay mehnat se banaye artworks, stories, articles, etc jaaye bhaad mey...." 

19) Perman - Agar aap forum mod ban jaayein 8) to kya badlaaw laana pasand karenge? :wink: 
Trendster - Members badhane par aur zyada dhyaan dunga aur members ko zyada se zyada healthy discussions mey part lene kay liye encourage karunga. Achchhe topics ko inactive nahi rehne dunga. Waise 2 baar kuch dino kay liye guest mod reh chuka hun tab to kuch similar topics ko merge kiya tha bina zyada halla machaye....aur do-char jagah suggestions diye thay members ko. Issi mey time nikal gaya. Forum manage karna kaafi aasaan kaam hai. 

20) Perman - Nayi released comics mein aapko kya pasand aur napasand hai? :roll: 
Trendster - Mujhe NWS aur Doga ki ek kay baad ek aa rahi series baaki sab se comparatively achchhi lag rahi hai. THS bhi theek chal rahi hai. Par Amar Prem aur Bankey Lal.....nay to mujhe bahut niraash kiya....raddi pe raddi comic aa rahi hai unki. 

21) Perman - Comics mein kya badlaaw dekhna chahenge? :!: :?: 
Trendster - RC ko eksaath limited creative team kay saath itney saare projects nahi karne chahiye. Doosri baat Readers ko chhote plots par based stories ko series mey padhna bilkul achchha nahi lagta isliye stories zabardasti naa kheenche. Baaki naye talents ko thoda aur badhava de....wo fans ko to ideas dene par badhava dete hai par jab koi iss line mey aana chahta hai to uske kaam kay prati unka nazariya badal jaata hai. Log aate hai chale jaate hai...RC ko kuch khud se aesa karna chahiye ki unki permanent creative team mey T.K. Wahi ji, Anupam ji, etc....kay alawa bhi log hon.... :wink: 

22) Perman - Interview dene ka thanks.... :D 
Trendster - Thanks tumhara...warna khud hi interview likh kar fake id bana kar post karna padta. Ab chalo machhliyan khaate hai.... :lol: 

Perman-are mood nahi hai machliyo ne case kar diya mujh par agar ek aur khai to jail me chakki pessing and pessing!!!!hehehehhe :lol: :lol: :lol: :)