Shikari Shambu is not too happy with the menu his wife Shanti has curated for his big birthday bash. The question is, will he be brave enough to speak up?
As Tinkle ’s iconic cartoon character — the bumbling hunter-turned-conservationist — turns 38 on June 3, the team is planning a virtual party. Like most birthdays this year, this too will move to the digital space with animated avatars of Shambu and Shanti chatting in real time.
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And, if they live up to their colourful reputations, there is a showdown on the cards, along with candles and cake. Created by Vasant Halbe in 1983, the lovable Shambu has delighted generations with his clumsy attempts at playing hero, despite being more of a coward than a braveheart. When Halbe retired, Shambu was inherited by Savio Mascarenhas in 1997.
New projects for Shambu
Kuriakose Saju Vaisian, who recently took over as the Editor of Tinkle comics, has grand plans for the character and ensures that he does not age despite growing a year older. Vaisian says Tinkle will be introducing two new properties, starting with a brand new animated series of Shambu micro-shorts, which released recently on Tinkle’s YouTube channel.
“This will be followed by a fresh mini collection of Shambu’s adventures across the globe which will be available for free on the Tinkle app. We have consciously kept the news around lockdown away from our comics because children are already bombarded with information,” says Vaisian, adding that they are letting Shambu travel, “while he is booking a slot for the couple’s vaccine shot.”
Shambu’s virtual birthday party, which will have a pre-historic theme, will include storytelling sessions and art workshops. “No birthday is complete without a cake, so Shambu will also blow candles and cut the cake virtually,” says Vaisian, adding “everything is done in-house and the team has done a wonderful job in putting it together for Shambu’s fans.”
Shambu, unlike his fans, most of whom are at home waiting out the pandemic and lockdowns, is still travelling. Cartoonist Savio says, “Shambu has been travelling the past year and he is currently in Peru in South America, at an alpaca farm. That is where he will celebrate his birthday.”
The team is planning to end Shambu’s world tour and bring him back to India soon. “That is an edition the entire team is focussing on at the moment,” adds Savio.
