Life of a Hubli boy with Pi

The 3-D English movie — Life of Pi, which has had movie going audiences in its thrall, specially awed by the real life actions its animated tiger and animation segments, the world over — has a Hubli connection that should do the City proud.

And if you are one who stays put till the last credit rolls past before you leave the auditorium, you would have noticed the Indian name you may have instantly connected with Tanseer Ahmed Bangewale, the local lad, who has not only carved a niche for himself on the global movie marquee, but also put the Hubli city in spotlight as well, doing its citizens proud.

Marooned on the boat with a tiger, the film’s protagonist Pi keeps the feline at bay with a long stick and a loud shout. The animated scene was achieved after six-months’ effort. Besides the entry of the strange animals towards the end of the movie was also astutely visualised and conceived by the animator Tanseer.

Basking in the glory of his achievement, and new found attention his work has brought him, Tanseer, a resident of Koppadakere, Dharwad, residing in Mumbai, was in City on Sunday and shared his experience.

Working with the Academy award-winning director Ang Lee of ‘Life of Pi’ , says Tanseer, was a satisfying experience, explaining that a degree in fine arts opened a wide opportunity, although it required a lot of effort. “One need not just become a drawing teacher. Technical expertise is an added advantage,” he says.

Tanseer, 28, completed his BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) from a local college at Gadag with a first class. He followed it up with a course in animation in Mumbai from Hindi movie director Ketan Mehta’s Maya Academy of Advanced Cinematics (MAAC) studio. He was employed by the Rhythm and Hues Animation Studio at Malad, Mumbai, during campus recruitment.

At the studio, Tanseer, who animated for the Hollywood movie ‘Hulk-2’, also worked with the makers of ‘The Mummy Returns’, ‘The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor’, ‘Incredible Hulk’ and ‘Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian’, besides animating for the chipmunk in the movie ‘Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel and ‘Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked’.

Impressed by his animation skills, especially for the movie ‘Yogi Bear’, visual effects experts at Rhythm and Hues headquarters in the US took him on board for their works which saw Tanseer join a 20-member team for the movie by Company ‘Golden Compass’, released in 2007. The movie went on to win an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects in 2008.

Happy that the family’s effort in enabling Tanseer achieve his ambition had borne fruit, a beaming father M J Banglewale, a senior professor at Vijaya Mahantesh Arts Institute, said: Tanseer is my younger son. I sent him to Mumbai so that he could learn something special, since we had to pay a fee of Rs 1.20 lakh for his course in 2005. Funds were difficult, but we did not refuse.

Sure enough, Tanseer has been true to the faith reposed in him.