<p>Not very long ago, politics was a subject of conversation largely among the elderly. For many youth, it was an uncool and boring thing to talk about. Now it’s political apathy that is looked down upon.</p>.<p>With this rise in political consciousness, an old art form has taken centre stage on social media: cartoons. </p>.<p>Political cartoons employ satire and exaggeration to drive home a point about the vices of politics and other social ills. They often show politicians in an unflattering light.</p>.<p>India is no stranger to thought-provoking cartoons and caricatures. For a long time, political cartoons had found a home on the front and editorial pages of newspapers.</p>.<p>Now these creations are thriving on Instagram and garnering thousands of ‘likes’.</p>.<p>Bengaluru-based visual artist and cartoonist, who goes by the pseudonym Appupen, says that his art has always been political. Author of four graphic novels set in a fictional world of ‘Halahala’, he focused on corporate crime and the crunch of resources.</p>.<p>“Post 2014, this has slightly changed. Much of the art I make now is political in the traditional sense,” he says. This move was fuelled by a shift in the atmosphere, “It felt very constricted and I thought it was important to address that.”</p>.<p>He has two satirical comics, ‘Rashtraman’ and ‘Dystopian Times’. They have gained in popularity on Instagram through @braindedindia, a platform he founded for promoting visual art and Indian artists.</p>.<p>Sabari Venu, another city-based cartoonist, also views 2014 as a turning point. Known for his Malayalam pun-based comics on @meancurry, he would like to be known for his political works. His comics were recently shared by Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani. </p>.<p>For Sabari, political cartooning is a by-product of becoming more aware about what is happening in the world. “I started reading, and that increased my interest in politics. I realised that I am privileged, which brings the responsibility on me to talk about issues.” </p>.<p>Sajith Kumar, cartoonist for Deccan Herald, says he has been doing political cartoons for 13 years. “I’ve always been interested in cartoons and following this passion has led me here,” he says.</p>.<p><strong>Why social media?</strong></p>.<p>Independent artists prefer social media for a multitude of reasons.<br />Sabari says, “People who read my comics are young and this is the best medium to reach them.” He also adds that social media allows one to put out cartoons on any issue free of editorialising and gatekeeping. </p>.<p>Appupen says the shift to social media was inevitable, “The mainstream was so loud. With the central narrative, catering to a certain section, social media gave smaller voices a platform.”</p>.<p>Drawing for the paper is Sajith’s bread and butter but he uses social media to share his work with a wider audience.“Many people don’t read the newspaper, but everyone is on social media”</p>.<p><strong>Their works</strong></p>.<p>Sajith’s method of choosing topics slightly varies from independent artists. “I need to make a comic every day and send out the first version by 5 pm. I start looking at news early and it is important that I stay current. Some days ideas strike me early, and other times the pressure of the deadline tends to inspire,” he says.</p>.<p>“Artists on social media have the freedom to draw whatever they want,” he adds.</p>.<p>Both Appupen and Sabari utilise this freedom to the fullest. “I choose my topics on the basis of what appeals to me. Often, I talk about things that might not be getting much traction on the news,” says Appupen.</p>.<p>Sabari’s process is similar, “I like to give different perspectives to a trending topic or one that’s getting no attention.”</p>.<p>Appupen says that he’s wary of cartooning for newspapers. “News is very well planned these days. It works as efficiently as a corporate. For example, if some minister spews nonsense about plastic surgery in ancient India, it’s also part of the plan. Amidst this ridicule by editorial cartoonists, important news is often overlooked. We need to be more careful.”</p>.<p>He says that while humour is important, cartoonists have a responsibility to try and create things that remain relevant and thought-provoking.</p>
<p>Not very long ago, politics was a subject of conversation largely among the elderly. For many youth, it was an uncool and boring thing to talk about. Now it’s political apathy that is looked down upon.</p>.<p>With this rise in political consciousness, an old art form has taken centre stage on social media: cartoons. </p>.<p>Political cartoons employ satire and exaggeration to drive home a point about the vices of politics and other social ills. They often show politicians in an unflattering light.</p>.<p>India is no stranger to thought-provoking cartoons and caricatures. For a long time, political cartoons had found a home on the front and editorial pages of newspapers.</p>.<p>Now these creations are thriving on Instagram and garnering thousands of ‘likes’.</p>.<p>Bengaluru-based visual artist and cartoonist, who goes by the pseudonym Appupen, says that his art has always been political. Author of four graphic novels set in a fictional world of ‘Halahala’, he focused on corporate crime and the crunch of resources.</p>.<p>“Post 2014, this has slightly changed. Much of the art I make now is political in the traditional sense,” he says. This move was fuelled by a shift in the atmosphere, “It felt very constricted and I thought it was important to address that.”</p>.<p>He has two satirical comics, ‘Rashtraman’ and ‘Dystopian Times’. They have gained in popularity on Instagram through @braindedindia, a platform he founded for promoting visual art and Indian artists.</p>.<p>Sabari Venu, another city-based cartoonist, also views 2014 as a turning point. Known for his Malayalam pun-based comics on @meancurry, he would like to be known for his political works. His comics were recently shared by Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani. </p>.<p>For Sabari, political cartooning is a by-product of becoming more aware about what is happening in the world. “I started reading, and that increased my interest in politics. I realised that I am privileged, which brings the responsibility on me to talk about issues.” </p>.<p>Sajith Kumar, cartoonist for Deccan Herald, says he has been doing political cartoons for 13 years. “I’ve always been interested in cartoons and following this passion has led me here,” he says.</p>.<p><strong>Why social media?</strong></p>.<p>Independent artists prefer social media for a multitude of reasons.<br />Sabari says, “People who read my comics are young and this is the best medium to reach them.” He also adds that social media allows one to put out cartoons on any issue free of editorialising and gatekeeping. </p>.<p>Appupen says the shift to social media was inevitable, “The mainstream was so loud. With the central narrative, catering to a certain section, social media gave smaller voices a platform.”</p>.<p>Drawing for the paper is Sajith’s bread and butter but he uses social media to share his work with a wider audience.“Many people don’t read the newspaper, but everyone is on social media”</p>.<p><strong>Their works</strong></p>.<p>Sajith’s method of choosing topics slightly varies from independent artists. “I need to make a comic every day and send out the first version by 5 pm. I start looking at news early and it is important that I stay current. Some days ideas strike me early, and other times the pressure of the deadline tends to inspire,” he says.</p>.<p>“Artists on social media have the freedom to draw whatever they want,” he adds.</p>.<p>Both Appupen and Sabari utilise this freedom to the fullest. “I choose my topics on the basis of what appeals to me. Often, I talk about things that might not be getting much traction on the news,” says Appupen.</p>.<p>Sabari’s process is similar, “I like to give different perspectives to a trending topic or one that’s getting no attention.”</p>.<p>Appupen says that he’s wary of cartooning for newspapers. “News is very well planned these days. It works as efficiently as a corporate. For example, if some minister spews nonsense about plastic surgery in ancient India, it’s also part of the plan. Amidst this ridicule by editorial cartoonists, important news is often overlooked. We need to be more careful.”</p>.<p>He says that while humour is important, cartoonists have a responsibility to try and create things that remain relevant and thought-provoking.</p>
