ichard Branson is back in India - this time in association with author Deepak Chopra, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur and Gotham Entertainment Group. The partnership - in the form of two companies, Virgin Comics based in New York and Virgin Animation based in Bangalore - plans to introduce Virgin Comics' characters in India. Gotham Entertainment is the publishing licensee for Marvel and DC Comics in India.

What are these characters and is the Indian market ready to accept such comic books? Shekhar Kapur, chief visionary, is creating a new character called Devi. Other characters that will debut are Sadhu, Snake Woman and a series called Ramayana Reborn. All these will be in print by mid-2006. Says Sharad Devarajan, CEO, Virgin Comics: "The new characters will be from mythology and we will try to bring both the east and the west together through these characters. The Virgin Group is coming to this genre for the first time." Devarajan's partner in this attempt is Gotham Chopra, chief creative officer. ... more