In this special Industry Spotlight, a WAVES Film Bazaar 2025 feature,, animation director Triparna Maiti joined Lohita Sujith, Sr. Director, Copyright & Digital Economy, Motion Picture Association, to discuss her creative journey and the role WAVES Film Bazaar has played in shaping her projects.

She traced her beginnings from early sketching and drawing to studying animation at St. Xavier’s College, followed by a postgraduate diploma at SRFTI. Triparna reflected on how SRFTI sharpened her storytelling abilities, introduced her to world cinema, and fostered a highly collaborative environment that helped her discover her artistic voice.

Speaking about her regional-language animated film Neer, she highlighted its warm international reception. Festival audiences connected deeply with its story of misfits searching for belonging and its strong expression of feminine energy. The emotional responses she received reaffirmed for her the universal resonance of personal narratives.

Triparna credited Waves Film Bazaar’s co-production market and the NFDC Screenwriters Lab for crucial mentorship while developing her animated feature The Tale of the Holy Beast — a story following the journey of a captive elephant. Guidance on script, character arcs, and pitching helped her strengthen the project and build relationships with international producers and distributors.

She also discussed her evolving approach to animation and global markets, noting how earlier exposure at Busan shaped her strategies for international collaboration. Triparna praised Waves for bringing together filmmakers, producers, distributors, and creative partners from across the world — a dynamic space where both emerging and established voices can refine projects and explore new pathways for co-production and distribution.

Looking ahead, she continues to develop Mangal while completing a stop-motion short, The Chair, which navigates layered childhood emotions and relationships. Triparna emphasized the growing momentum of India’s animation and creative technology ecosystem, and the importance of platforms like Waves in nurturing talent, supporting ambitious projects, and connecting creators with global audiences.