Devmasa | Technicolor & Neha, Ruchir

Watch the top projects from the Shorts India Program

One of the things we love about challenges is how motivating they are. Want to participate? Then you have to get going before the clock runs out. It’s the constraint that gets people excited about coming together and making something great, and maybe even start learning skills they’ve been putting off. Plus, the art is always amazing.

With this in mind, we are happy to announce that our first Shorts India Program has come to an end. Over three months, 100 VFX creators and animators from around India explored real-time filmmaking, using MetaHuman Creator, Quixel, and more to power successful remote workflows and showcase their talent in new ways.

The program attracted not only aspiring professionals but studios and production houses across the country’s VFX and animation industry, including AI Solve, Gametronics, Toonz Animation, Openair Films, Qyuki, Vishesh Films, and more.

Once completed, the shorts were then judged by a group of renowned Indian and international names, including filmmaker Ayan Mukerji; director, screenwriter, and producer Dibakar Banerjee; filmmaker Bharat Bala; and producer Karen Dufilho-Rosen.

In the end, Technicolor Studio emerged as the winner for its film DEVMASA, with Holocraft’s KARU and Manhole Collective-IIT Bombay’s Manhole coming in as the two runners-up. 

If you’d like to watch the shorts, keep scrolling. We’ve included the top entries below.

Technicolor & Neha, Ruchir – DEVMASA

DEVMASA tells the story of Jhinga, a 13-year-old boy from one of the oldest fishing communities of Mumbai, who dreams of being a ‘King of the Seas’ just like his father. This immersive visual experience, complete with a magical sea creature as the project’s namesake, brings a unique perspective to a father-son story.
 

Holocraft – KARU

Far into the future, man-made disasters such as climate change have forced underground creatures to come to the surface. Using Unreal Engine, Holocraft brings a new world to light for both English- and Tamil-speaking audiences.
 

Manhole Collective - IIT Bombay – Manhole

Manhole takes audiences on a suspense-filled journey of a youngster. Drawing on real-world narratives of the Indian diaspora, this Hindi short tells a larger story of the ignored and underappreciated individuals in our society.
 

Toonz Animation India Pvt Ltd – The End

Toonz Animation takes us into outer space with Tu, a Dorean girl from the distant future who has always fantasized about the first life-friendly planet, Earth.
 

Viga & Qyuki – Nirvana

Created in partnership with Oscar-winner A.R. Rahman, Nirvana tells the story of a rebellious young girl who breaks one of her village’s chief traditions after sensing the presence of a mysterious creature.
 

Zebu Animation – The Perfect Gift

The Perfect Gift centers on a dad who is late for his kid’s birthday, but has a few things to take care of before he can get home.
 

Virtualone – Love Story 2025

Set in a futuristic Mumbai, Love Story 2025 is Virtualone’s take on the future of dating and what we might witness in a technologically advanced world.
 

TiltLabs – Ember - Act 1

TiltLabs’ Ember - Act 1 tells the story of a fallen king. Plagued by a curse that massacred his entire kingdom, he journeys across vast lands to seek redemption for his people. 
 

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