Among anime avatars and cosplayers, Chacha Chaudhary holds his own

I had barely taken ten steps into Comic Con Delhi before the familiar sensory assault began. Neon-lit anime avatars stared back at me from every corner, K-fashion-clad teenagers darted about like NPCs on side quests, and entire battalions of cosplayers marched through the halls with the cadence of diplomats at a UN summit. The air was thick with the scent of excitement, sweat, and vinyl figurines. In other words, it was exactly the kind of cheerful chaos I had braced for.

Everywhere I looked, there were stalls bursting with Japanese aesthetics or Western fandoms. Naruto smirked from a wall of posters. A small mountain of Demon Slayer keychains had fans queuing up with their phones out. Even the apparel racks seemed caught between Seoul street style and Los Angeles thrift.

So it was mildly jarring, in the best way possible, when I stumbled upon something that did not come from a faraway galaxy or a shōnen universe. Tucked somewhere in an aisle that I hadn't previously ventured into, sat a stall from my childhood: Chacha Chaudhary.

For a split second, my brain struggled to reconcile the sight. A character I had grown up with, printed on those thin, well-thumbed digests sold in railway station stalls, was now here, sharing floor space with global fandoms that have dominated Indian youth culture for years.

Chacha Chaudhary, with his simple red turban and twinkling eyes, was pulling footfall that matched some of the loudest, most hyper-produced stalls around him. And in that moment, I felt the unmistakable tug of nostalgia.

That tug led me straight to Saraansh Pran, head of business strategy at Prans Entertainment and grandson of the legendary cartoonist behind Chacha Chaudhary, Pran Kumar Sharma, affectionately dubbed the Walt Disney of India.

Trivia: Pran Kumar Sharma was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 4th Annual Comic Con India Awards in 2014. 

I asked Saraansh how a comic born in an era without smartphones, memes, or binge-watching had kept pace with the modern fan.

“My grandfather started the Indian comic culture,” he says. “This company has seen thick and thin, but the flavour of Chacha Chaudhary has always remained intact.”

By flavour, he meant the essence: simplicity, cleverness, and an unmistakable rootedness in Indian society. Chacha was never a superhero forged in a lab nor a gladiator from outer space.

He was a reflection of the neighbourhood uncle who solved problems with wit instead of weapons. And that was deliberate. “Indians have always been considered to be the brains of the world,” Saraansh opines. “Chanakya,  Aryabhata, all of them. My grandfather wanted a character who was Indian, simple, and connected directly with the audience.”

As we spoke, fans continued to drift into the stall, some young, some decidedly young-at-heart. Many of them, Saraansh notes, had discovered Chacha through the brand’s animated content on YouTube.

Yet, charmingly, even digital-first fans eventually found themselves wanting a physical comic. “They want the look and feel of the print,” he says. “That’s what keeps the brand alive.”

And the brand has lived many lives. From the wildly successful live-action series that aired on Sahara between 2005 and 2015, clocking an enviable 600 episodes, to the more recent animated adaptations, Prans Entertainment has kept Chacha Chaudhary travelling across formats and generations.

The next big leap, Saraansh explains, is a full-fledged studio setup dedicated to re-enhancing iconic stories and producing new ones for modern audiovisual consumption.

Broadcast plans lean towards OTT platforms. The brand's own YouTube channel continues to serve as a gateway for new fans, pulling them into the larger universe. And yes, the universe is indeed expanding. “We are taking forward the Prans universe,” Saraansh says. “Multiple characters, multiple stories, all updated but without losing their soul.”

But even the most nostalgic franchises need to tackle modern challenges, and for Chacha Chaudhary the biggest hurdle is discovery.

“Everything is online now,” he says. The brand does not need heavy spending on awareness, that bit has been achieved over decades. But reaching new fans requires a sharp digital strategy. Influencer collaborations, social media content, and online visibility form the core of their outreach.

Interestingly, quick commerce has also become a surprising growth driver. “People used to say they were not aware of availability,” Saraansh says. That changed when Prans Entertainment struck partnerships with Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart and others. “Blinkit is our major focus,” he adds.

The idea was simple: if one can order Korean instant ramen at midnight, why not a Chacha Chaudhary comic?

Pricing remains intentionally accessible. Single issues come at around Rs 100, digests at Rs 200, with collector’s packs for the more dedicated fans. Subscriptions are available through the brand's own website and Amazon.

Distribution, Saraansh explains, has always been anchored in mass readership, a philosophy that stretches back to the days when comics were sold for half a rupee and rented out to curious children.

Geographically, Chacha remains very much a pan-India phenomenon, though the Hindi belt is naturally the strongest given the language of origin. Recent expansions include reconnecting with Bengal, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.

The ambition, however, is global. “If Japanese and western media can take their stories worldwide, why not Indian comic brands,” he says. “We finally have the means and the technology.”

As we wrapped up, I asked what really helps Chacha Chaudhary hold his ground in the middle of global IPs with billion-dollar franchises and cinematic universes.

“We stay true to our roots,” he answers. “We do not experiment for the sake of it. Even when we modernise a character design, we retain the original characteristics. That is what makes us stand out.”

And standing there, surrounded by anime heroes wielding flaming swords and futuristic warriors in LED armour, I realised he was right. In a world of special effects, relatability remains a superpower of its own.