PVR brings Japanese anime film Suzume to India, director Shinkai comes to promote it

Japanese film director Makoto Shinkai, who wears his 50 years rather lightly, wowed a gathering of media-persons and some anime artists at the Juhu PVR Multiplex, north Mumbai, yesterday. In the city to promote his latest film, Suzume, he spoke with the help of an interpreter, but appeared to understand almost all the questions put to him in English. Proceedings began around 4.30 for a 4 p.m. call, and that is very good, going by the norm. Sexy singer/starlet Manasi Scott was the compere for the afternoon. With over 3,000 live concerts to her credit, Manasi has naturally been called “the ultimate entertainer” by Citadel, “the mistress of music” by Maxim and is the only Indian artiste to have graced the cover of The Week.

Ever since its thrilling trailer dropped online, Indian anime fans have been waiting anxiously to watch ‘Suzume’ on the silver screen. Fans showered love for the movie by re-creating the iconic three-legged chair from Suzume, which Shinkai carried with him when he went on stage. PVR Pictures, the motion picture arm of PVR INOX, have shared an exclusive poster of ‘Suzume’ that unveils the film’s official release date. PVR has blocked 250 cinemas for this film.

Announcing the release of ‘Suzume’ for Indian audiences, Mr. Sanjeev Kumar Bijli, Executive Director, PVR INOX, said, “We are delighted to bring the much loved and admired ‘Suzume’ among Japanese audiences for the benefit of anime movie fans in our country. With the movie being dubbed in Hindi, the most widely spoken Indian language, and the vast reach of PVR INOX cinemas located in the length and breadth of our country, we are certain that passionate anime fans will catch up on the movie in their nearest cinema. 

Anime films have created a niche audience segment in our country which is growing steadily and they long to see more of such movies in the theatrical ambience with all the special effects in full glory. Suzume comes four years after Shinkai’s last film Weathering With You was about a boy, Hodaka, and a girl, Hina, who are tossed about by fate and "choose" their own way of life.

Suzume is a coming-of-age story for the 17-year-old protagonist, Suzume, set in various disaster-stricken locations across Japan, where she must close the doors causing devastation. Suzume’s journey begins in a quiet town in Kyushu (located in southwestern Japan) when she encounters a young man who asks her, “Have you seen a door?” What Suzume finds is a single weathered door, standing upright, in the midst of ruins, as though it was shielded from whatever catastrophe struck. Seemingly drawn by its power, Suzume reaches for the knob… Doors begin to open one after another, all across Japan, unleashing destruction upon any who are near. Suzume must close these portals to prevent further disaster.

Never-before-seen scenery, encounters and farewells… A myriad challenges await her on her journey. Despite all the obstacles in her way, Suzume’s adventure shines a ray of hope upon our own struggles against the toughest roads of anxiety and constraints that make up everyday life. Shinkai was largely inspired by earthquakes, tsunamis and wars to weave this tale. Confessing that he is a great fan of films like Bahubali and RRR, which make cinema-watching a group experience, he regretted that most Japanese films are personal and introspective.

Drawn in by these mysterious doors, Suzume’s journey is about to begin.

Suzume has already released to unanimous acclaim in Japan, debuting number one at the country’s domestic box office and setting many other records too.

Makoto Shinkai was born in 1973. In 2002, he debuted his self-produced short-film, Voices of a Distant Star, which won many awards. In 2004, he created his first full-length movie, The Place Promised in Our Early Days, to great acclaim. In 2007, he released 5 Centimeters Per Second. In 2011, Children Who Chase Lost Voices, was released in theatres nationwide, and presented internationally as a work unlike the world had ever seen before. In 2012 he received a Letter of Appreciation from the Cabinet Secretariat’s National Policy Unit as one of the “Global Messengers of Japan”. In 2013 he released his biggest hit till then, The Garden of Words, which won Best Anime Feature Film in Germany’s Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film. In 2016, Your Name was released to great commercial success, becoming the second-highest-grossing Japanese film. At the 40th Japan Academy Prize, it won Excellent Animation of the Year and Screenplay of the Year, a first for an animated film.

Visionary animator and director, Makoto Shinkai of Suzume said, “India is a land of movies and is a global economy that is exposed to the best in the world. I am indebted to Indian fans who have showered love and appreciation to my movies. There is a striking similarity between Indian and Japanese traditions, beliefs and value systems which is portrayed through anime films. It is not surprising that anime movies are being welcomed by Indian audiences as they do not find it alien to their culture and can relate to their lives”. Asked by this writer about the influences that inspired his work, right from childhood, he named two Japanese films Doraemon and Castle in the Sky (1986). The former was first serialised in 1969. “Castle in the Sky had a profound impact on me. And more recently, I was bowled over by the Disney film, Frozen (2013). It was so well crafted, with a narrative that was new and excitiing.

About PVR PICTURES & PVR INOX:

PVR PICTURES is the motion picture arm of PVR Limited, which completed the merger with INOX Leisure Limited, effective February 06, 2023. The merged entity is the largest film exhibitor in India, with 1680 screens across 359 properties, in 115 cities (India and Sri Lanka).

PVR PICTURES is the largest distributor of Independent foreign language films in India. PVR PICTURES is a prolific distributor of Indian films as well. Over 500+ Hollywood, 200+ Hindi and 100+ regional films across genres have been released under its banner, since 2002.

Since their inception, both PVR and INOX have created iconic cinema brands with storied histories of achieving significant milestones and setting benchmarks in the film exhibition industry. With a collective heritage of transforming out-of-home entertainment in the country, the merged company offers a wide range of cinema services such as child-friendly auditoria, the latest screening technology, superior sound systems, wide range of F&B offerings, film and non-film content and an array of formats in the premium screen category. 

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R6q2fAp2n4