In an animated world, anything is possible. Animation is an art form that exists outside the boundaries of realism, allowing us to exercise the power of our imagination to the greatest extent. With enough effort (and, frankly, a large enough budget), anything is possible. Studio Ghibli films take you to whimsical, mystical worlds where steampunk castles grow legs and giant rabbit-like forest spirits want to be your friend. Pixar classics bring your toys to life and plops you in the middle of the African Sahara, where lions belt out songs written by Elton John.
While the world has grown to love animated media from Japan and the United States, India’s animation industry has yet to break through on a global scale. Studio Zeng is hoping to change that. Founded by Amalendu Kaushik, Vipul Barla, and Rejath R, the independent studio is part of a transformation in the Indian animation landscape. Working on everything from advertisements to original films and projects with some of the world’s largest IPs, Zeng is bringing homegrown animation to the world stage.
Zeng’s three co-founders first met when they were students at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. Amalendu said that he, Vipul, and Rejath “...were brought together by a shared love for animation, especially 2D,” despite the fact that 3D animation and UI/UX design were widely considered more viable career options. “There was something tactile and expressive about it that really resonated with us,” he explains. So, rather than going down a more conventional route, like joining and agency or finding a corporate job, the three of them forged a new path for themselves.
First, Vipul and Amalendu starting freelancing in Mumbai, stating they were “...driven more by survival and exploration than any structured business plan.” Soon enough, Rejath join them and that’s when things really began to gain momentum. They started to function more like a team, and slowly, a vision started taking shape. It wasn’t until the pandemic, however, that the trio formalised their practice. When the world came to a stop, and we all moved online, they made the decision to take this seriously, not just as freelancers, but as a proper studio with a long-term vision.
They later relocated to Guwahati to build their permanent studio, drawn to the city’s “cozy, grounded energy” and “strong sense of community". Since Zeng was founded in 2019, they’ve focused on cultivating a larger network of collaborators, artists, and storytellers bringing us to today, where the studio has a team of 15 full-time staffers. “And honestly,” Amalendu says, “we’re just getting started. There’s no looking back.”
Studio Zeng is an important piece in the puzzle that is India’s evolving animation scene. “For a long time, [the industry] was largely dominated by outsourcing work,” Amalendu explained, but now, “there’s a slow but growing shift towards original storytelling.”
While animation powerhouses thrive in the West, independent studios are the ones bringing forth the tide of change in India. Studio Zeng’s goal is not to scale up into a giant production house or chase mass appeal. Instead, the studio is passionate about amplifying unheard narratives. “We want to be a space for authentic, regional, experimental storytelling — especially from the Northeast and other underrepresented parts of India,” Amalendu explains.
“There’s a slow but growing shift towards original storytelling, and more independent voices are emerging. You can feel that hunger — for culturally rooted stories, for experimental forms, and for new visual languages that reflect Indian realities rather than mimic Western ones.”Amalendu Kaushik, co-founder of Studio Zeng, for Homegrown
With art and community at the core of their mission, the studio’s role isn’t just that of an creative house, but also as community-builders. “We want Zeng to be more than a studio. We want it to be a platform. In that sense, the impact we hope to have isn’t just stylistic or aesthetic, but structural,” Amalendu says. Animation presents an infinite scale of artistic possibilities. It’s an opportunity to bring new, previously unimagined worlds to life through moving art. It only makes sense, then, that these possibilities should be available to give voice to cultures and communities previously unheard.
“We want to help reimagine what an animation practice in India can look like — slow, intentional, rooted, and still relevant on a global stage. There’s a long way to go, of course. But the energy is shifting. And we are trying our best and are committed to it.”Amalendu Kaushik, co-founder of Studio Zeng, for Homegrown
Studio Zeng has built an incredibly impressive portfolio in the last six years. They’ve animated for Marvel, collaborated on a project for the Mumbai Indians, and much, much more. However, after spending a lot of time in the advertising space Zeng is shifting towards more independent projects. “Projects with NGOs, cultural films, trailers, teasers, music videos and games, these are the kinds of projects where we feel most alive, where we can experiment and tell stories that matter. That’s really where our heart is," they explain.
One such project is a short film made in collaboration with the Netherlands-baed Palestinian artist and filmmaker Dina Mimi. Dina connected to the Zeng team through their friend and artist Sarah Naqvi, bringing her vision for a surreal part-documentary, part-fiction film to life. One scene in the film stood out to Amalendu — an animated sequence based on a dream Dina had back in 2019. “In it, she finds herself in Manara Square in Ramallah. It’s symbolic, strange, and haunting, and we were immediately drawn to it.” In just two months, Studio Zeng completed the treatment, storyboard, and animation for that sequence. Although the full film isn’t out yet, Amalendu shares that, “we hope to share it soon — it’s one of those projects that stays with you.”
Moving forward, Studio Zeng is turning the page to their next chaptr, one they lovingly call 'Zeng 2.0.' Harsh Hera, also an NID alum, is joining the team as a co-partner, ushering in an era focused on creative technology, design systems, and strategic storytelling. “We’re thinking beyond execution,” Amalendu shares. “It’s about imagining frameworks and systems where design and animation meet intention and tech. We also see Zeng as a creative R&D space—where animation intersects with speculative design, culture, and new tech. That’s the energy behind Zeng 2.0: a studio that isn’t just producing content, but asking bigger questions about what animation can do and where it can go. "
You can learn more about Studio Zeng’ work here.
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As the studio enters what the team calls Zeng 2.0, a new chapter is unfolding. With Harsh Hera—also a batchmate from NID—joining as co-partner, Zeng is leaning into creative technology, design systems, and strategic storytelling. “We’re thinking beyond execution,” Amalendu shares. “It’s about imagining frameworks and systems where design and animation meet intention and tech. We also see Zeng as a creative R&D space—where animation intersects with speculative design, culture, and new tech. That’s the energy behind Zeng 2.0: a studio that isn’t just producing content, but asking bigger questions about what animation can do and where it can go.