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What began as a series of Instagram comics inspired by creator Prashant Sharma's everyday experiences has evolved into 'Deer Dost', an ambitious animated universe set in a futuristic Mumbai. Following Aman, a college student grappling with identity, purpose and unexpected superhuman abilities, the series blends action, comedy and social satire while challenging the limitations of Indian animation. Built by a Mumbai-based team and developed publicly through character reveals, behind-the-scenes content and an upcoming eleven-track music album, 'Deer Dost' aims to prove that original Indian animation is capable of standing alongside the best global storytelling.
Indian animation has largely existed within an extremely narrow framework. Mythological retellings and 1children's programming have dominated the landscape, even as audiences increasingly consume anime, adult animated series and international cartoons. For Prashant Sharma, that disconnect was what propelled him to create 'Deer Dost'.
"Animation as a medium has not really been explored beyond mythology and kids' content in India," he says. "That never felt representative of what this country could actually do."
What began as a personal creative outlet has now evolved into one of the country's most ambitious independent animation projects. Set in a futuristic cyber-punk Mumbai and built through a community-first approach, Deer Dost is attempting to challenge long-held assumptions about what Indian animation can look like.
Nearly eight years ago, Sharma started Deer Dost as a series of Instagram comics based on his emotions, mental health and everyday experiences. The comics translated personal feelings into humour, allowing audiences to connect with them in surprisingly large numbers. By 2018, the account had grown significantly, transforming from a small passion project into a platform with tens of thousands of followers. This planted a seed about what Deer Dost could possibly become.
Having grown up on American cartoons and animated storytelling, Sharma wondered that if Indian audiences were already consuming animation from around the world, why wasn't the local industry creating more original animated worlds for them?
India's animation ecosystem is largely service-driven, with studios often producing work for external clients rather than developing their own intellectual property. Building an original animated universe requires years of development, significant resources and a belief that audiences will embrace something unfamiliar.
In 2021, Sharma assembled a small team and began work on what would eventually become Deer Dost. Over six months, they developed a detailed story bible and began refining the world and its characters. Finding collaborators who shared their vision proved challenging, particularly because adult-oriented animation remained a niche category within the Indian industry.
Based in Mumbai and supported by a team of around twenty people, Deer Dost is now being developed publicly along with its community. Instead of waiting for approval from studios or streaming platforms, the creators are inviting audiences into the process through creating character reveals and behind-the-scenes glimpses, inviting audiences into the world of Deer Dost and how that world is being built.
The action-adventure comedy is set in a futuristic version of Mumbai, decades after a global conflict has reshaped the world and positioned India as a superpower. Inspired by Rick and Morty and cartoons we grew up watching on Cartoon Network, the story follows Aman, a college student grappling with questions of identity and belonging who unexpectedly acquires extraordinary abilities. His journey unfolds against a backdrop of social satire and a version of Mumbai unlike anything previously seen in Indian animation.
At a time when artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming creative industries, Sharma remains committed to human-made art. While acknowledging AI's growing influence, he believes the creative process itself holds value beyond the finished product. Discovery, experimentation and the act of making something are inseparable from meaningful artistic work.
As the project moves towards its planned 2027 release, Sharma and his team are pursuing something larger than a single animated series. They are attempting to prove that original Indian animation can be ambitious, contemporary and creator-led, and that audiences are ready for stories that look beyond the conventions that have defined the medium for decades.
Follow 'Deer Dost' on Instagram for further updates.
