How Vaibhav Studios Became India’s First Emmy-Nominated Homegrown Animation Studio

Founded in 2003 by animator Vaibhav Kumaresh, Vaibhav Studios has steadily built a reputation as one of India’s leading independent animation studios. Based in Mumbai, the studio has produced a range of projects from television commercials and public service films to original series and feature films. What sets it apart is its focus on homegrown storytelling and experimentation across mediums such as 2D animation, stop motion, puppetry, and mixed media.

Its most acclaimed work, 'Lamput', a non-verbal slapstick comedy about a shape-shifting orange blob and two scientists, earned Vaibhav Studios an International Emmy nomination, a first for an Indian animation series. Airing globally on Cartoon Network and HBO Max, Lamput is now in its fourth season and has amassed hundreds of millions of views worldwide. The show’s success lies in its simplicity: clean animation, universal humour, and a visual style that appeals to both Indian and global audiences.

Before Lamput, the studio was already known for creating Simpoo, the animated maths teacher on Channel V, who became a cult character in the early 2000s. Simpoo’s relatable mix of anger and affection made him a household name, bridging the gap between children’s cartoons and adult humour. Another memorable creation was Chulbuli, the spirited girl from Clinic Plus’ ad campaigns, which became one of India’s earliest examples of animated storytelling used for social messaging. Through these characters, Vaibhav Studios built an identity around making Indian audiences laugh, reminisce, and connect with the world of animation beyond children’s entertainment.

At a time when much of India’s animation industry serves as an outsourcing hub for global studios, Vaibhav Studios represents a rare homegrown success story. Its short films, like the Nick Ident Food Series, which brought to life dancing idlis, vada pavs, and samosas, celebrate humour and creativity through distinctly local symbols. These shorts, combining stop motion and puppetry, earned multiple awards, proving that Indian stories, told authentically, can hold their own on international platforms.

Vaibhav Studios has played a vital role in reshaping India’s animation landscape. Independent, small-scale creativity can flourish in a space dominated by commercial outsourcing. The studio’s projects often draw on nostalgia, language quirks, and everyday experiences familiar to Indian audiences. They don't rely on big celebrity voices or imported storylines, but on the humour and chaos of everyday life in India: a teacher’s frustration, a scientist’s folly, or the joy of a vada pav rap battle.

Vaibhav Studios is a cultural storyteller. It bridges India’s visual traditions and modern sensibilities, crafting stories that reflect both the absurdity and warmth of Indian life. Through Lamput, Simpoo, and Return of the Jungle, the studio continues to define what truly homegrown animation can look like — local in spirit, yet universal in appeal.

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