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In an era where visual culture is increasingly shaped by global trends, algorithms, and AI-generated aesthetics, a new generation of Indian artists is quietly — and sometimes loudly — reclaiming what it means to look desi. Their work doesn’t rely on nostalgia alone, nor does it attempt to sanitise Indian visual culture for international consumption. Instead, it leans into excess, texture, colour, contradiction, and chaos — the very things that have always defined the Indian visual landscape.
It shows up in the way colour is used without restraint, in the comfort with visual density, in humour that borders on absurd, and in stories that feel intimate even when they are fantastical. Some of them work across continents, others document the cities they live in with almost archival tenderness, while a few push the boundaries of animation and illustration to reflect the fragmented, overstimulated rhythm of contemporary Indian life. (And they all, also happen to be women!)
Here are the illustrators on our radar:
An established visual artist from Kolkata, Guptaroy is known for her signature maximalist design language — loud, unapologetic, and impossible to ignore. Based between Kolkata and London, she has collaborated with several acclaimed global and Indian brands, including Asian Paints’ Pujo campaign, where artists from across the city hand-painted Kolkata’s iconic yellow taxis, transforming them into moving canvases that travelled through the city during the festive season. Guptaroy’s portfolio also includes collaborations with brands such as Hermès, Levi’s, Budweiser, and Pepsi, Her work is an exuberant explosion of colour, deeply rooted in a distinctly desi visual vocabulary. It evokes the hand-painted typography, motifs, and bold palettes found on Indian highway trucks and shopfronts. Her designs feel almost tactile, leaping off the screen and inviting interaction, laced with a witty pun that will guaranteed make you chuckle.
You can follow her here.
An architect by training and an illustrator by passion, Surabhi is an architect-illustrator based in Bengaluru. Her work is marked by an extraordinary level of detail and careful observation. One such example is Gehna Gatha, a piece that captures archival jewellery from 19th-century India — from embellished ear cuffs to ornate hair combs, every crevice and detail meticulously rendered in Banerjee’s illustration. Some of the brands she has worked with are Coca-Cola, Mubi, Naturals, and Prime Video India. Much of her independent work, available for purchase through her website, highlights diverse cultural practices from across the country. These include visual narratives inspired by traditions such as Theyyam from Kerala and Chhau Jugol, a folk dance form from eastern India. While her work is richly colourful, Surabhi favours more muted, calming tones, allowing her illustrations to unfold gently — almost like pages from a storybook, inviting the viewer to linger and look in.
You can follow her here.
Shriya’s work seems like a tribute to Bengaluru. Her 2026 ComiCal, featuring 12 of Bengaluru’s most iconic spots featuring the best spot to get the fluffiest idli, Veena Stores to Bengaluru’s puff-central Thom's Bakery, captures the city at its most playful and innocent spots. The colours are whimsical and playful and bring out the best the city has to offer. An IT analyst by profession, Shriya is redefining what urban art means in a city like Bengaluru. In a lot of ways her and her art are a part of everything Bengaluru is about : not only reimagining a new tomorrow with the Silk Board traffic and endless metro construction but also holding on to what actually gave the city its identity: its extremely diverse and rich history.
You can follow her here.
Vini Chandrashekhar’s work is a vibrant expression of Indian folk art and mythology, brought to life through a visual language that is both colourful and deeply distinctive. Her Dashavatar series, which explores the ten avatars of Vishnu, showcases her ability to reimagine mythological narratives with freshness while remaining rooted in tradition. Her illustrations have been featured in Tinkle Comics, a space synonymous with Indian childhoods, further underscoring her ability to translate cultural memory into accessible, modern imagery. There is an unmistakable desiness infused into everything she creates. One of her most striking projects is Reimagining Ghibli, where she visualised what a Studio Ghibli universe might look like if it were set in India, an honest and faithful response to the AI Ghibli trends that had taken over social media this year.
You can follow her here.
Utkarsha is a student at NIFT Hyderabad whose work immediately commands attention, bursting off the screen with bold, unapologetic typography and kooky characters that feel like they’ve stepped straight out of a 90s comic book. Her visual language is playful yet confident, blending exaggerated forms, expressive faces, and vibrant colour palettes that refuse to be ignored. There’s a sense of nostalgia running through her illustrations that never feels dated. Whether she’s experimenting with lettering or building character-driven narratives, her work carries an infectious Indian energy.
You can follow her here.
Nonisha Negi is an illustrator and animator based in Delhi whose work feels like a glimpse into the inside of your brain if you simply sit with it and let it marinate. Her zany characters, unexpected colour combinations, and animations feel otherworldly yet deeply human at the same time. There’s a sense of playful chaos in her visuals — as if they’re constantly in motion, thinking, feeling, and reacting. Nonisha has created illustrations for brands like Kaagazz, and her short film What We Talk When We Talk About Fruits was selected in the Best Student Animated Film category at the Animators Guild India Fest 2024. Her art feels distinctly Gen Z desi — contemporary, slightly wacky, and internet-aware, but still rooted in lived experience and cultural memory. It’s experimental without being alienating and strange without losing its warmth.
You can follow her here.
