Suppandi was willed into existence by Tinkle comics way back in 1983. The literary summer vacation friend of most non-millennials - based on a Tamil folklore character Chappandi - a goof who is perennially fired and is always in search of a job is now set to find a place of pride in our wardrobes!
In an effort to popularise Indian pop culture and celebrate it globally, actor Anushka Sharma has sought design inspiration from Suppandi for the spring-summer collection line of her label NUSH. The collaboration between NUSH and Tinkle will comprise tops and dresses.
Anushka Sharma is making this character with a rectangular head, three tufts of hair a long nose cool again. What a way to recycle nostalgia?
“While we celebrate the Avengers or Mickey Mouse from the West, images of Suppandi will re-ignite fond recollections of childhood for many people. Suppandi was my (imaginary) buddy as I would gobble up comics featuring him on lazy summer afternoons. I wanted to flesh out his place in our happy childhood memories with the brand’s summer collection, and we have worked at retaining the simple, comfortable element of Suppandi in his line. This Nush x Suppandi collection is reminiscent of all those lazy summer afternoons we spent reading stories of India’s favourite simpleton. The collection brings back the innocence and joy of childhood while also being contemporary and chic...”Anushka Sharma
This makes us wistful about many more comic characters who have almost faded into oblivion like the pages of our frayed Indian comic books. Remember fighting with your siblings over who would read the comic first or hiding those comics behind textbooks, all the while pretending that you were studying? What about some Chacha Chaudhary T-shirts? The man slaying ageism since 1971 had a frail physique but a sharp intellect. Accompanied by his street dog Rocket, Chacha donned a striking red turban that complemented his bushy mustache and then of course, there was his sidekick, Sabu.
The emaciated celestial Betaal, hanging from a tree made for pure thrills.
Nagraj was unleashed as an international terror weapon by the evil scientist Professor Nagmani.
Wouldn’t it be thrilling if these and more characters waning from public memory made a comeback as our sartorial companion pieces?!