Capturing current changes of water & time in animation

CHENNAI: Prominent animation filmmaker Nina Sabnani and artist Shrilekha Sikander have been close friends for over five decades. But beyond the warmth of their friendship, the talented duo has come up with something special and innovative.

Together, they have created a film, titled Fleeting Moments, an animated piece by Nina, inspired by the watercolours of Shrilekha. Viewers are invited on a visual journey through coastal landscapes, monsoon skies, and ever-changing spaces. “That’s what the film is about. It’s an animated film that runs for three minutes and 26 seconds. But since it’s designed as a loop, the film has no real end; it just flows on,” Nina explains.

Speaking about her inspiration, Nina adds, “Shrilekha is a very dear friend. I’ve known her since I was 17. Every birthday, she gives me a painting. One day, I told her I wanted to animate her work and asked for all of her paintings and she was shocked! But I was deeply inspired, and from that, this film was born.”

Having spent decades in the animation industry, Nina was looking to explore a different approach; something more like an art installation than a traditional narrative film.“When I saw Shrilekha’s paintings, I knew instantly that this is what I had been searching for. I wanted to create a loop, something that could be displayed in a gallery, constantly flowing.

Cinema is often sequential and controlled. It guides the viewer’s attention: edited, directed, and finite. But I wanted to give autonomy to the audience, to allow them to linger as long as they wanted. That’s the experience I was aiming for.”

Fleeting Moments is about more than just visual beauty; it explores the transient nature of time, light, and the sea.“The sea changes constantly. That’s what Shrilekha was observing as she painted…those tiny, passing moments. We tried to capture that.

At the same time, we wanted the viewer to have freedom to decide what to see, how long to stay, and when to move on. It’s meditative. It’s meant to transport you to another space, not through narrative, but through presence. That’s why we called it Fleeting Moments,” Nina says.

The film will be showcased as part of the upcoming exhibition, Red Earth and Pouring Rain, at DakshinaChitra. Each frame captures a season: a monsoon descending over coastal terrain, shifting skies, and light. Each moment returns, yet it’s never quite the same.

The artists worked with over 30 images, layering elements like moving clouds and changing water to evoke the cyclical yet ever-changing nature of the sea.

“It’s never the same wave, never the same shade of blue. We didn’t want the animation to feel like a mechanical loop. It had to breathe. We’re not making a protest film, but we are appreciating something precious.

Water is vital and we don’t know how long we’ll have it,” Nina reflects. Through her paintings, Shrilekha captures the moods and memories of water, and Nina’s animation brings them gently to life.