Animated "Arjun" is not a children's film

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Director Arnab Chaudhuri is quick to point out that his new animation project on a Mahabharat hero is not a children's film.

"Arjun - The Warrior Prince" puts the spotlight on the third of the Pandava brothers in Indian mythology and is the coming-of-age story of the legendary archer.

"It's a hero's journey. It's a martial arts movie," Chaudhuri said in a telephone interview from Mumbai. "This film is the journey in which he goes from being a talented kid to becoming a great warrior."

"Most people equate animation with comedy for kids," he adds. "This is not comedy for children."

It's been two decades since Arjun and his Pandava siblings first mesmerised Indian audiences in B.R. Chopra's television serial "Mahabharat".

Three years in the making, "Arjun - The Warrior Prince" is a joint production of Walt Disney Pictures and UTV Motion Pictures.

Chaudhuri used traditional 2G animation for the project and says he wasn't tempted to jump on to the 3D bandwagon.

"We wanted a very classical look (of) traditional animation."

"Arjun - The Warrior Prince" opens in Indian cinemas on Friday.

(Reporting by Tony Tharakan; Editing by Diksha Madhok)