Sketch, Animate, Repeat: The Art of Bringing Ideas to Life

Kathmandu, May 12 – Khicha Studio began its path in a small leased space equipped with just three desks and laptops. The company was launched by childhood buddies Bibin Manandar, Sanjana Shrestha, and Rikesh Manandhar while they were pursuing their undergraduate degrees; it came into existence on April 26, 2021.

Even though the three of them took different academic routes, their curiosity extended beyond their areas of study. Bibin, who led the animation efforts, brought with him expertise from a fine arts education and had previously worked as a freelancer for 2D animations. As he shares, "It was challenging to handle animation tasks single-handedly, which prompted me to bring them aboard."

Initially aiming for a career in social work, Sanjana changed her course upon realizing she could make an impact via another path. She explains, “Drawing has always been something I enjoyed.” Seeing that Bibin was already involved in it, she considered collaborating with him as a potential venture. To which he consented readily. Eventually, Rikesh expressed his enthusiasm too. Given our strong bond and shared confidence, pursuing this together seemed like the perfect move.

Rikesh found himself at a crossroads during this period. He mentions, "Although I was studying programming, I didn’t really enjoy it. My true passion lay with anime; additionally, I spent time playing the guitar. Since I couldn't find my place within the tech sphere, I decided to leave and join their ranks instead."

Bibin mentions that they began as a branding design studio, focusing on logos and websites since they didn’t have many clients at first," he explains. "Their path commenced when Bibin worked on an animated music video for his brother Atul Manandhar’s track called 'Those Days,' leading to their initial paid assignment from Prostan’s song titled 'Yatra.'

Discussing the team's initial breakthrough, they received an opportunity from musician Sambat Shree to create the animation for his song 'Pani.' As Sanjana recalls, "During this time, we were busy drawing, brainstorming, and experimenting with various ideas." This assignment helped them identify both their capabilities and areas needing improvement within the group.

The term 'Khicha' embodies the group’s common heritage and empathy. Initially, they conceived the name as part of an application concept aimed at aiding homeless canines. As Bibin recounts: “Rujan Tandukar was one of our mates, and we considered developing an app designed to provide street dogs with veterinary care or adoption opportunities.” Khicha signifies ‘dog’ in the Newari tongue. Although the project did not materialize into an app, the title remained significant for them.

Our parents weren't too thrilled at first. "We were scolded for naming it that," he laughs, "but now it's okay."

Their subsequent major project was initiated by Rohit Shakya from Fuzz Factory Productions, involving a track titled 'Na Birsi Dinu' by Trishala Gurung. "Following that, we embarked on an extensive and demanding endeavor with Nawaj Ansari for his music video 'Vim Saboon.' This undertaking consumed an entire year to finish," explains Bibin.

One of the other works in an animated music video was for The Uniq Poet, 'Andhakar ko Ananta'. ''While most of our work is done frame-by-frame, in this we used puppet animation and got help from Keshal Yadav of Lophophorus Studio," says Bibin. "We prepared it in 3d, converted it to 2d, and then composed it. It was fun."

Their process is cooperative—Bibin takes care of storyboarding and pre-production, Sanjana focuses on conceptual artwork and serves as the Human Resources manager, and Rikesh oversees coloring, editing, and motion graphics. They explain, “Following client meetings, we gather with the entire team, which includes three internal artists, to delegate tasks.”

But finding artists hasn't been easy. "In Nepal, few people are in this field full-time," he says. "Most work elsewhere. So we find fresh graduates or students. We train them for two to three months. It helps build loyalty and also makes things easier for them. We had to carve our way-maybe they won't have to."

In their third year, they enlisted Kriti Gautam, Suzan Pokharel, and Samikshya Rana Magar as senior 2D animators. Magar swiftly mastered the necessary skills and currently guides new interns.

Irtiqa Shrestha and Aastha Shrestha are among the most regular freelance artists they collaborate with, working on a project-by-project basis.

They frequently produce content aimed at raising awareness, including animations for local festivals or about historical personalities like Prithivi Narayan Shah. According to Sanjana, these concepts typically arise from her sense of wonder. She explains, "I pay close attention." When it comes to festivities, she inquiries with her parents: "'What’s the reason behind our celebration?' ‘Where does this tradition come from?’"

Animation isn’t merely a job for the team—it’s a perspective. This is evident from their numerous passion projects centered around nostalgia or tales often overlooked. However, this does not diminish the significance of assigned tasks. As Rikesh points out, “Personal initiatives differ from those requested by clients.” Nevertheless, he adds, “For us, maintaining high standards remains paramount regardless of the project type.”

Bibin comments, "Creating music videos is somewhat simpler. The artist already provides a concept; they offer their vision. However, for ads, we must begin with nothing."

He cites their music video for Nawaz Anasri's 'Vim Saboon' as an illustration. "The melody itself narrated a tale," he comments.

Aside from music videos, they have collaborated with organizations like UNICEF, UNESCO, and the United Nations. They express excitement about this because it allows them to contribute something that extends far beyond their personal reach.

The initial year was challenging. As Sanjana recounts, "We were merely youngsters without proper resources, making do with help from our families." In the following year, improved project opportunities enabled them to enhance their laptop capabilities and officially establish their company. By the third year, they had recruited talented artists and expanded into 3D animation through 'Modern Buda,' which draws inspiration from Newar art and architectural styles.

“Creating 3D animations was quite a challenge; our systems just weren’t up to the task,” explains Rikesh. Recently, they invested in a specialized rendering computer, which marked a substantial improvement. In 2025, they partnered with Peak Studio on a National Game project and relaunched ‘Modern Buda’ as an ongoing series, amassing 37K followers on TikTok.

One of their most significant accomplishments was presenting gifts to their parents during Dashain—Sanjana bought jewelry for her mom, whereas Rikesh and Bibin got refrigerators and washing machines. "It was quite moving," remarks Bibin. "Our collaboration made this achievement possible."

Even as they recognize the advancement of AI, they stay wary. According to Bibin, generative AI does not possess emotions. Nonetheless, they find utility in AI-aided tools such as Cascadeur for 3D animation.

Currently, they're working on 'Prithvi Narayan Shah Part 3' and expanding 'Modern Buda' as a weekly series. With sponsors now supporting them, they also focus on creating content that resonates globally, like through 'Tales with Bohr'.

For Khicha Studio, the journey is far from over. As Bibin puts it, "It takes five years for a business to grow. We're just getting started."