Tamil Writer and Artist Bridge Language to Create Comic

A celebrated Tamil writer and a Malayalam-speaking graphic artist just showed the world that great collaboration needs no translation.

Perumal Murugan and illustrator Appupen recently released a graphic novel adaptation of Vaadivasal, a classic Tamil story about jallikattu, the traditional bull sport celebrated during Pongal festivals. Despite speaking different languages, the two artists found creative harmony in bringing the decades-old tale to visual life.

"Malayalam has many old Tamil words. When Appupen speaks slowly, I understand well," Murugan explained at The Hindu Lit for Life 2026 festival. The partnership flowed naturally because graphic novels blend images with text, allowing both creators to communicate through multiple channels.

Appupen traveled to jallikattu regions to experience the sport firsthand for his illustrations. He jumped at the chance to work on the project because it gives regional fiction a stronger presence in the graphic medium, an art form often dominated by Western stories.

The collaboration worked smoothly because Murugan gave his partner creative freedom. The writer penned the full text, then Appupen selected what he needed and matched it with powerful visuals to help readers unfamiliar with Tamil culture connect with the story.

Why This Inspires

This partnership shows how artists from different backgrounds can create something beautiful together when they focus on shared vision rather than differences. Murugan wrote freely while Appupen drew goats and bulls that set the stage for readers, each contributing their unique strengths to tell a complete story.

The success of their first collaboration sparked immediate plans for a second project. The duo is now adapting Murugan's novel Poonachi, which centers on the lives of goats, into another graphic novel that promises to bring rural Tamil stories to new audiences through art.

Their work preserves important cultural narratives while making them accessible to readers who might never pick up a traditional novel. By combining visual storytelling with carefully chosen text, they're building bridges between languages, generations, and art forms.

Sometimes the best partnerships happen when people stop worrying about obstacles and start creating together.