18 Feb 2007 midday
Before Eklavya's actors occupy the frame, a three-minute animation film plays the story of Drona's brilliant pupil and his crippling sacrifice in the name of duty. International and National Award winning Animagic India Studios collaborated with Vidhu Vinod Chopra to create this short animated film.

"Many people in modern Indian don't know the Mahabharata story of Eklavya and his principles of honour, duty, dharma and loyalty," says Chetan Sharma, India director of Animagic. "The short film provided a backdrop which defines and clues us into where the main character's sense of duty comes from."
That's not all that the animation studio did. Chetan's team started worked on the movie in late 2004, when it was first conceived. They drew the storyboard, shot-by-shot, for the entire movie and provided all the visual effects and kept at it until the shooting was completed.