Cult of Fear- Asaram Bapu

CULT OF FEAR: ASARAM BAPU

SERIES GRAPHICS
Visualisation | Art Direction | Animation

Brief
The task was to develop a cohesive design language for the three-part documentary series, My Daughter Joined a Cult S2: Asaram. This series offers an in-depth exploration of the life of the controversial godman and his subsequent fall from grace following grave allegations.
The design language should enhance the series’ content by providing a unified and striking visual presentation. It should also capture and reflect the essence of the show, ensuring that the aesthetic aligns with the series' thematic and emotional depth.

1.Design Language
The three-part documentary delves into the fall of a spiritual leader, whose descent shattered the faith of millions and ruined countless lives.
To visually capture this, we focused on elements reflecting Asaram's Hindu godman background, using color transitions from yellow to red to symbolize his fall from holiness to crime. Sacred symbols, when stripped of their significance and used in a contrasting way, intensify the unsettling nature of his actions.

We incorporated textures like CRT TV lines and a subtle RGB split to give the graphics an authentic, retro feel, reminiscent of the era when the case unfolded and information was primarily shared via television. This design choice adds a layer of grit and nostalgia, enhancing the historical context of the story.

2.News Articles

For the news articles relating to each narrative in the show, we used color transitions to gradually illustrate the growing darkness and gravity of the situation as the story progresses. This color transition was complemented by visual elements inspired by Asaram's faith, further highlighting the intensity of his crimes.

For each set of news about an incident, we used color and visual changes to show how the story became more intense and complicated over 2 or 3 articles (as shown below)-

Marigold Flowers: Marigolds, commonly used in Hindu rituals to symbolize purity, auspiciousness, and devotion, can take on a darker meaning when shown in decay. Their fall from grace mirrors the godman’s own descent, reflecting the impact of his illegal activities.

(The three news articles shown below appear at different points in the documentary, but in the same order as below. To enhance viewing and provide a clearer understanding of the transitions, they have been combined into a single video below)

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Banyan trees symbolizing wisdom, shelter, and spiritual initiation in the godman’s ashram, take on a menacing, entangling quality when their roots are stripped of their spiritual meaning, complementing the grim nature of the news.

(The three news articles shown below appear at different points in the documentary, but in the same order as below. To enhance viewing and provide a clearer understanding of the transitions, they have been combined into a single video below)

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Diya Lamps: Oil lamps, traditionally symbols of light, knowledge, and purity in Hindu rituals, take on a somber significance when their flame fades and is eventually extinguished. In this context, they come to represent the harsh and unsettling realities of sexual assault.

(The two news articles shown below appear at different points in the documentary, but in the same order as below. To enhance viewing and provide a clearer understanding of the transitions, they have been combined into a single video below)

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When these sacred symbols lose their significance and are presented in contrasting contexts, they emphasize the darker side of the godman's criminal activities.These altered symbols intensify the gravity of the content, deepening the emotional impact of the narrative.

Staying true to the narrative, the same motif was reversed to reveal a glimmer of hope, signaling the triumph of good over evil. Despite the criminally inclined godman holding sway over the story, one girl stood up to him, defying the odds.

3.Title Sequence

The 20-second title sequence combines key moments from the case with Asaram's rise and fall. It begins with his extravagant dance and godly image, showered in marigolds, before shattering with the gavel’s strike, symbolising his conviction. The title "Cult of Fear" appears in white but with the text "Asaram Bapu" appearing below, the white text gets splashed with blood. "Asaram Bapu" is shown in a gradient of yellow to red, representing his fall, from saint to sinner.

4.Maps and Aston Designs

The maps and astons for the series were designed to align with the overall design aesthetic, using the same fonts and color palette to maintain a cohesive visual language throughout.

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Some text slates were designed to be simple, legible, and unobtrusive, supporting the narrative while staying consistent with the overall design language.

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5.Animated Illustrations

The documentary also features parallax animation created by me, incorporating illustrations by the talented illustration team. These illustrations were used in scenes where archival footage was unavailable, often to recreate events, or to complement the interviewee's narrative. They helped visualise abstract concepts, situations, or personal experiences, adding a dynamic layer to the storytelling and making the narrative more vivid and engaging.