Dhrutika Khimani’s stop-motion animations use thread, paper, and perforations

Mumbai-based animator and illustrator Dhrutika Khimani creates stop-motion animations using physical materials like thread, paper, holes, and text, rejecting digital shortcuts. Her work, which includes pieces such as "Reconnecting," "How ChatGPT Changed Me" for The New Yorker, "Just Words On A Page," "Decoding Life," "Breaking Point," "Train Rides," and "Heart Health," emphasizes tactility and imperfection. Khimani began with 3D as a hobby before moving into 2D animation, where she incorporates embroidery, photography, wordplay, and cut-outs. She uses pointillist pin holes in paper and text silhouettes. Her practice is grounded in personal experience and everyday life, exploring touch and feel. The analogue process, she notes, brings limitations and possibilities that digital cannot replicate. Her work is featured on her website and Instagram.