The animated animator

When Delna Bhesania, founder of Bardel Animation Limited was selected as one of its "40-under-40” award winners by Business in Vancouver (BIV) magazine, her success story was reported in its January 2004 issue, states the FEZANA Journal (Spring 2004). With a core staff of 11 and hired help fluctuating between 80 and 150 depending on the work at hand, "Bardel has worked with such television and film animation companies as DreamWorks, Fox and Warner Bros,” FEZANA Journal quotes BIV. Simultaneously, the company is developing its own products — a TV series around the Silver­wing trilogy, the award winning Chris­t­mas Orange and a deal with the MegaBloks toy company.

Bhesania was also featured on the cover of Mehfil (March 2004). The story by Robin Roberts covers her progress over the years since her first baffling encounter with a skeptical banker whom she was hard pressed to convince that at the age of 21 she was qualified to start her own business! Married to Barry Ward whose work in the animation industry required him to make frequent trips to its major centers in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa, Bhesania told Roberts, "I spent one winter in Ottawa and decided I was not going to spend another one. So I said to Barry, ‘Let’s try opening up a service company in Vancouver and they can send us the work here.’”

Ward, "a straight talking, boyish looking Scotsman” as Roberts describes him, wanted no part of it as "nine out of 15 companies failed.” But Bhesania prevailed and now Ward admits, "We were fortunate we got into it when we did. Animation was on an upswing at the time.”

They started work from a spare bedroom in their apartment and grew out of it in six months. Years of growth led them to move frequently to ever larger premises — each move accompanied by a jashan organized by Bhesania’s mother Sheraz — until today they operate out of a computer crowded two story office building in downtown Vancouver.

Beginning with a live action show called Beans Baxter, the pair went on "to produce animated shorts for Spike and Mike’s Animated Festivals, which led to relationships with the big TV and movie studios. Since then, they have provided creative services in one way or another for more than 35 TV series, including Mucha Lucha for Warner Bros and a 3D production of Dragons for Teletoon, as well as a dozen feature films including Sinbad, 8 Crazy Nights, The Prince of Egypt and its prequel Joseph, The King of Dreams. The company has also produced CD-ROMs for Disney Interactive as well as products for the Internet and video games,” Roberts traces the growth of Bardel Entertainment Inc.

Mandatory trips around the world to trade fairs and shows is now becoming a burden to the 39-year-old mother of two daughters, Zoe (12) and Zara (six). Before the children were born the couple traveled together. Now one of them stays home. "Being away from my kids is what I dislike the most, and for some reason every trade show seems to fall on a birthday!” despairs Bhesania. But the girls make "good sounding boards for Bardel’s projects” as they fit the age group of the target audience, Bhesania told Roberts. She said she also frequents book stores to keep in touch with what today’s children like to read and is toying with the idea of writing a book.

Bombay born Bhesania moved to Vancouver with her parents Sheraz and Behram when she was only two. Her younger sisters Tanya and Anita were born there. All the three girls are married to Canadian men. Tanya, who works for Price-Waterhouse as a trainer and recruiter in their education department and arranges audits, wed Carl Best, an air conditioning mechanic from Nova Scotia last year. Anita gave up a career as manager of Purdy’s Chocolates after her marriage to executive chef Michael Traquair of the Ramada Inn and Conference Centre to look after their son Maverick, notes their mother Sheraz.

"We always knew when we immigrated in 1967 that we would never have a Parsi jamai (son-in-law). If it had happened it would have been nice — but looking at three couples who married Parsis and divorced, I am very happy with my three sons-in-law, all Canadians,” writes Sheraz in an e-mail to Parsiana.

Earlier this year the family got together to celebrate Zoe’s navjote. Bhesania believes it’s important her daughters know their heritage. She told Roberts, "They spend so much time with their grandparents and they’ve learnt a lot of the Zoroastrian faith from them. Actually my older daughter is very much into the holy days and rituals. But we also celebrate Christmas and Easter and all the other English holidays as well so they’re not missing out on anything. But it’s good to have my parents here because they’re definitely the keepers of the culture.”