Shinchan, one of the most beloved cartoon characters in India and globally, has a massive fanbase. The show, which aired in India in 2006 on Hungama TV with Hindi dubbing, became an instant hit. However, it faced controversy, resulting in a ban in 2008 due to concerns over inappropriate content. Recently, Aakash Ahuja, the voice artist behind Shinchan, opened up about his experience working on the show, calling its content “lewd.”
During an interview with The Motor Mouth YouTube channel, Ahuja discussed his journey as Shinchan’s Hindi voice actor. Reflecting on some of the more questionable content, he said, “I have seen Shinchan dancing naked, and I dubbed those scenes too. They would tell me to dub it, and then we’d see. He would sing lines like ‘Haathi, mera pyara haathi,’ and it was so lewd. Even adults shouldn’t watch it, it was so dirty. They would censor it all later.”
The voice actor also recalled an incident where a specific line from the show was flagged for being inappropriate. “There was a line, ‘Bachhe churane wali moti budhiya (fat woman who steals babies),’ and after a case was filed, we had already done 150-200 episodes. I was called, and all those lines had to be changed, otherwise Shinchan would never be aired. We had to re-record those parts for TV broadcast,” Ahuja added.
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Ahuja further revealed that the demands of dubbing began to take a toll on his voice, especially during his academic years. As he prepared for his board exams, he faced increased pressure and found it challenging to maintain the same voice for Shinchan as he grew older. “The voice I could do at age 10, I couldn’t replicate at 15,” he shared.
Despite its controversial content, Shinchan returned to Indian television in 2009 after a year-long ban. The show, which follows the misadventures of Shinnosuke Nohara, a mischievous 5-year-old, continues to be popular among both children and adults, albeit with a more family-friendly version aired in recent years.
The revelations from Ahuja provide a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into the challenges of dubbing for an internationally popular but controversial show like Shinchan.