Kids
Disney Channel to make entry into Tamil and Telugu via pre-school block
MUMBAI: Disney Channel is making an entry into Tamil and Telugu language content through a newly created block for the two-seven-year-olds.
The branded block, Disney Junior, will start from 4 July and occupy the 11 am-12.30 pm time band. Airing Monday to Friday, it will also be in English and Hindi, the two languages Disney Channel is available in India.
The effort is to age up Disney Channel’s pre-school content. With Playhouse Disney, the channel used to target the two-five-year-olds. The focus of the new pre-school block will be to widen the base to even the seven-year-olds.
Says Walt Disney Television International India VP and GM Natasha Malhotra, “Disney Junior will have the all-time favourites with exciting new content to age-up our pre-school offerings, focusing on two to seven year olds and their families.”
Disney Junior will house Playhouse Disney as well as new content. Says Malhotra, “Playhouse Disney built a great base with pioneering content such as Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Disney Junior will further bolster the emotional connect that Disney has with kids and families across the country.”
Forming the pivot of the ‘Disney Junior’ block will be ‘Jake and the Never land Pirates’, which will have a local element to it. The animated adventure series, combining new and classic Disney characters Captain Hook and Smee, will have Cryus Broacha play the voice of Sharky along with musician Sid Coutto as the voice of Bones. The duo will also be seen on the show with an entertaining live–action routine which has been locally produced in India.
Disney Junior will also feature a short form series, ‘Mickey Mousekersize’ to encourage healthy lifestyles for preschoolers and families; new show ‘Cat in the Hat knows a Lot About That’; and the leading TV show for preschoolers ‘Mickey Mouse Clubhouse’, along with ‘Handy Manny’, ‘Special Agent Oso’ and ‘Little Einsteins’.
In addition, the block will showcase ‘Car Toons’ and ‘Toy Treats’, short form content characters from Disney movies Cars and Toy Story.
“As we continue to build a family entertainment brand in the country, Disney Junior will be a noteworthy introduction for many Indian kids and families, to the unique, unmatched and magical brand that is Disney,” avers Malhotra.
Kids
Mukta Arts and Green Gold ink MOU to animate iconic film IPs
Kalicharan, Karz, Hero, Karma, Ram Lakhan to spawn animated shows plus features.
MUMBAI: When classic hindi movie meets animation, the result is a fresh reel of nostalgia with a cartoon twist. Mukta Arts Ltd. and Green Gold Animation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on animated shows and feature films drawn from Mukta Arts’ four-decade treasure trove of iconic IPs. The partnership taps Mukta’s SGM Animation Studio launched in 2025 as its dedicated animation and games arm and Green Gold’s proven track record in building scalable, homegrown franchises. Creative teams from both sides have already kicked off discussions, with the first project currently in development.
The slate will draw inspiration from landmark Mukta films including Kalicharan, Karz, Hero, Karma, Ram Lakhan, Khalnayak, Saudagar and Iqbal, plus character-led spin-offs from those universes. The aim is to reimagine these stories for today’s young, global audiences while preserving their emotional core.
Green Gold Animation (home of Chhota Bheem) founder and CEO Rajiv Chilaka said, “This partnership with SGM Studios allows us to apply our experience in building long-lasting animation IPs to a truly iconic film catalogue. Together, we aim to create animated worlds that are rooted in these legendary stories, yet designed to connect with today’s young, global audiences.”
Mukta Arts Ltd. filmmaker and founder Subhash Ghai added, “Mukta Arts has always believed in creating stories with lasting emotional value. Through animation, we are extending our IP into a new medium for the next generation.”
In an industry where timeless tales never go out of fashion, this collaboration promises to bring beloved characters back to life with a modern, animated glow proving that some stories are too good to stay in live-action. Stay tuned for the first animated frame to drop.
