Kids
Starz Media invests in digital comic platform Graphic.ly
MUMBAI: Starz Media is one of the contributors of the more than $1 million funding secured by Graphic.ly, a digital comic book publisher and community platform.
Further investors for this round of funding, which was lead by DFJ Mercury, included Northstar Equity Investors and GC&H Investments. Individual investment contributions were received from David Cohen, Chris Sacca, Jake Nickell, Paige Craig and Dave McClure.
The funds will be used by Graphic.ly to expand development and marketing efforts and begin work on content partnerships.
Said Starz Media senior VP of digital media business development and strategy Marc DeBevoise, “In our business, we have seen digital media transform the way consumers learn about, interact with and ultimately view television and movie content. We see this transformation as a key opportunity in various forms of content. We are excited about the investment in Graphic.ly and its approach to bringing this kind of change to the comics and publishing world.”
Averred Graphic.ly chief scientist and co-founder Kevin Mann, “While we are excited to bring publishers such as Marvel to the iPhone, we are more excited about allowing readers to engage and access their libraries and exclusive content wherever and whenever they desire.”
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.
