Kids
Nick president Brown Johnson to deliver keynote at Banff
MUMBAI: The Banff World Television Festival (BANFF) has announced that Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids and Family Group president animation Brown Johnson will wrap up the inaugural ‘Kids & Animation Day‘ with a keynote address on 9 June during the 30th edition of the event that takes place in Banff, Canada from 7–10 June.
Banff executive director Peter Vamos says, “Brown Johnson is an innovative television programme developer and exceptional brand strategist who has made a revolutionary impact on the industry. We’re thrilled to have Johnson involved in our Kids and Animation programme, her participation is a significant asset to the entire festival.”
Johnson spearheads development and production for all animated programming across Nickelodeon while continuing to oversee development and production for all preschool programming.
During her 20 years at Nickelodeon, Johnson has supervised the creative direction of shows such as SpongeBob SquarePants and The Penguins of Madagascar in partnership with DreamWorks Animation SKG and The Mighty B! starring Amy Poehler.
In addition, Johnson has been the driving force behind Nickelodeon Pre-school, which includes Nick Jr, Nickelodeon’s programming block dedicated to pre-schoolers seen over 96 million homes and Noggin. This is Nickelodeon’s 24-hour commercial-free digital educational network for pre-schoolers seen in 69 million homes.
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.
