Kids
‘Sesame Street’ heads to Cambodia on Apsara TV-11
MUMBAI: The Sesame Street gang is heading for Cambodia and will be airing on Apsara TV-11 in Phnom Penh from 13 December. The show will be called Sabai Sabai Sesame (Happy Happy Sesame).
It is a version of Sesame Street specially adapted for Cambodia and features animation, mini documentaries and muppet segments. The series, broadcast in Khmer, the native language, will air twice weekly.
Children in Cambodia will learn basic literacy, numeracy and social skills with the help of the furry, fun and friendly muppets.
Sabai Sabai Sesame is produced by Educational Television Cambodia (ETC), a project of World Education. The programme has been funded by the United States Embassy in Phnom Penh.
“As an organisation dedicated to encouraging children to reach their highest potential, we are excited that the children of Cambodia will have the opportunity to laugh and learn through playdates with Elmo and Grover,” said Sesame Workshop president and CEO Gary E Knell.
“In addition to the educational value of broadcasting Sabai Sabai Sesame, it has been tremendously gratifying to work with the many talented Cambodian actors, musicians and television technicians who made the production possible. Our partners at Babel Studios and Seven Colours have done superb work dubbing Sesame Workshop’s program into Khmer. When Cambodian children see muppets speaking their language, their mouths drop open in utter amazement,” said ETC president and CEO Peter Wilson.
US Embassy ambassador in Phnom Penh Joseph A. Mussomeli said, “I well remember how much my own children enjoyed Sesame Street when they were young, and how much they learned from Big Bird, Bert, Ernie, and the whole Sesame Street gang. Personally, I learned the most from Oscar the Grouch! But I am very happy that Cambodian children will now have the opportunity to experience this unique educational program.”
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.
