Kids
AOL launches KOL Jr. on the Web
MUMBAI: Preschoolers now have their own website, with the launch of KOL Jr., AOL’s website for kids aged 2 to 5, at http://www.koljunior.com/. The site contains original cartoons, games, music, bedtime stories and other fun, interactive features designed to help parents introduce the Internet to their young children.
The launch of KOL Jr. also marks the debut of a brand new cartoon called Pilar’s Adventures, which covers topics that engage preschoolers’ imaginations while helping them deal with everyday life experiences.
“Parents want to be as involved as they can with their young kids while they are online,” said AOL Kids & Teens SVP Malcolm Bird, “At KOL Jr., parents and their children will have fun learning and playing together, with fresh content and activities that aren’t available anywhere else online.”
Developed by a former teacher and current programming director for AOL, Pilar’s Adventures follows Pilar, a young horse with a wild imagination who joins her new friends in Farmer Roxy’s barnyard. Pilar and the gang — Cleg the horsefly, Hampshire the pig and Susa the owl — explore new places all while learning new and valuable life lessons.
The animated cartoon will launch with 10 five-minute episodes. Beyond Pilar’s Adventures, young kids will also find other engaging activities on the new KOL Jr. service including:
” – Animal Videos – Watch videos from National Geographic and footage of dolphins swimming at the National Aquarium.
” – Games – Play games featuring Pilar’s Adventures’ characters, such as coloring and dot-to-dot, and educational games from AOL Learning Games.
” – Music – Dance along to popular tunes by the Wiggles, Strawberry Shortcake, Hi-5, Barbie Princesses and Barney.
” – TV – Check out kid-friendly movies and DVDs clips such as Muppets, Trollz, Chicken Little, Cinderella, Bambi, Care Bears and Scooby Doo will be available.
” – Toy Time – Become official Toy Time Testers. Parents and kids work together to rate toys from all the biggest toy companies.
” – Printables – Print out some of their favorite characters including Pilar characters, KOL Gliders, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Winx and many others.
This launch follows the success of KOL – AOL’s highly popular service for kids aged 7 to 12, and will compliment other content already available for kids on AOL.
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.
