Kids
BBC launches children’s writing competition in the UK
MUMBAI: UK pubcaster The BBC’s children’s channel CBBC has announced that its show Blue Peter, in association with Arts Council England, has launched a children’s writing competition in the UK.
Seven writers, including the current Children’s Laureate, Jacqueline Wilson, will provide the opening paragraph to a story or play, and entrants can choose one or more to develop into a work of their own. The writers will each provide the opening paragraph of a story. David Wood will provide the opening lines to a play and Lauren Child, the opening images of a picture story. The winning entries will be published in a book later on in the year to be sold in aid of this year’s Blue Peter Appeal.
Blue Peter editor, Richard Marson, said, “We know that Blue Peter viewers love books, from the success of our Book Club, but now we want to see how they cope with the challenge of coming up with their own story or play.
“The top class writers we are working with represent a range of styles and we hope there will be something there to stimulate imaginations across the age range of our viewers.”
In addition to having their work published and illustrated, the winners will each receive a laptop computer and will be invited to participate in a writing workshop. 500 runners-up will receive a signed copy of the new Blue Peter Annual and a competition winner’s badge.
Arts Council England’s Chief Executive, Peter Hewitt, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to discover new young talent. Blue Peter is such a long-standing favourite with children and the Arts Council are thrilled to be working with them to inspire kids and give them the chance to work with some of the country’s best writers.”
The Blue Peter Storytellers competition will feature on the show throughout this month and the beginning of October.
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.
