Kids
Cartoon Network celebrates Diwali with ‘Ramayan’
NEW DELHI :To add a sparkle to the Diwali celebrations this year, Cartoon Network will bring alive the epic tale of the Ramayan with the launch of Ramayan-The Legend of Prince Ram on 5 October 2002.
The feature, an adaptation of Valmiki’s Ramayan, has been produced in Japan with technical collaboration from India. It is a fusion of the MANGA school of animation from Japan and the artistic style of the renowned Indian painter Ravi Varma, claims the channel. Well known Bollywood actors like Shatrughan Sinha, Amrish Puri and Arun Govil have dubbed for the Hindi version, while Rahul Bose and Cyrus Broacha, amongst others, have lent their voices for the English version.
The two-hour feature length animation will be telecast in half hour episodes at 4 pm every Saturday in October leading up to Diwali. On Diwali day ( 4 November), the channel will telecast the entire animation film starting noon.
“This is part of our endeavour to build up the Cartoon Network brand which we want to be the part of every lifestyle of viewers here,” says Turner Entertainment Networks Asia Inc, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Ian Diamond. “The channel’s aggressive localisation strategy, of which sourcing local content is an integral part, has led to strong growth in ratings and viewership”, he adds.
“I am delighted that our widely acclaimed production Ramayan, will be telecast on the Cartoon Network, am also happy that through Cartoon Network we will be able to familiarise Indian kids about this wonderful epic,” says the feature’s co-director,Ram Mohan.
Apart from Ramayan, the channel also has animation products like Sindabad and The Pandavas to increase the localisation of the channel.
Kids
Gokuldham Goes English with 3D Series Launch
Hindi version hits 80 million views in six months, English premiere drops 12 Feb on dedicated channel.
MUMBAI: Gokuldham Society just got a bilingual upgrade and it’s speaking fluent fun. Neela Mediatech is rolling out the English version of its hit Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 3D animated series, hot on the heels of the Hindi edition’s runaway digital success.
Launched just six months ago, the Hindi 3D avatar has already racked up over 80 million views, proving that Jethalal’s antics, Bhide’s lectures, and Popatlal’s endless bride hunts translate brilliantly into animation especially for a new generation of young viewers who’ve never caught the live-action show on TV.
The English-language premiere lands on 12 February on the freshly minted Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah 3D Animated Series English channel. The move opens Gokuldham’s doors wider to English-speaking families across India and the diaspora, letting non-Hindi speakers dive straight into the neighbourhood chaos without subtitles.
Neela Mediatech founder Asit Kumarr Modi captured the spirit behind the expansion, “Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah was created to celebrate togetherness and shared happiness. The response from audiences across India has strengthened our belief in these stories. Presenting the 3D animated series in English allows us to connect with families who may not speak Hindi but relate to the same values and emotions.”
This isn’t a one-off experiment. Neela Mediatech is quietly building a full Gokuldham universe beyond the small screen. TMKOC Rhymes already sings in 12 Indian languages, with more international versions in the pipeline. On the gaming front, TMKOC Play offers 12 interactive titles, headlined by the addictive Gada Electronics Game that keeps kids (and nostalgic adults) tapping away.
From prime-time TV to animated shorts, nursery rhymes, mobile games, and now bilingual streams, Gokuldham has morphed into a multi-platform, multi-language family empire. Whether you grew up laughing at Sodhi’s Sardar jokes or you’re just meeting the gang for the first time, the Society’s doors are officially open in English and the views suggest plenty of people are walking right in.
