Kids
Disney India appoints Nalavadi as director business development
MUMBAI: The Walt Disney Company (India) Pvt. Ltd. has appointed Shantanu Nalavadi as director of business development with immediate effect.
This was announced by The Walt Disney Company (India) managing director Rajat Jain. Assuming his new role today Nalavadi will be responsible for the vertical development and horizontal expansion of the Disney franchise across multiple lines of business in the Indian subcontinent.
Nalavadi will play a pivotal role in strategising and executing The Walt Disney Company’s business development and growth initiatives for India across television, licensing and merchandising, radio, on-line gaming, mobile and broadband content, studio, home video, publishing and animation.
“Shantanu is a seasoned and dynamic executive with extensive experience in corporate strategy, business development and management consulting. His experience and expertise will be crucial to The Walt Disney Company’s growth in India,” said Jain.
Nalavadi comes to The Walt Disney Company with comprehensive experience in the field. Prior to joining Disney he spent close to five years with Star India, where he was actively involved in all strategic growth initiatives across television and new media space, including their DTH joint venture project with Tata’s where he was responsible for their content acquisition strategy. Before joining the media industry, he was with ANZ Investment Bank and Arthur Andersen & Co.
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.
