Kids
Disney regional distribution team ready sans national head
MUMBAI: Walt Disney Company (India) has put in place the regional distribution team for its television channels, but is yet to hire a national head.
The company, which is planning to launch three kids’ channels in India early next year, has poached Venkat Ramana from MTV Networks India to head affiliate relations in the southern region. Kapil Sahni from Aaj Tak will look after the northern region while Arup Gopikrishna will be in charge of the western region. Gopikrishna had joined Zee-Turner a few months back as assistant vice-president for distribution of Zee Cinema and Zee Music.
The team is expected to join on December 1. “The national head of distribution is yet to be finalised. Even the vacancy for the eastern region is not yet filled up,” a source says.
Walt Disney is in final stages of negotiations with Star India for the distribution of its channels, but the deal has not yet been struck. “We are expecting the deal to happen any time,” says the source. Walt Disney’s internal team is expected to look at the brand management for the distribution market and monitor its network development.
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.
