Kids
Nick Jr. US’ ‘Dora the Explorer’ clicks a ratings high
MUMBAI: It may still be struggling to find its feet in India but in the US Nickelodeon continues to set a trail blazing path when it comes to ratings.
Nick Jr.’s preschool show Dora The Explorer reached another milestone recently.
The episode of Dora’s Pirate Adventure became the series’ highest-rated special ever. The show, launched five years ago, has aired 10 specials till date. Dora’s Pirate Adventure, aired on 17 January, averaged a 12.5/1.5 million kids 2-5, up 42 per cent over last year’s like time period. With total viewers, the special averaged 3.4 million persons 2+, up +15% from last year.
For the uninitiated Dora the Explorer is a play-along, animated adventure series. Dora is a seven-year-old Latina heroine whose adventures take place in an imaginative, tropical world filled with jungles, beaches and rainforests. Dora explores her world just as preschoolers do everyday. The show is designed to actively engage its audience in an interactive quest using a variety of learning techniques.
In the ratings busting special Dora, Boots, Diego and the rest of their pals plan to put on a big musical pirate show for an audience of their family and friends. Just as the play is about to start, the Pirate Piggies sail in and take their treasure chest filled with costumes.
Dora and her friends then set off on an adventure to get their pirate costumes back so the show can go on. They sail across the Seven Seas and through the Singing Gate on their way to Treasure Island, all the while singing catchy tunes that kids will love.
In fact the storyline of the special will form the inspiration of a new production for the American theatre. Dora the Explorer Live! will be a co-production between Nickelodeon and Clear Channel Entertainment. Hitting the road later this month Dora the Explorer Live! is entering its third touring season. The show is scheduled to travel to more than 40 American cities, including a return engagement at New York City’s legendary Radio City Music Hall, where it was the highest-grossing family show in the history of family attractions at the venue.
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.
