Kids
PEMRA suspends ARY’s Nickelodeon licence for airing Indian content
MUMBAI: It wants to signal it means business. And, that it is not going to tolerate any laxity on its diktat to totally ban Indian content on television, radio and cinema in Pakistan. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) yesterday suspended the landing licence of Viacom TV channel Nickelodeon for airing animation shows dubbed in Hindi.
PEMRA made the announcement via a tweet from its twitter handle late last evening.
The channel is distributed in Pakistan via the Ary Digital Network which has its headquarters in Dubai. ARY runs a clutch of channels including ARY News, Zindagi, QTV, Muzik, Digital etc.
ARY is broadcast in several Asian countries through the services of Samacom’s uplinking earth station based in the UAE. The network has Mohammed Iqbal as its chairperson; Salman Iqbal being its president & CEO.
The authority had issued an order last month directing Pakistani channels to reduce Indian content to six per cent, and followed it up with another notice forcing them to reduce it to zero by 21 October. It has stated that those violating its order would face dire consequences, among which could include cancellation or suspension of downlinking (read: landing) and uplinking permissions that it grants.
A clutch of broadcasters under the Pakistan Broadcasters Association has been contemplating taking PEMRA to court for its hard stance on the Indian and foreign content issue.
Related stories:
Pakistan gets tough on Indian DTH & content
Pak bans Indian TV content, films from being screened
PEMRA Indian content ban to impact broadcasters
“Let India open its market, we will open ours” – PEMRA chairman Absar Alam
Pakistan Broadcasters Association to oppose PEMRA Indian content ban
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.
