Kids
Pet Alien to air on Cartoon Network
MUMBAI: Crest Animation Studio’s Pet Alien – the 26-epidode 3D animated television show for US-based Mike Young Productions – has been approved for worldwide broadcast on Cartoon Network.
Another milestone in the partnership between Crest and Mike Young Productions (MYP) has been the completion of 40 episodes of the Emmy Award winning 3D Animated television show Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks. Crest has been MYP’s main overseas CGI (computer generated imaging) sub-contractor since 2002.
Says founder and chief executive officer Mike Young, “We first began working with Crest on Jakers! and quickly realised their stunning work on the CGI animation series. It became an instant hit with audiences around the globe. The characters are so beautifully animated and the settings so natural that kids related to it from day one”.
Adds Crest CEO AK Madhavan, “Jakers! provided an opportunity to showcase our CGI capabilities. Mike and his team really pushed the envelope in terms of creative vision, which inspired us to do our best work ever. From original productions to commissioned projects, Mike Young Productions is synonymous with quality in the global animation marketplace.”
The series (Jakers!) has sold to ‘A’ listed broadcasters all over the world. It went on air on primetime PBS Kids in the US. The TV series has also been syndicated to TVO, SCN, Access Alberta and Knowledge Network in Canada, Discovery Kids in Latin America, BBC UK, ABC Australia, TF1 France, MEDIASET Italy, NRK Norway, YLE Finland, RTE Ireland and SVT Sweden.
Riding on the success of Jakers!, MYP commissioned Crest for its next big project, Pet Alien, which debuted on CITV in the United Kingdom and will launch on nine Cartoon Network Europe territories in January 2005. Other broadcasters include the premiere HD network in the US, Animania, Cartoon Network USA and worldwide, GMTV in the United Kingdom, and Germanys Kika, among others.
Says Madhavan: “Between Crest and MYP, we have developed a unique pipeline as well as some innovative and exclusive production techniques that give us an edge in production quality”.
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.
