Kids
Popeye turns 75 this year
MUMBAI: The animated spinach-powered sailor man, Popeye celebrates his 75th birthday this year with his first-ever 3D animated adventure, Popeye’s Voyage: The Quest for Pappy.
In India Cartoon Network airs The Popeye Show. Popeye is always ready to fight for Olive’s favour and in constant battles with arch rival Bluto.
King Features and the computer animation specialists Mainframe Entertainment created the 3D animated film which will air on Fox on 17 December. The DVD/home video from Lion’s Gate Entertainment has been released.
Popeye was first introduced in 1929, debuting in a minor role in the comic strip of artist EC Segar’s Thimble Theater. The sailor was an immediate hit with readers, and Segar converted him into the star of the strip within two years.
Max Fleischer who directed short films of 109 ingrained the spinach-chomping sailor. Fleischer cartoons arrived on the silver screen in 1933.
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.
