Kids
Sony Pictures TV gobbles up anime distributor Funimation
MUMBAI: Funimation is now a part of Sony Pictures TV after the latter closed a deal worth $143 million for a 95 per cent stake in the anime distribution company. The valuation is around $150 million and the partnership will enable it to spread its wings globally.
Funimation CEO Gen Fukunaga will continue as CEO holding a minority stake. An official statement from the company said, “The deal has closed for Sony Pictures Television Networks to acquire Funimation – and we’re incredibly excited! We’re still the Funimation you’ve known and grown up with and now with the power of Sony, and we Gen Fukunaga at the helm, we have the opportunity to bring the best anime to even more fans across the world.”
The company has many acclaimed anime titles to its repertoire – Dragon Ball, One Piece, Your Name, Attack on Titan, Cowboy Bepop and My Hero Academia.
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.
