Kids
Turner plans foray into merchandising, franchising of popular toon characters
MUMBAI: Building on its successes over the past year in Australia and the Philippines, Turner Networks Asia (TNA) is gearing up to make a splash in the Indian market by merchandising and franchising popular characters from Cartoon Network.
The Power Puff Girls – a popular toon series featuring three little girls on Cartoon Network – will kick off the act with a music CD and toys based on the same characters. For the music CD local Indian singing acts will be roped in along with performances by US performers.
“The Power Puff Girls have very positive associations as focus groups have shown us they are seen as super heroes and are trying to position them for women of all ages,” says vice-president TNA, Off Channel Commerce Group, Levina Li. “The 20-somethings will form the peak of our pyramid while the mass will come from our core audience of four to 14-year-olds.”
TNA has already made forays into Australia (a year ago) and the Philippines and next on the list is India, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan and Thailand.
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.
