Kids
Viacom signs deal with pocket.watch for small screen content
MUMBAI: Kids’ entertainment platform pocket.watch has raised $15 million in a funding round led by Viacom. Under their agreement, Viacom and pocket.watch will develop and produce long and short form content. Viacom will also become the exclusive third-party agent for ad sales on pocket.watch’s YouTube and creator footprint, which the media plans to package Nickelodeon inventory.
The two companies have already teamed up to develop sketch comedy show Skoogle, created by and starring Kenan Thompson, for Nickelodeon. They are also working on a variety of talent initiatives, including jointly identifying up-and-coming talent and creators where the companies are aligned to generate 360-degree talent partnerships. The creator partners of pocket.watch will also be invited to a variety of Viacom events such as the Kids Choice Awards.
Viacom’s Paramount Players has purchased a pitch from pocket.watch for a feature film known as The Unboxing Movie. The companies have further formalised a process for collaborative development and expect to work together on a number of content projects over the coming year.
“Pocket.watch’s unique and comprehensive approach to celebrating the new digital stars of today makes them an outstanding partner for Nickelodeon and our unmatched connections with kids around the world through video, digital and real-world events. It’s great to be in business with them and we are excited to be expanding our relationship with such an innovative new media brand,” said Viacom Media Networks COO Sarah Levy.
Launched in March 2017, pocket.watch has amassed a number of deals to bring its brand to consumers globally while growing its original intellectual property and creator partner brands, including Ryan Toys Review, the largest YouTube channel based in the US. The platform has raised $21 million since its launch and it gets over one billion monthly views across twenty YouTube channels, with a combined subscriber base of over 34 million.
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.
