Kids
Disney Channel to experiment with Bollywood
MUMBAI: Disney Channel India is headed for a new gamble this summer to beef up its programming lineup. The mouse house, for the first time ever, has acquired Bollywood movies to garner more eyeballs.
Disney has acquired two Aamir Khan movies. While Hum Hai Rahi Pyaar Ke will be telecast on 12 April, Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander will be aired on 3 May.
Says Walt Disney Television International India senior vice president and managing director Antoine Villeneuve, “Both the films
have long established themselves in the minds of kids and family. Also, they are a definite fit to Disney Channel‘s values of family, friendship and togetherness. Therefore, it made sense for us to head for these two films to seize more eyeballs.”
The kids-driven family channel is also banking on the Disney film library to create more fun for kids during the summer holiday season. The channel will show classics such as Return to Neverland, Atlantis: Milo‘s return, Mulan, 101 Dalmations 2 and Secret of the Magic Gourd to mark a new presence in its kids programming.
“Also, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man‘s Chest will premiere in Hind for the first time on Disney on 5 April. The film will be telecast at 11 am,” says Villeneuve.
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.
