Kids
Disney inks deal with Microsoft for 2 comedy series
MUMBAI: Disney-ABC-ESPN Television has signed a deal with Microsoft for two short-form comedy series which will be distributed on MSN Video across Europe. |
Squeegees and Voicemail series is from Disney‘s Stage 9 Digital Media.
The shows make their debut in the UK today. It will also be released in France, Germany, Spain and Sweden shortly.
Squeegees is set among a group of window washers in New York, while Voicemail provides an insight into the life of a male slacker through his phone messages.
Disney-ABC-ESPN has also completed an advertising video-on-demand agreement for season three of Ugly Betty with Canada‘s CityTV Network.
It also announced multiple content deals with Poland‘s free television network TVP for shows including Lost, Camp Rock, High School Musical and, for the first time in Poland, Pixar‘s 14 short films.
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.
