Kids
Disney ride wins Thea award
MUMBAI: The “Believe” killer whale show, produced at SeaWorld parks in San Diego, San Antonio and Orlando, and Walt Disney World‘s newest thrill ride, Expedition: Everest at Disney‘s Animal Kingdom theme park in Florida, were among 16 attractions worldwide honored at this year‘s Thea Awards ceremony. In a media briefing the industry group said that the new SeaWorld show “presents a lyrical storyline that incorporates powerful images, music audience interaction, and most of all, thrilling new human and animal interactions in an effectively staged and emotionally captivating presentation.” |
The Themed Entertainment Association (Thea), founded in 1991, is an international nonprofit organization representing 6,500 theme park industry creative specialists working in nearly 500 firms in 39 different countries. The Thea Awards were created in 1994 to recognize achievement, talent and personal excellence within the themed entertainment industry. |
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.
