Kids
Disney working on local version of ‘High School Musical’ in China
MUMBAI:In a bid to tap China‘s local market, Disney will launch its flagship show, Disney High School Musical, in Chinese language.
Working with local partners Shanghai Media Group (SMG) and Huayi Brothers Media Corporation, the film is planned for release in 2010.
Under development for over a year and created for Chinese audiences, Disney High School Musical: China is the story of a new student who meets a gifted young man with whom she shares a secret passion for singing.
With the help of their friends, they overcome the odds to win an inter-school singing competition and discover their true calling in the process.
Says Walt Disney Studios International Production GM Jason Reed, “Disney‘s ongoing commitment to local content development underpins our strategy to connect with new audiences around the world.
“Our local team has done an amazing job and we are fortunate to be building on the Disney Channel‘s success by working with a world class cast and crew led by our producer Janet Yang and visionary director Shi Zheng Chen,” adds Reed.
Disney High School Musical: China is being filmed in Shanghai and features six new young stars drawn from across China.
Says Huayi Brothers Media Corporation President James Wang, “Disney HSM: China is destined to pioneer a new genre for young Chinese moviegoers by seamlessly combining the art forms of dance, music and film, together with valuable themes like teamwork, youthful energy and friendship.”
In 2007, the Studio‘s first Disney-branded local co-production, The Magic Gourd, was released, followed by Roadside Romeo from India in 2008.
Trail of the Panda (China 2009) and the feature film, Book of Masters (Russia 2009), based on a classic Russian fairy tale, opened at the box-office in October.
Disney‘s sixth local production, Zokkomon, is currently in development in India and is expected to release in 2010.
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.
