Kids
NBCU acquires majority stake in KidsCo
MUMBAI: NBCUniversal International has acquired a controlling 51 per cent stake in international children‘s channel, KidsCo.
The purchase is in partnership with existing shareholder and content supplier Corus Entertainment, who also increased its equity in the channel to 43.8 per cent.
Cookie Jar will exit the joint venture after five years in order to expand and develop their business outside the KidsCo partnership, prompting NBCUniversal and Corus Entertainment to acquire Cookie Jar Entertainment‘s minority stake.
Cookie Jar has entered into a new multi-year content licensing agreement to provide high-quality children‘s programming for KidsCo‘s channels worldwide, thereby assuring KidsCo‘s existing programming
schedules.
The newly configured KidsCo will be led by Hendrik McDermott as managing director, having held that position as an interim arrangement since November 2011.
Said NBCUniversal president, International Television Kevin MacLellan, “We see a very bright future for children‘s television internationally and believe our highly valued partnership with Corus well positions KidsCo to compete strongly in this market. Hendrik will provide clear operational leadership and will be focused on implementing innovative strategic and technical opportunities to grow the content and distribution base of the company.”
KidsCo is committed to expanding and enhancing its content offering to increase its global subscriber base. It is identified with showing safe, non-violent and light-hearted content.
Said Corus Television president Doug Murphy, “KidsCo has become synonymous with quality, family-friendly entertainment, and Corus is excited to deepen our partnership with NBCUniversal to help grow the KidsCo business and build on its already strong international reputation as a diverse and dependable entertainment destination.”
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.
