ITV

Category: Kids

  • Partnership with Kapil Sharma will attract more advertisers: Sony Yay business head

    Partnership with Kapil Sharma will attract more advertisers: Sony Yay business head

    MUMBAI: With schools closed and few opportunities to have fun outside, kids have been cooped up indoors. Parents, busy with their own work from home gigs or just tired from constant child-rearing, plonked their charges in front of TV sets to keep them occupied and out of their hair. This led to a surge in viewership in the kids' category – and Sony Pictures Network India (SPNI) has capitalized on it by roping in comedian Kapil Sharma and teaming him up with two popular toon characters to present the Honey Bunny Show with Kapil Sharma.

    Airing on Sony Yay!, the series of nine mini-episodes of hilarious sketches featuring Honey Bunny and Kapil Sharma aims to pull the entire family in by targeting parents and kids between the age of six to eight. SPNI kids’ genre business head Leena Lele Dutta said the collaboration with Sharma is specifically timed for the festive period of Dussehra–Diwali.

    The show will be broadcast across the network and all digital platforms on a regular basis. The channel has already roped in three sponsors – Toppr, Crax rings and Sunfeast Yippee noodles – and  are on the verge of closing more. Sony Yay! doesn’t have brand integration within the show as the content piece stays for life. It facilitates sponsorship through solutions, like a one-minute chaser or capsules.

     

     

    Dutta went on to reveal that the channel is planning to use BTL and ATL to promote the Honey Bunny Show with Kapil Sharma. “Furthermore, we will also reach out to the deeper pockets across the length and breadth of the country through van activations across 50 cities. We have also planned a host of online engagements and mobile game releases. Along with all this, we are also exploring interesting initiatives via AR and VR on Instagram, and influencer programs.”

    Advertising is gradually gaining traction and coming back on track, especially in the last two months, claimed Dutta. The first quarter witnessed a lull, but with signs of recovery evident now, a lot of new categories have sprung up for advertisement. “We are back on our inventory levels and the outlook for next few months looks positive. We are providing added benefit to the brands and businesses to come on board and be a part of our big-ticket shows by combining our on-air shows with our digital inventories, and presenting a chance for advertisers to enhance their 360 degree presence,” she added.

    The channel is also looking at localization of content and gaining market share. Hence, all the Hindi-language shows are dubbed into Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Bangla and Marathi. Sony YAY! will soon introduce two additional regional language feeds. Their end goal is to serve relatable and engaging and entertaining content for their young audiences, said Dutta.

    The network will pile on the fun on top of festivities by adding more than 60 hours of fresh content. In addition to newly acquired Indian content, Sony Yay! has also introduced 24 hours of new episodes and telemovies of Honey Bunny and the first franchise film – Paap-O-Meter Under Attack. Along with The Honey Bunny with Kapil Sharma show it has added two new shows: Pyaar Mohabbat, Happy Lucky, which is a chase comedy, and Krishna Balram, the channel’s first foray into the mythological genre. The channel will also present endearing tales of Lord Krishna, depicting his life and times through movies – Krishna the Birth, Krishna Makhan Chor, Krishna in Vrindavan and Krishna Kansa Vadh.

     

     

    Dutta also touched upon the competition TV shows face from YouTube, which has emerged as an alternative to traditional children’s programming. Although it would be more appropriate to say that both the platforms are merging, since there are plenty of children’s TV shows on YouTube now, she avers.

    She pointed out that across India, 90 per cent  of households have a single TV and it’s generally considered for family viewing. Dutta doesn’t view YouTube as serious competition. According to her, the consumption on YouTube is added to the existing TV viewership.

    “Our endeavour is to be present on every platform and format that our young audiences choose to consume content on. So, YouTube or any digital platform actually helps us to extend our offerings to our audiences across their consumption universe,” she concluded.

  • The Walt Disney Co restructures media & entertainment business globally

    The Walt Disney Co restructures media & entertainment business globally

    MUMBAI: The last two weeks have seen a spate of departures at Disney Star India. It began with the announcement of chairman India and APAC president Uday Shankar exiting the company by end this year. Star Sports boss Gautam Thakar followed quickly, along with another three executives at senior levels. Uday said the entrepreneurial bug had bit him, and Gautam too might go the same way. Disney Star India CEO K. Madhavan quickly found in Sanjog Gupta a replacement for Gautam, but could the departures have something to do with the reorganisation that was announced yesterday by The Walt Disney Co CEO Bob Chapek is a question that needs to be asked.

    Chapek said that Disney’s media and entertainment businesses are being restructured.

    Under the new organisation, Disney’s world-class creative engines will focus on developing and producing original content for the company’s streaming services, as well as for legacy platforms, while distribution and commercialization activities will be centralized into a single, global media and entertainment distribution organisation.

    The new media and entertainment distribution group will be responsible for all monetisation of content—both distribution and ad sales—and will oversee operations ofDisney’s streaming services. It will also have sole P&L accountability for Disney’s media and entertainment businesses.

    The creation of content will be managed in three distinct groups—studios, general entertainment, and sports—headed by current leaders Alan F. Horn and Alan Bergman, Peter Rice, and James Pitaro.

    The media and entertainment distribution group will be headed by Kareem Daniel, formerly president, consumer products, games and publishing. All five leaders will report directly to CEO Bob Chapek. Disney parks, experiences and products will continue to operate under its existing structure, led by chairman Josh D’Amaro, who continues have Chapek as his immediate boss. 

    The reshuffling has led to the direct to consumer business division no longer being managed on a combined basis. Rebecca Campbell, who chairs that as well as the international business, will report to Chapek for the latter piece, while having Daniel as her reporting superior for Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+.

    Creative structure of content groups

    Under the new structure, Disney’s  three content groups will be responsible and accountable for producing and delivering content for theatrical, linear and streaming, with the primary focus being its  streaming services:

    Studios: Horn and Bergman will serve as chairmen, studios content, which will focus on creating branded theatrical and episodic content based on Disney’s powerhouse franchises for theatrical exhibition, Disney+ and its  other streaming services. The group will include the content engines of The Walt Disney Studios, including Disney live action and Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios and Searchlight Pictures.

    General Entertainment: Rice will serve as chairman, general entertainment content, which will focus on creating general entertainment episodic and original long-form content for Disney’s streaming platforms and its cable and broadcast networks. The group will include the content engines of 20th Television, ABC Signature and Touchstone Television; ABC News; Disney Channels; Freeform; FX; and National Geographic.

    Sports: Pitaro will serve as chairman, ESPN and sports content, which will focus on ESPN’s live sports programming, as well as sports news and original and non-scripted sports-related content, for the cable channels, ESPN+, and ABC.

    The Distribution group

    The media and entertainment distribution group, led by Daniel, will be responsible for the P&L management and all distribution, operations, sales, advertising, data and technology functions worldwide for Disney’s content engines, and it will also manage its streaming services and domestic television networks’ operations The group will work in close collaboration with the content creation teams on programming and marketing.

    The new structure is effective immediately, and Disney expects to transition to financial reporting under it in the first quarter of fiscal 2021.

    Its virtual investor day is scheduled for 10 December, where it will present further details of its direct-to-consumer strategies.

  • Sony YAY! launches YAY! Dekho, brings immersive experience through exclusive previews and themed workshops for young audiences this festive season

    Sony YAY! launches YAY! Dekho, brings immersive experience through exclusive previews and themed workshops for young audiences this festive season

    Taking the celebrations of the upcoming festive season a notch higher, Sony YAY!, kids’ favourite TV channel, introduces a one-of-a kind virtual property — YAY! Dekho. In line with its objective of serving their young audiences with immersive experiences, featuring the most adored YAY! Toons, the channel will showcase exclusive movie previews of their upcoming tele-movies followed by specially curated movie-themed workshops.

    Slated for 9th October, Friday, 4:00 pm, the channel through YAY! Dekho seeks to bring to their young audience a platform to connect & bond with their favourite YAY! Toons. The virtual event will give fans exclusive access to tele-movie premieres and interactive workshops hosted by the multi-talented Edwina Lobo, owner of The Springboard and Co-founder & Team Psychologist of The Oranje Academy. Through captivating, interactive and engaging episodes, YAY! Dekho will also host premiers of Honey Bunny in the Interview, Honey Bunny in the Treasure Hunt, Honey Bunny save the Panda, Honey Bunny in the Mystery of the Sylvian Castle and Honey Bunny in the Jungle Adventures. The first edition will start with the movie preview of Honey Bunny in Dino Park live followed by themed DIY art and craft workshop.  

    Furthermore YAY! Dekho will enable viewers to enhance their creative skills and give wings to their imagination as they recreate some of the exciting elements from the preview. Additionally, these workshops, based on the theme of the preview will offer kids the chance to win and take-home exclusive prizes. The channel aims to adorn the property with several associations, extensive social media outreach, pooling influencer communities and hence curating an immersive & memorable experience for kids that is everlasting.

  • Viacom18’s global push with international animation series

    Viacom18’s global push with international animation series

    MUMBAI: Entertaining kids on television is not a child’s play. Many an Indian broadcaster will agree. But Viacom18 owned Nickelodeon India has managed to do it well by bringing to life iconic characters like Motu Patlu, Gattu Battu, Shiva and Rudra amongst several others. Now the kids broadcaster is making its biggest bet: teaming up with its international associate Nickelodeon International to co-produce a new 2-D  animation series targeted at two to 14-year-olds all over the world.

    Titled The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj, it is slated to roll out on Nickelodeon’s international channels in 2021.

    “The UK and the US are two nations that produce a lot of animation content. India is the only region other than these two which has scaled up its original IP animation production capability,” says Viacom18 content & research Kids TV network creative head Anu Sikka. “When the UK team approached us, we thought as so many productions are happening in India why not do something from India. The idea was to create an IP and a show which works across the globe.”

    Read more news on Viacom18

    And that’s why it took the teams from the two companies which included – Sikka and Nickelodeon VP animation Chris Rose – two years to crack the project. Sikka brainstormed with her Indian colleagues to come up with the basic concept, which was then fine-tuned and honed jointly with the Nickelodeon International team. “We have incorporated India’s cultural nuances in the show in order to make it more endearing for both Indian and international audiences,” reveals Sikka.

    The writers room for The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj is now located in the US under head writer Jordan Gershowitz’s supervision. Creatives are being supervised by both the UK and Indian creative teams with the animation being done at Big Animation’s Pune studio.

    Read more news on Nickelodeon

    The channel is using Frame.io for better connectivity as well to clear assets and storyboards. Sikka highlights that due to the pandemic, the entire process slowed down. According to her, the studio has gradually picked up the pace and arranged software and necessary equipment for employees sitting at home. She says: “Luckily for kid's content and animation, we did not require any shoots, so our work didn’t stop. Yes, initially the challenge was to coordinate with everyone, there were internet connectivity issues at some places. There were initial hiccups but now we are back on track. Pre-production work that also includes conceptualisation and writing went at a rather swifter pace.”

    Sikka says that while the IP of the new series lies with Viacom18, distribution will be done by Nickelodeon International in the territories where it can be sold. Of course, the first telecast right will lie with all Nickelodeon channels. She says her  primary focus is to launch the show on a larger scale, and then depending on the traction the channel will look further into distribution and licensing.

    She points out that English dubbing will be done in both India and the UK, but the dubbing of the content in Hindi and other regional languages will be completely homegrown. She further adds, a movie franchise could also be in the works – just like Motu Patlu –  depending on The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj’s popularity.

    Animated shows on Indian television are budgeted at between Rs 12-25 lakh for a 2D series and Rs 22-35 lakh for a 3D one. Sikka was loathed to reveal the budget of the co-production. But industry sources reveal that it might be in multiples of what Indian shows can command.

    The news about the co-production has warmed many an animation industry veteran’s heart. Says one of them: “This is so good. There was a time when India was known for outsourcing and not for original IPs. But recent efforts like Mighty Little Bheem by Green Gold on Netflix and Vaibhav Studios’ Lamput on Cartoon Network has made waves globally and are telling a different story about India’s animation prowess.”

    The hope, amongst most industry professionals is that The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj will take that story of animation further into its next chapter. 

  • Kapil Sharma and Sony YAY! collaborate to give a festive treat to all Honey Bunny fans

    Kapil Sharma and Sony YAY! collaborate to give a festive treat to all Honey Bunny fans

    MUMBAI: This festive season, in a bid to deliver the ultimate laughter riot to its audiences, Sony YAY! brings in the comedy king of Hindi television entertainment, Kapil Sharma to the ‘Jholmaal’ gang. Keeping in mind the endearing bond kids share with Honey and Bunnyand massive fandom of the comedian host Kapil, the channel announces its brand-new offering, ‘The HoneyBunny Show with Kapil Sharma’. Slated to release on 12th October, the dynamic trio will present a never-seen-before onscreen camaraderie for their young fans in a series of minisodes. The hilarious sketches have been co-created with Kapil where he donsvarious comic avatars be it as a doctor, umpire or even the broker on the moon, as the trio try to outwit each other with their quirky wisecracks and zestful quips.

    The feline duoin the show Honey Bunny ka Jholmaal, has gained tremendous popularity amongst young ones across the country with their rib-tickling goofiness and exciting adventures. This goes to place the show as the flag bearer of the channel with a colossal 24 hours of fresh content. Add to that, Honey Bunny led snackable content like Lapet teh raho and muppet tales are a massive hit on YouTube. The recently launched mobile games ‘Honey Bunny ka Jetpack and the crazy chase game’ have already garnered millions of downloads on Play Store. The feline characters have also found their way to retail shelfs in the form of apparels, stickers and stationary through strong licensing partnerships and an expanse of alliances with brands such as Gelato, PVR and Hyatt etc.

    With the promise of fun, friendship and more, Honey and Bunny alongside Kapil Sharma are all set to create the ultimate humorous experience as they set the small screen ablaze. The channel plans to bolster its festive offerings with an exciting programming line-up with the launch of 6 brand new movies and exciting fresh episodes.

    Comments:

    Leena Lele Dutta, Business Head, Sony Pictures Networks India, Kids’ Genre!

     “Honey-Bunny have successfully made a special space for themselves. And today, they have an entire ecosystem of their own, right from mobile games, AR filter, short format content on digital platforms to telemovies. We are excited to announce that we have further extended their universe and collaborated with Kapil Sharma to present a unique line-up for the young fans of Honey Bunny. I am sure that the audience will thoroughly enjoy this unique combination.”

    Kapil Sharma
    “I believe animation is for every age group, I loved watching my favourite toons in animated shows while growing up. The opportunity to collaborate with the goofy cat duo, Honey Bunny gave me the chance to revisit those memories. This also gives me the chance to reach out to kids, who have always held a special place in my heart.  I am very excited for this absolute dangal of comedy with Honey and Bunny and together hope to win everybody’s hearts. I thank Sony YAY! for this wonderful opportunity and I hope the audiences have as much fun watching the show as much as we had making it!

  • Disney+Hotstar VIP to stream Cosmos-Maya’s animated series Dabanngg

    Disney+Hotstar VIP to stream Cosmos-Maya’s animated series Dabanngg

    MUMBAI: Indian animation studio, Cosmos-Maya and Arbaaz Khan Productions have come together to adapt the Dabangg franchise into an animated series. This news comes right in line with the tenth anniversary celebration of the film franchise that introduced the character of Chulbul ‘Robin Hood’ Pandey for the first time in 2010.

    Disney+ Hotstar VIP will stream 104 episodes of the show on the platform. Dabangg is part of CM's strategy to bring in progressive disruption in the animation business. The arrival of the show will herald a new direction for the Singapore-based studio, with them being one of the first producers in the Indian animation space to successfully facilitate the transition of popular live-action characters that have become household names into animated spinoffs, giving that IP a great extension in terms of the audience they address. A partnership with such a brand allows Cosmos Maya tremendous scalability potential within the industry with multiple similar future projects that translate into much higher revenue potential.

    Read more news on Cosmos-Maya

    Cosmos-Maya CEO Anish Mehta said, ”With Dabangg, we are venturing into untapped space in the Indian animation market in a narrative format that provides audiences with familiarity and novelty. With this project, Cosmos-Maya will enter a new market space where we get to give our spin to brand extensions of well-loved mainstream film franchises and characters, and will surely pave the way for a lot more prospects of a similar nature in the future, a plan which is already in motion with projects in partnership with three major Bollywood franchises planned for 2021. We are glad to have found a long-term business partner Disney+ Hotstar who started our relationship by onboarding 234 half-hour episodes of our immensely popular title Selfie With Bajrangi.”

    Arbaaz Khan, producer and owner of the Dabangg franchise added, “It is great to have Cosmos-Maya on-board for bringing Chulbul into a fresh format. They understand the universe of Dabangg and we’re confident in the way they’ll get our characters to translate into a colourful format. It is a really exciting time for us and we can’t wait to see kids give the same ‘swaagat’ to Chulbul and his posse as audiences have done over the past decade.”

    The show will feature animated avatars of all of the franchise’s characters. Targeted at kids and family audiences, season one will be launching in summer 2021.

  • Nickelodeon unveils its ninth indigenous animated IP ‘Ting Tong’

    Nickelodeon unveils its ninth indigenous animated IP ‘Ting Tong’

    MUMBAI: Every year, India’s premiere kids’ entertainment destination has introduced characters that are endearing and have gone on to emerge as icons amongst children across the country. The comic capers of Motu Patlu, the magic of Rudra, the adventures of Shiva and the mischiefs of the Golmaal Gang have all provided a fun and immersive entertainment experience that has made them a part of every child’s daily life. This continuous innovation, with kids and their entertainment needs at its core, has established Nickelodeon as the undisputed leader in the category for over six consecutive years. Post the success of its eight Ips, the leading franchise is all set to introduce kids to its original ninth IP – Ting Tong. Adding further depth and scale to the brands diverse content portfolio, the seven-minute animated show – Ting Tong will bring alive short, snacky and exciting drama for kids that is sure to provide unparalleled comedy. The show will air starting 28 September at 9 am only on Sonic. 

    Ting Tong promises to be a fast-paced and high-octane comic rollercoaster. The series is a spin-off created around a character named Ting Tong from the popular Nickelodeon original series- Gattu Battu. The show revolves around the daily adventures of fun and lovable character who suffers from the regular and temporary loss of memory, each time transforming into the character (person or animal) he sees before him.  Comically catching the bad guys and accidentally becoming the hero of the town adds to the humor quotient of the show.  Ting Tong along with his adorable pet and companion Meeru and the local goons Single Dose and Double Dose set the stage for a laugh riot in this comic caper. 

    Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment and kids TV network head Nina Elavia Jaipuria said, “Nickelodeon has consistently created winning original IPs, all of which are chart toppers in the genre and continue to get immense love from our young viewers. Creating immersive content for kids is at the core of all our initiatives. Current challenges notwithstanding, we continue to invest in content and have been relentlessly creating memorable content and category pioneering experiences for kids. The new IP Ting Tong is our ninth local IP in nine years and is yet another endearing character that is sure to create a bond with kids across the country.”

    Viacom18 content and research, kids TV network creative head Anu Sikka said, “Storytelling and relatability of characters is most important in building affinity and resonance amongst kids. It is this focus on storytelling that has helped us create characters like Shiva, Rudra, and others that kids adore and have emerged as runaway successes. Ting Tong is our first foray/attempt in creating a spin-off from our popular show, Gattu Battu. We believe that the show with its unique concept and goofiness is sure to entertain kids and offer short and snacky comic respite which they will love.” 

    The franchise’s ninth IP Ting Tong will see a highly engaging and innovative marketing and communication plan. Pivoting the media mix to the new normal, the campaign will leave no stone unturned in reaching out to kids through all possible screens. From high rotation on-air promotions on the Nickelodeon franchise channels and a robust digital plan across the Nickelodeon franchise social media and digital platforms, Ting Tong will be promoted extensively to bring a smile on every kids’ face. The relevant Viacom18 network social media platforms including Voot Kids would also support the launch. Tapping into YouTube with initiatives like the skip button innovation & social media platforms like FB & IG, be on the lookout for numerous clutter-breaking social media engagements. A peppy music video that will showcase the whacky spirit of Ting Tong would be showcased on social, YouTube and music streaming platforms like Gaana.com & Jio Saavn. Further adding to the experience will be fun Ting Tong inspired digital games to transport kids into a world of escape. With this path-breaking and innovative campaign, Ting Tong will be established as the quirky and unique character that he is! 

    Nickelodeon today boasts of the largest and most diverse original content library in the genre. The franchise, despite the current challenges, has been scaling up its content line-up through fresh episodes and movies of existing shows. The channel has recently announced its collaboration with Nick International to co-produce the animated series The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj. The market leader over the last six years has consistently pushed the envelope on innovation by launching shows that cater to the discerning needs of the young viewers. The new show from Nickelodeon Ting Tong is another addition to its interesting content slate and is sure to up the engagement with kids. 

  • Sony YAY! celebrates Teacher’s Day with the fourth edition of its flagship initiative, Heroes Behind the Heroes

    Sony YAY! celebrates Teacher’s Day with the fourth edition of its flagship initiative, Heroes Behind the Heroes

    Mumbai: After parents, teachers are the most influential and life-changing role models for children. They inspire, encourage, and guide us to find the best in ourselves and strive for excellence. Undoubtedly, they are the real heroes who dedicate themselves in shaping other’s life and create role models that we look up to. Extending gratitude for their commitment to shaping lives, Sony YAY! celebrates Teacher’s Day with the fourth edition of their marquee initiative, Heroes Behind the Heroes, by honouring the change-makers from different walks of life for their valuable contribution to the society.

    Building on the success of its previous editions, the much-acclaimed initiative has celebrated and honoured champions in the likes of Sania Mirza, Kailash Satyarthi, Subhash Ghai, Anupam Kher, Pandit Birju Maharaj, Mahavir Singh Phogat amongst others.

    This year, the channel acknowledges most legendary icons of education, tech, space-science, sports and entertainment industries.

    1.    Sudha Murty – As the Chairperson of the Infosys Foundation, through her relentless efforts, has extended a helping hand to the under privileged in the areas of arts, culture, ritual development and hunger eradication

    2.    Dr Mylswamy Annadurai Dubbed as the "Moon Man of India", he is the former director of ISRO Satellite Centre and has also played key roles in some of the country’s most complex missions like Chandrayaan & Mangalyaan

    3.    Byju Raveendran – He is the founder of Byjus app and has revolutionized and reformed modern-day education with technology!

    4.    Sonu Sood – He is an actor who has won hearts with his unmatched generosity and has emerged as a pillar of support during the lockdown for many migrants across the country.

    5.    Shilpa Shetty Kundra – An actor, fitness enthusiast and entrepreneur, she has been instrumental in fostering the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle amongst young parents and children

    6.    Shafali Verma – She is the latest batting sensation in the Indian Women’s Cricket Team, who became the youngest Indian to score an international half-century – surpassing a 30-year-old record held by Sachin Tendulkar

    7.    Jwala Gutta – She is one of the country’s most decorated badminton players having won a Gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games

    Comments:

    Leena Lele Dutta, Business Head, Sony Pictures Networks India, Kids’ Genre!

    “Teachers play an important role in all of our lives, as they build the foundation of our future and support us in everything that we aspire to be! They are the real nation-builders with the multitude of roles they play in our lives. On this teacher’s day, we at Sony YAY! extend our tribute to these icons of our country”.

    Sudha Murty, Chairperson of Infosys Foundation

    “Thank you Sony YAY! for the award – Heroes Behind the Heroes. I am grateful and I am glad that I have been able to continue my philanthropic work through decades. There’s still much to be done and I look forward to it.”

    Dr Mylswamy Annadurai, Indian scientist

    "I am extremely happy to receive the award ‘Heroes Behind the Heroes’ conferred on me by Sony YAY! on the Eve of National Teacher’s day. If I am there in the school text books of Tamil Nadu, it's due to the seed implanted in my soul to be a worthy human by my teachers. If I am called Moon man of India, it is the outcome of that curiosity in outer planets imbibed by the teachers. In short, what I am is due to my teachers, who were the all-time heroes behind my success and boost to take me out of failures"

    Byju Raveendran, Founder of Byju’s

    “Thank you for this gesture team Sony YAY! . Our goal has always been to help kids fall in love with learning and to enable them to become life-long learners. This award is for every single member of the BYJU’S’ family.”

    Sonu Sood, Actor

    “All of my efforts over the past few months have been life-lessons that were imparted to me by my teachers and gurus. The reason thousands of migrants saw me take ownership of the situation was because of what my teachers taught me. I’m glad to have learnt the right things under their tutelage and made a change in society for the better. I thank Sony YAY! for this initiative that recognizes the role that teachers play in our lives. They truly are the God amongst us human beings.”

    Shilpa Shetty Kundra, Actor, Fitness Enthusiast, Entrepreneur

    "Thank you Sony YAY! for the ‘Heroes Behind the Heroes’ award. Teachers are the first people, apart from our family, who have the power to shape our personalities. The lockdown entailed virtual schooling, and getting down to teach my son amid this new normal has made me realize the value & importance of teachers. The values, discipline, & teachings that they have imparted have been instrumental in how I see life, and how my child will see life & make decisions. Today, if I can make a difference in any way to the society we live in, I humbly owe it to my gurus. They are the real heroes to me, and I want to say a big thank you to the entire team of Sony YAY! for this extremely beautiful & thoughtful gesture of recognizing their value & contribution. They say Acharya Devo Bhava; so, on that note, Happy Teacher’s Day.”

    Shafali Verma, Indian Cricketer

    “It gives me immense pleasure and I feel honored to receive this award from Sony YAY! I'd like to dedicate this award to my father for he has been the real Hero in my journey. I'd also like to dedicate this honor to my coaches who moulded and continue to shape my career."

    Jwala Gutta, Professional badminton player

    “I would like to thank Sony YAY! for giving me this award, I am humbled and overwhelmed by this honor. I hope I can live up to it as it brings more responsibility for me to continue on the right path. I hope that the kids get motivated and inspired by whatever I do even in the future. I wish Sony YAY! lots of luck and I hope that they keep inspiring all the kids to make our society a better place.”

  • Nickelodeon International and Nickelodeon India announce first coproduction, The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj

    Nickelodeon International and Nickelodeon India announce first coproduction, The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj

    MUMBAI: Nickelodeon International is teaming up with Nickelodeon India, a part of Viacom18 that is a joint venture between ViacomCBS and Network18, to co-produce The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj. The new series marks the first collaboration between the top kids’ entertainment brand and the leading Indian kids’ category brand from India’s fastest growing entertainment network.

    Currently in production with Nickelodeon India of Viacom18, The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj is slated to roll out across Nickelodeon International in 2021. With a mysterious time-altering app at their fingertips, the series follows the reality-bending adventures of a pair of cousin-brothers, as they pause, rewind, fast-forward and slow-motion their way into a whole host of rowdy laugh-out-loud exploits.

    The international collaboration is underway on the new 20 x 30-minute 2D animated series, with animation and storyboards developing in India, scripting in progress in the US and UK, and casting initiated in the US  

    “The popularity of international content is on the rise, and Nickelodeon is focused on meeting the rising demand for diverse, creative stories for a global audience. This groundbreaking partnership with Viacom18 goes beyond kids’ content, as we look to embrace greater diversity both on-screen and behind the camera,” said ViacomCBS Networks International kids and family executive vice president Jules Borkent.

    Nickelodeon International production and development senior VP Nina Hahn said, “In the creative world, geographic borders have diminished, as more content is drawn by the hands of global artists from every corner of the world. The idea for this series was developed in collaboration with the team in India as we sought a way to fuse western and eastern storytelling elements. Indian culture is very much a part of this series’ DNA, and we are eager to share those elements with our global audience.”

    Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment and kids TV network head Nina Elavia Jaipuria said, “Over the years, Nickelodeon India has created successful local IPs and characters that kids love. This partnership with Nickelodeon International has gone beyond the borderlines of creativity and stands testimony to the success of Nick India and Nick International in creating groundbreaking content. It further reinforces the capability of the Indian Animation Industry. We are happy to partner with Nickelodeon International for this show and look forward to working together in creating this series for kids across the world.”

    Viacom18 kids TV network content and research creative head Anu Sikka said, “Kids imaginations and aspirations are universal and it’s this learning that has brought this show to life. The series will be showcasing stories that kids around the world will find relatable and engaging, hopefully opening up more opportunities for future collaboration. Our efforts are to make sure that kids get to experience the best of animation and that this show will stir their imagination and transport them into a new world of adventure.”

    Nickelodeon International animation VP Chris Rose and Viacom18 kids TV network content and research creative head  Anu Sikka are overseeing the project. The head writer of the series is Jordan Gershowitz.

  • Sony YAY! brings an exciting mix of programming line-up, announces a host of new shows and movies

    Sony YAY! brings an exciting mix of programming line-up, announces a host of new shows and movies

    MUMBAI: After a memorable summer packed with entertainment & fun learning, the popular kids’ TV channel, Sony YAY! continues the fun-fare by bringing its young viewers a massive treat for the second half of the year. The channel will offer a fresh dose of new episodes and movies of the already popular home grown content along with additions of newly acquired Indian content. This width of content will bring one of the most diverse and robust content libraries in the category.

    The specially curated programming line-up kick-started with the launch of Pyaar Mohabbat, Happy Lucky, which introduced the genre of chase comedy to an already existing fan-base.  The channel will also foray into mythological narrative by introducing a new show, Krishna Balram. Strategically culminating the release of the show with the festive fervour in September, Sony YAY! will drive this period with enchanting narratives of friendship between Krishna and his elder brother Balram. Followed by the show, the channel will present more endearing tales of Lord Krishna, depicting his life and journey through movies – Krishna the Birth, Krishna Makhan Chor, Krishna in Vrindavan and Krishna Kansa Vadh.

    In October, Sony YAY! brings its most popular feline Jodi – Honey Bunny in a brand new avatar. Honey Bunny fans are in for an exciting treat as the channel gears up to offer a new short format with the toons for which they are planning to rope in a celebrity as well. Not only this, with new episodes and 10 movie premieres across the rest of the year, the Honey Bunny fans are in for a laughter marathon. Channel’s ghost comedy show – Paapometer also has garnered increasing popularity since launch, owing to which the channel has announced the launch of its first Paapometer franchise film – Paap-O-Meter Under Attack. The movie will witness the friendly ghosts in a never- seen-before avatar of heroic escapades to save Bhootlok.

    Sony Pictures Networks India, Kids’ Genre, business head Leena Lele Dutta said,“Despite all the challenges this year, we have been successful in building an unprecedented scale of content for our viewers. We have successfully forayed into new genres & redefined the existing ones. At Sony YAY!, we understand that kids need to resort to entertainment that fosters their imagination, now, more than ever. Having made kids laugh with a host of comedy shows, we are brimming with excitement as we bring the second half of the year loaded with diverse offerings.”