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Tag: Preeti Vyas

  • Mythik names Preeti Vyas president to steer content and partnerships

    Mythik names Preeti Vyas president to steer content and partnerships

    MUMBAI: Mythik, the tech-first entertainment upstart styling itself as the “Disney from the East”, has hired Preeti Vyas as president of content strategy, partnerships and consumer products.

    Vyas, who previously served as president and chief executive of Amar Chitra Katha, brings three decades of experience across publishing, retail and entertainment. At Amar Chitra Katha, she engineered the heritage brand’s revival, taking it from nostalgia act to profitable modern player while driving readership tenfold to over 6 million globally.

    Her career has spanned founding Fun OK Please publishing, the company behind children’s favourites like Toto the Auto, to senior stints at Future Group, Sony Music, Toys R Us and Crossword. She also piloted transmedia adaptations of franchises such as Tinkle and built licensing deals that expanded their reach.

    At Mythik, she will spearhead efforts to package mythology, history and folktales from the East for a global audience, tapping into new-age distribution and consumer products.

    Mythik, founder and chief executive, Jason Kothari called Vyas “a rare combination of strategic acumen and creative vision” and said her track record of transforming heritage brands would be key to realising the company’s global ambitions.

    Vyas herself described the role as “an opportunity to present stories from our ancient past at a scale never attempted before”.

    Alongside her corporate career, she sits on industry bodies including the Media & Entertainment Skills Council and the Advertising Standards Council of India, giving her a perch at the intersection of policy, talent and content. 

  • First Amar Chitra Katha woman scriptwriter Kamala Chandrakant passes on

    First Amar Chitra Katha woman scriptwriter Kamala Chandrakant passes on

    MUMBAI: Writers are a much-in-demand breed. Good scriptwriters even more so. Almost every studio head would give an arm and a leg to get a brilliant one on board.

    And imagine what one would feel when we lose one of them. Just ask Amar Chitra Katha CEO & president Preeti Vyas and she will tell you it bites deep, it hurts so much. Her studio has just lost Kamala Chandrakant – a feisty writer of the seventies, eighties and nineties.

    Said Preeti in a tribute to the powerhouse of a teller of stories many of us have grown up reading:

    “We are deeply saddened by the passing away of Kamala Chandrakant, the first woman scriptwriter of Amar Chitra Katha, on 9  Feb, 2025. She was 84. None of us in the present team have worked with Kamala but her stories are legendary.” 

    “Known to be a courageous woman, who thought way ahead of her times, we’ve heard of the many spirited arguments she had with Uncle Pai on why women heroes deserved more space in the comics. She was the scriptwriter for most of the Mahabharata series and for hundreds of other titles.

    “Kamala will always be remembered with awe, respect and affection by our team.”

    RIP Kamala! Your stories will continue to educate generations to come!

    (B&W Picture of Kamala Chandrakant courtesy Preeti Vyas; Kamala has passed on even as the ScreenWrters Association is set to kick off its annual confab on 14 February in Mumbai )

  • A47.in teams up with Tinkle Comics

    A47.in teams up with Tinkle Comics

    Mumbai: A47.in, the brand that celebrates the coolest stories, is to announce a special collaboration with Tinkle Comics, launching an exclusive collection on 17 September, in honour of Uncle Pai’s birthday, the visionary founder of Tinkle Comics. This limited-edition drop brings Shambhu, Suppandi, and Tantri the Mantri to life with unique & exclusive designs across oversized t-shirts, hoodies, and sweatshirts.

    Blending the nostalgia of Tinkle Comics with A47’s mission to celebrate India’s rich cultural legacy, the collection is designed by A47’s in-house creative team. Fans can now wear the beloved characters with pride, adding a piece of comic history to their wardrobe.

    Each design is sure to evoke a sense of childhood joy while offering a contemporary, stylish appeal for today’s generation, in fashion-forward designs that reflect Tinkle’s charm and wit. This collaboration also marks a fresh and modern approach to Tinkle’s legacy, blending nostalgia with contemporary style.

    “We’re so happy to partner with Tinkle Comics for this special launch. It’s a tribute not just to the characters we grew up with, but also to the legacy of Uncle Pai, who gave us these tales. At A47, we stand for celebrating India’s incredible stories, from ISRO to the Armed Forces, and with Tinkle, we continue this mission by honouring a brand that has entertained and inspired generations. It’s more than just merch, it’s a celebration of memories and stories that shaped us,” said A47 founder & CEO Bhavik Vora.

    Added Amar Chitra Katha Pvt. Ltd president and CEO Preeti Vyas, “We are thrilled to bring to consumers the magic of Tinkle through this collaboration with A47. Tinkle characters have always been more than just comic figures—they are friends, mentors, and sources of endless laughter for readers across generations. Over the past few years, Tinkle has expanded its offering to its fans beyond just books, through various transmedia offerings including animation, gaming and apparel. We are very impressed with the work A47 has been doing in connecting India’s young consumers with products that symbolize post-independence pop culture and India pride and are thrilled that they have chosen to introduce Tinkle’s iconic characters through an exclusive apparel range. As part of the launch, Tinkle and A47 will also roll out special giveaways, influencer collaborations, and contests, encouraging fans to share their Tinkle-inspired looks.”

    With Tinkle continuing to be a favourite among readers across generations, this collection taps into the brand’s lasting popularity. As part of the launch, Tinkle and A47 will also roll out special giveaways, influencer collaborations, and contests, encouraging fans to share their Tinkle-inspired looks.

    The range will go LIVE on www.a47.in 

  • Navya Naveli Nanda and Tinkle comics present ‘Wonder Naari’

    Navya Naveli Nanda and Tinkle comics present ‘Wonder Naari’

    Mumbai: The eagerly awaited creative collaboration between social entrepreneur Navya Naveli Nanda and the beloved comics publication ‘Tinkle’ has come to fruition, with the official launch of their book on 25  September 2023.

    The event took place at the Dixit Road BMC School, Mumbai with a bunch of bright and enthusiastic students as participants. The collective efforts of Navya Naveli Nanda and the Tinkle Team have given rise to a truly remarkable collection of stories, ingeniously titled ‘Wonder Naari’. While the collaboration was eagerly awaited, the story themes remained under wraps, adding anticipation to the launch.

    It was revealed that the book ‘Wonder Naari’ shines as a beacon of empowerment, featuring four captivating stories, each intricately woven around a core theme that mirrors the pillars of Navya’s visionary initiative, Project Naveli. These themes encompass Legal Awareness, Entrepreneurship, Mental Health and Education, with narratives meticulously crafted to resonate deeply with readers and inspire a sense of empowerment. Post the book launch, there was an interactive workshop where the children were engaged with an opportunity to explore the world of ‘Wonder Naari’ through fun activities and games.

    At the launch, Navya Naveli Nanda passionately shared her journey of creation, vision for women’s empowerment and thoughts on the joy of storytelling through comics. Joining her on this momentous occasion was Amar Chitra Katha Pvt. Ltd President and CEO Preeti Vyas, Tinkle editor-in-chief Gayathri Chandrasekaran, Savio Mascarenhas, group art director, Deepesh Kothari, VP of digital and D2C Businesses and other members from the Tinkle Team.

    What truly distinguishes ‘Wonder Naari’ is its unwavering commitment to accessibility, ensuring that its messages of empowerment transcend boundaries and language barriers. The book will be thoughtfully available in multiple languages including Hindi and Marathi ensuring that its profound impact reaches diverse communities nationwide.

    Commenting on the book launch, Navya Naveli Nanda said “I am absolutely thrilled to finally share these stories with the world! We’ve poured our hearts and souls into crafting authentic narratives that shed light on the real-life challenges women encounter. My hope is that these stories will entertain and ignite inspiration while resonating deeply with our audience’s hearts. Collaborating with Tinkle truly felt like a magical journey!” Navya has worked closely with Tinkle’s editorial team to create each of these stories.

    Tinkle editor-in-chief Gayathri Chandrasekaran who was present at the launch said “At Tinkle, we’re very passionate about stories and storytelling. For over 40 years we have endeavoured to bring diverse, inclusive and empowering Indian characters and stories to children. With every new generation that we write for, our stories evolve in keeping with their needs and the changing social milieu. It has been an absolute joy partnering with Project Naveli to tell inspiring stories about the meaningful work they do in areas that are close to our hearts as well. We had a lot of fun co-creating this book with Navya and can’t wait for the stories to reach far and wide!”

    The book will be available on the Tinkle app to read for free. It will also be available in all leading bookstores.

  • Applause Entertainment licenses 400+ titles from Amar Chitra Katha

    Applause Entertainment licenses 400+ titles from Amar Chitra Katha

    Mumbai: Aditya Birla Group-backed content studio Applause Entertainment has announced a partnership with Amar Chitra Katha, a player in the children’s publishing segment. 

    As part of the collaboration, Applause Entertainment has acquired the license to Amar Chitra Katha catalogue, of more than 400 titles, which will be developed and produced into animated content.

    “At Applause, we only strive to deliver the best in storytelling. Over the last four years, we have significantly pushed the envelope in curating and creating the most disruptive stories for Indian audiences that cut across genres and geographies,” said Applause Entertainment, chief executive officer, Sameer Nair. “Amar Chitra Katha is a household name in India with a diverse and celebrated library that deserves to be retold. Like millions of other people, I have grown up reading these iconic comics and as a child, imagined them with dynamic visuals and dramatic sound & action. This is our opportunity to realise that dream. This partnership is also a small step towards helping export Indian culture by taking a unique and deep-rooted cultural brand like Amar Chitra Katha to screens across the globe.”

    Spanning 20 languages, the Amar Chitra Katha library boasts titles across epics and mythology, history, fables and humour, brave hearts, visionaries, and ACK Junior. The children’s publisher was founded in 1967 by Anant Pai and sells more than 1.5 million copies every year. Amar Chitra Katha has forayed into digital with their app as well as a presence on Alexa, YouTube, and other digital platforms.

    “At Amar Chitra Katha, we have been custodians of India’s stories for over 54 years, and we are thrilled to partner with Applause Entertainment to take our rich storytelling heritage to Indian and global audiences through animation,” said Amar Chitra Katha, president and chief executive officer, Preeti Vyas. “As the nation’s favourite storyteller, our mission has always been to provide Indian children a route to their roots and inspire in them a great sense of pride about India and being Indian. While we continue to keep our founder, Mr Anant Pai’s dream alive by telling new stories and creating fresh content in print and digital formats, we are also keen on presenting our iconic stories in an animated avatar. For this, we could not have hoped for a better partner than Applause. We are confident that Sameer Nair and his team, with their passion and superlative track record, will do an amazing job adapting our stories to animation and providing the new and future generations of Indians a crucial link to our past.”