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Tag: Rajiv Chilakalapudi

  • Cartoon Network to celebrate Republic Day with premiere of ‘Krishna: Makhan Chor’

    Cartoon Network to celebrate Republic Day with premiere of ‘Krishna: Makhan Chor’

    MUMBAI: Cartoon Network will celebrate Republic Day with the Indian television premiere of Green Gold Animation Studio’s second 2-D animation feature Krishna: Makhan Chor on 26 January at 12 noon and 7:30 p.m. This also marks the worldwide premiere of the 2-D animated feature film.

    This is Cartoon Network’s third acquisition from Hyderabad-based Green Gold Animation Studio, the earlier being Vikram Betaal in 2005 and Krishna: the Birth which was premiered on Janamashtami last year, informs an official release.

    Turner International India Pvt. Ltd. VP advertising sales and networks, India and South Asia Monica Tata said, “There has been no looking back on local acquisitions since 2001, when Cartoon Network was the first kids’ channel to premiere Indian animation. Indian animations on the Network have been a hit with kids. In fact, the premiere of Krishna: the Birth, rated exceptionally well with a 1.2 TVR in the kids’ segment and its telecast positioned Cartoon Network not only as a leader in the kids’ segment, but also as the #2 National Channel in the 15+ audience (across general interest channels, all India, for the telecast time of 2p.m. on August 16, 2006).”

    PMI Green Gold Animation Pvt. Ltd Managing Director Rajiv Chilakalapudi said, “Green Gold is dedicated to creating high quality original animation content for Television and Film. Our passion and commitment to Indian Animation has yielded fruitful results with the overwhelming success of Krishna: the Birth, our first part of the Krishna series. Indeed we are equally confident that its sequel Krishna:Makhan Chor will also be a huge success and resonate with kids and families alike. Over 100 professionals at Green Gold worked on this project and the passion and energy created was exemplary – it was unbelievable teamwork. We are extremely happy that our creations are seen on the number one channel for kids, Cartoon Network.”

    Krishna: Makhan Chor which is the second part of a four part series, narrates the story of Lord Krishna in his childhood. It is set against the backdrop of his growing years under the love and care of his foster parents, Nandlal and Yashoda, to become the popular, mischievous but lovable “Kanha” of Gokul. This part also includes Krishna’s tryst with various demons, which have been sent by his uncle, Kansa.

  • Cartoon Network to premier ‘Krishna: The Birth’ on Janmashtmi

    Cartoon Network to premier ‘Krishna: The Birth’ on Janmashtmi

    MUMBAI: Cartoon Network will premiere yet another Indian animation film Krishna: The Birth on 16 August at 2 pm. What’s more, the series will be launched on the occasion of Krishna Janmashtmi.

    Produced by Hyderabad-based Green Gold Animation Studio, the 75-minutes long, 2-D animation movie, Krishna: The Birth traces the birth of Lord Krishna, the avtaar of Lord Vishnu.

    This is Cartoon Network’s second acquisition from Green Gold Animation Studio, the earlier one being Vikram Betal in 2005. This will also the first of the four planned Krishna series to be showcased on Cartoon Network.

    Krishna: The Birth takes the count of local animations acquired and showcased by Cartoon Network to 12, with four of these launching in 2006 itself.

    Turner International India Pvt. Ltd managing director Anshuman Misra said, “We are extremely enthused by the response of our audience to local animations acquired and telecast by Cartoon Network over the years. Airing locally produced shows is one of the cornerstones of the Network’s localisation strategy and helps us contextualise the content for our Indian audiences. With the launch of Krishna: The Birth, the Network reiterates its promise of acquiring and showcasing over four local Indian animation products within this year itself, taking the total tally of home-grown animations acquired by Cartoon Network to 12! I am sure that this absolutely riveting and charming animated version of the birth of Lord Krishna, will be enjoyed by both parents and children, who have grown up listening or watching this enduring tale.”

    PMI Green Gold Animation Pvt. Ltd managing director Rajiv Chilakalapudi added, “We are delighted to be working with Cartoon Network and are thrilled at getting the opportunity to animate a personality such as that of Lord Krishna. Krishna gives us the platform to showcase Green Gold’s Creative and technical strengths in Animation. Since its inception Green Gold has been focused towards the development of original intellectual animation properties with the assistance of powerful digital animation software tools while pushing the boundaries of constant innovation.”

    Debuting as part of Cartoon Network Theatre on 16 August, Krishna: The Birth is the enchanting tale of the miraculous birth of Lord Vishnu in the form of baby Krishna to Vasudev and Devaki. The story is set in an era when the human race was overburdened by the demonic forces of different kings posing themselves as the royal order. Perturbed by this disorder and chaos, the predominating deity of the Earth, known as Bhu Devi, and along with other Gods approached Lord Vishnu for help. Lord Vishnu promised them that he would take birth on Earth as Krishna, who would destroy all evil on the planet before the dawn of Kalyug. Krishna: The Birth’ chronicles the events and incidents accompanying the birth of Lord Vishnu as Krishna.

    The first four parts of Krishna would cover the birth of Krishna, Krishna’s childhood, Krishna’s teenage, and Krishna killing Kansa. The first part of this series, Krishna: The Birth has been worked on by over 100 animation specialists and it took almost a year to make the same, from the stage of pre-production, with production taking six months.

  • Animation industry gung-ho on proposed mandate on local content

    Animation industry gung-ho on proposed mandate on local content

    MUMBAI: Some proposals in a draft Broadcast Bill 2006, prepared by the information and broadcasting ministry for the Union Cabinet’s consideration, has evoked mixed reaction from the industry.

    The Indian animation industry is excited that the government is mulling mandating a certain percentage of programming on TV channels to be sourced from India.

    “We are absolutely delighted. The proposed bill is a surprise and will be a catalyst for growth. I would like to however add that Cartoon Network, Nick and Disney have anyways gotten interested in local content and this regulation is a bit late, “DQ Entertainment CEO & MD Tapas Chakravarti.

    He went on to add that 15 per cent is too less and that China and Japan have close to 50 per cent of local programming share on TV channels.

    Chakravarti also reveals that the development has inspired DQ to go ahead with its investment plans in Intellectual Property (IP) in India.

    “At DQ, we have taken a decision internally almost six months back for creating Intellectual Property (IP) in India. We are planning $10 million investments on our part and our French and American partners will bring in similar numbers. The idea is to create products for global market but with Indian stories. This will be something similar to what Disney did with Jungle Book,” he explained.

    As per the draft bill, TV channels on a mandatory basis would have to have 15 per cent of their total weekly programming produced locally. It’s also being proposed the share of public service/socially relevant programme content shall not be less than 10 per cent of the total programme content of a channel broadcast during every week.

    This would mean that channels like Cartoon Network, Animax, Discovery, Animal Planet and Discovery Travel and Living would have to have a prescribed percentage of content generated from India, which has been a long-standing demand of Indian animators.

    Concurring with Chakravarti is Phoebus Media CEO Rahul Bakshi. “15 per cent is too less, but is a good start and will have a multiplier effect. It gives companies like ours conviction and confidence that we are on the right track having already invested a lot in local content,” he added.

    The industry also feels that the move will give it shelter from the rain as well as boost the job scenario.

    “Such a government move will help us get more conviction to stick to original content. Thousands of jobs will be created and more animators means more animation outsourcing also,” says Green Gold Animation CEO Rajiv Chilakalapudi.

    According to Graphiti Multimedia director Munjal Shroff, the proposed regulation could help content creators look at other markets to compliment the revenues.

    “Usually there has always been a block because TV channels find it much more economical to buy animated content from markets like Mipcom at $500 to $1000 per episode rather than commissioning new shows in India. If the bill is passed and local content does become compulsory, then it will give local content creators a space to exist and once there is a minimum local market, then content creators can always look at other markets to compliment the revenues,” says Shroff.

    Color Chips CEO Sudhish Rhambotla felt that channels would either commission local content or also have the option of shifting production of some of their shows being produced elsewhere into the country, which again would be “good for the business.”

    On their part, the kids channels expressed their readiness to make changes in their programming structure if need be.

    The Walt Disney Company India managing director Rajat Jain said, “Whatever changes have to be made, will be made in our programming according to the Broadcast Bill when it is passed. At the end of the day, one has to comply with the laws of the land.”

    When queried as to what percentage of programming on Disney Channel and Toon Disney were local presently, Jain said, “It is difficult to calculate at this point in time what the percentage of local content is.”

    Hungama TV COO Zarina Mehta says her channel already plays more than 15 per cent of local content.

    “I don’t know the exact percentage of local content that we have on the channel but currently it will definitely be more that 15 per cent. If fact, we will be the only kids channel that have that much of local content,” she says.