As MIPCOM attendees enjoyed India Day at the mart, The Walt Disney Co.’s Disney-ABC International Television announced an agreement with basic cable channel STAR Plus to localize Disney’s Platinum animation titles for the Indian market. The films will be dubbed in Hindi by Bollywood stars for their debut on an Indian general entertainment channel.
Viewers in India will first get The Incredibles, which STAR Plus will premiere on Oct 14. Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan will be featured as the voice of Mr. Incredible, with real-life son Aryan Khan playing his onscreen offspring. Other Disney offerings will include Toy Story, Tarzan, Finding Nemo and Jungle Book.
STAR already carries a number of Disney’s live action series, including Desperate Housewives, Grey’s Anatomy, Ugly Betty and Lost. Disney recently reached a separate agreement with Sony Network’s general entertainment channel, SAB, to make Desperate Housewives, Lost and Alias available in Hindi for the first time ever. Lost will begin airing on Oct. 12.
‘We believe in the potential of TV in India, and it is an important part of our global business strategy,’ says Greg Johnson, VP of sales at Disney-ABC International Television (Asia Pacific). ‘We were the first U.S. studio with on-ground presence in India, in line with our commitment to get closer to our clients there, and we’ve recently strengthened our team with a new sales director [Swati Shetty]. Our aim is to continue to grow and strengthen our relationships with clients in India, as well as find new ways for people to enjoy and connect with our content in locally relevant and tailored ways as reflected in these initiatives.’
Disney-ABC International Television also lays claim to being the first and only U.S. studio to license content on pay-per-view/VOD platforms in India via a deal concluded last year with DISH TV. DISH TV carries Disney’s Hollywood blockbusters and is also set to launch ABC News Now, the first ABC News Now 24/7 channel outside of the U.S., on its direct-to-home platform later this year pending regulatory approval.
