UTV to launch India's first animated TV series

Indian television audience will soon get to see an Indianised animated TV show on prime time.

The show, produced by UTV, will be India's first and costliest animated TV series aimed at family-viewing. The cost of production is Rs 10 lakh (Rs 1 million) per episode and UTV is planning 52 episodes.

The series is a comedy entitled `Kahin Nak Na Kut Jaaye'. It is set in an Indian city called `Anantnak' (which means endless nose).

The characters, designs, animated voice, post production will be done in-house at the UTV Toons studios backed by UTV's post production facility, USL.

"Currently there is no domestic market for animation. In India animation is also perceived as `kids viewing'. We want to break that myth and our latest animation production targets the entire family. We are looking at animation as a technique for television," said Ronnie Screwvala, chief executive officer, UTV.

UTV is readying itself for an 8 pm slot on one of the leading television networks.

"The channels have responded well to this idea of an animated series in the prime time slot. We gauged that they are open to experimenting," said Screwvala.

However, he refused to divulge the name of the channel as they are in the final stages of discussions and is currently pending finalisation.

UTV has also signed on two animation co-production shows - one for the United States market and one each for the United Kingdom and European markets.

The creation of the characters along with animation would originate out of India in conjunction with their co-production partners in the US and UK.

Budgeted at £1.75 lakh per episode totaling £4.55 million, `Bollywood Road' is a co-production between UTV Toons and BA20 Entertainment-UK.

It is a 26-episode, half-hour animated song and dance sitcom, set in the multi-cultural community of Leyford, East London and on a street entitled "Bollywood Road".