This is as big as it gets! Walt Disney & Yash Raj Films have entered into a collaboration to produce culturally relevant CG Animated features for Indian audiences and will be releasing one animated movie every year. Both companies will partner equally in every way for this animation venture.
The collaboration was announced by Walt Disney Studios Chairman Richard Cook and Yash Raj Films Chairman Yash Chopra. Also present at the press conference were YRF CEO Sanjeev Kohli and Walt Disney Motion Pictures President Mark Zorady.
Disney is the biggest name in Animation globally and YRF is India’s biggest and most prolific film company, the collaboration between the two majors is a landmark event in the Indian as well as global animation and entertainment business.
The features will be made with the specific focus of catering to Indian audiences tastes. The first animated feature that is being worked on is Roadside Romeo, written and directed by Jugal Hansraj, and lead voice cast including Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Javed Jaffrey. Slated for a Summer 2008 release, the Animation production for the feature is being done at Tata Elxsi, VCL.
Walt Disney Studios Chairman Richard Cook shared, “This is the 70th Anniversary of Snow White and animation is the heart and soul of Walt Disney Studios. We are very excited with the partnership with YRF and Yash & Adi Chopra. YRF is the finest in quality entertainment for Indian Audiences. The core of every great film is the story and we believe that YRF like Disney is great at its story telling and shares a similar commitment to excellence”
Yash Raj Films Chairman Yash Chopra stated, ” I have been making films for the past six decades as a director and the Yash Raj Films banner was started 37 years ago. God has been kind to us and we have had the opportunity to make wholesome, entertaining films for the family audiences and in all these years we have never partnered with anyone to make films. We beleive that animation films are going to be big and in a major departure from our strategy, we are entering into a partnership for the first time and with great pride we announce our collaboration with Walt Disney which is the global leader in Animation”
“India is a very strategic market for Walt Disney” shared Walt Disney Motion Pictures President Mark Zorady “And we are very pleased that other than the excellent Hollywood features that we bring to India, we now also will be bringing in locally made animated features, and who better to partner with than YRF, Indiaâ€?s most strongest and creative studio, we are very fortunate to partner with them, to make, market and distribute animated movies”
“In the past few years, Yash Raj Films has vertically integrated itself across the value chain including distribution, music, home entertainment, Internet, Merchandising, Digital Media with TV in the offing. Animation is nascent in India and about 270 Million $ currently. By 2011, the industry will nearly grow three times in size and this is the right time to foray into the animation space and it is a strategic decision that will have long term benefits” shared YRF CEO Sanjeev Kohli. “That said, the partnership with Disney is is not just about having a strategic fit but it is a marriage of cultures and a common quest of excellence”
Elaborating on Roadside Romeo, Yashji added that, “The films are completely Indian in appeal and as such will be regular length movies with Dance, Drama, Romance, Emotion, and elaborate music track with 5-6 songs. Each of the films will be creatively overseen by Aditya Chopra”
On being asked by AnimationXpress.com to comment on the pre production and production work, Disney Studios Chairman Richard Cook replied,”I was amazed by some of the initial character design work that I have seen, and the music is fabulous too. Disney and Yashraj films as well as the fabulous production team at VCL will put in their best and it is going to yield amazing results”
Amazing pace too, at which the fortunes of Indian animation are shining!