Green Gold Animation, a Hyderabad-based animated content developer, is readying its second movie based on India’'s first animated television serial character – Chhota Bheem – for theatrical release with a budget of Rs 10 crore, according to founder and managing director Rajiv Chilaka.
“The yet-to-be-titled, 100-minute CGI (computer generated imagery) movie is in the scripting stage. We are lining up the film for summer 2013,” he told mediapersons after announcing the company’s new ‘Chhota Bheem Carnival’ initiative here on Wednesday.
Launched four years ago as an animation series on Turner International’s Pogo channel, the laddoo-loving Chhota Bheem made his first theatrical appearance with ‘Chhota Bheem and the Curse of Damyaan’ in May 2012.
Released digitally in 250 screens across the country, ‘Chhota Bheem and the Curse of Damyaan’ has raked in approximately Rs 5 crore at the box office, which Green Gold claims is the highest grossing an Indian animated movie has ever made after Hanuman.
“Over 150 episodes and 10 television movies on Chhota Bheem have so far been aired on Pogo. Around 52 more episodes and 12 movies are under production, which will be delivered during the next two years,” he said, adding the company’s contract with Pogo was intact for seven more years. Green Gold operates 19 exclusive stories to sell Chhota Bheem merchandise, including apparel, umbrellas and home furnishings in cities like Hyderabad, New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.
Merchandising contributed Rs 7 crore to our total revenues of Rs 16 crore last year. With the roll out of more stores, it expects this to be Rs 10 crore this financial year. The company is contemplating coming out with Chhota Bheem laddoos.