Disney+ Hotstar to stream Chacha Chaudhary series comprising 52 episodes

The Thiruvananthapuram-based Toonz Media Group has signed an exclusive deal with Disney+ Hotstar to bring the iconic Indian cartoon hero Chacha Chaudhary series on an OTT platform for the first time.

"We are excited about Chacha Chaudhary boarding the OTT platform for the first time which will give an opportunity for the complete family to relive, entertain and engage with Chacha & Sabu. And to have Disney+ Hotstar VIP as our OTT partner for the series is like the icing on the cake," said P Jayakumar, CEO of Toonz Media Group.

Meanwhile, the second season of the series will also be aired on the Disney Kids Channels in India, following the Season 1's huge popularity among children across the country.

Production has begun for the new episodes of the show, which will include 52 episodes of 11 minutes and will be aired across Disney Kids Channels network in India, besides the Disney+ Hotstar VIP platform, a press release said.

The quintessentially Indian comic superhero, who has entertained generations of readers, Chacha Chaudhary has been an integral part of India's pop culture since it was first created by legendary cartoonist Pran Kumar Sharma in 1971.

The adaptation of the comic book into an animated series was championed by Toonz, with the vision to develop Chacha as the number one animation IP from India.

Season 1 of the series was launched on Disney in June 2019 following an exclusive TV deal with Toonz.

Besides its success on the small screen, Chacha Chaudhary has today grown into a 360degree brand with more than 500 titles published, 250,000 books sold to date, comics published in 5 languages, massive exposure through 35 newspapers in ten languages and free E-comics on Googles free wifi in 100 railway stations across India in 18 languages.

Chachas merchandise was released to the young and adults fans earlier this year and the kids merchandise is expected to launch in market by late 2020.

"Chachas core Indian values with mental strength should be good inspiration for kids and whole family at these times," Nikhil Pran, CEO of Pran's Features said.

Toonz has recreated the iconic cartoon in animation.

Although primarily a nostalgic, growing-up staple for the pre-millennial generation, Toonz has taken special effort to make the animated adaptation of Chacha Chaudhary relevant for the millennial audience as well.

For this, subtle tweaks were made to the show, like the introduction of a new character - Pappu Pendrive who is a gadget freak.

The highlight of the series, however, remains its focus on the themes of problem solving, adventure, humour and reinforcing the message of good over evil.