Disney and Yash Raj Films have signed an agreement to make animated Bollywood films. The first planned movie to be made is titled “Roadside Romeo” a animation film similar to that of Shrek in Hindi. The film is due for release in 2008.
It is reported that Bollywood stars Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan will do the voice overs for the film.
“This will help us strengthen local understanding of culture, art and music in India. We, on our own, cannot make a good Indian film,” Mark Zoradi, marketing president for Walt Disney, told reporters in Mumbai on Tuesday.
Yash Raj is known in India for the traditional Bollywood song-and-dance love stories, but has lately been experimenting with animation in “Ta Ra Run Pum” and “Hum Tum” (You, Me) .
“My son Aditya has always said that animation is the future in movies,” Yash Chopra (President of Yash Raj Films), told reporters.
Disney is already well known to the television viewers in India because of such shows as Toon Disney and The Disney Channel. Last year, the Disney purchased Hungama, a popular children’s channel in India.
Dick Cook, chairman if Disney said on Monday the partnership would “create exceptional animated films in the Indian language that are culturally relevant for the avid movie-going audiences in India and around the world.”
The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that Disney has so far struggled to make money in India, which has a but is positive about Disneys latest attempts to bring high profile Bollywood actors and actresses to its films.