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Bheem chala Hollywood
Updated On: 03 July, 2022 06:53 AM IST | Mumbai | Aastha Atray Banan
A toddler spinoff of the popular Chhota Bheem series from over a decade ago, is wooing kids from Australia to America
Mighty Bheem has crossed over a billion views on Netflix’s YouTube
If you click on the kids section on any streaming platform, get ready to enter a whole new world. Be it adventure or drama, children seem to have content created for them, which is at par with any mainstream Bollywood or Hollywood movie. When we took a shot at watching Mighty Little Bheem on Netflix, which is a spinoff of the superhit Chhota Bheem, which first premiered in 2008 on Pogo, we found ourselves lost in the story. It’s about Bheem and his friends protecting the rural town of Dholakpur, and is heartwarming and engaging. The recently launched I love Taj Mahal, where Bheem while on a trip to the monument of love, tries to help a little girl who is looking for her lost teddy bear, has become a hit with children in Latin America, Australia and New Zealand. The show has had the largest launch of any kids original and the animated series has crossed over a billion views on the channel’s YouTube. As Netflix said, “The universality of Netflix shows emanates from the fact that they tell a very specific and authentic story incredibly well. Mighty Little Bheem is one such story that has been phenomenal across countries and cultures, giving children and families a window into India’s rich cultural landscape.” In fact, the creators, Hyderabad-based Green Gold Animation, has become one of the largest toon companies, not just in India, but in the world. We spoke to Rajiv Chilaka, founder and managing director, Green Gold Animation Pvt Ltd, and the creator of the show, on why Bheem is so loved.
Edited excerpts from the interview.
Do you remember that first big idea, and the first story, for Bheem?
It all started with Chhota Bheem, which debuted in 2008 and went on to become India’s most popular IP, with a TV programme, films, and merchandising. However, it was never distributed outside of India. When Netflix first began streaming in India in 2016, we had the notion that Green Gold Animation should animate Mighty Little Bheem, Chhota Bheem’s preschool spin-off, which would be produced by both Netflix and Green Gold Animation. The first big idea struck me when my son was weeping nonstop at his first birthday celebration and refused to be photographed. However, once the cameraman placed a parrot beside him, he stopped sobbing and became intrigued. At the time, I thought how fantastic it would be to convey that narrative to a pre-school audience if Bheem was a baby.
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