After Motu Patlu ‘s TV success, Viacom18 to start 3D film version

After the success of its 10 made-for-television Motu Patlu animated films, media firm Viacom18 will soon launch its maiden 3D animation theatrical ‘Motu Patlu King of Kings’ to tap into the burgeoning animation industry.

“The 10 Motu Patlu made-for-television movies have contributed around 10 per cent of Nick’s (Viacom 18’s kids channel) ratings, being amongst the top 5 every time we released one such movie,” Viacom18 Group Chief Executive Officer Sudhanshu Vats said in a statement. 

“Motu Patlu has had an interesting journey, starting with television, then moving into digital, capitalising on their growing brand value through Viacom18 Consumer Products and now starring in their own movie,” Vats said. Viacom18 Motion Pictures and Nickelodeon have partnered Maya Digital Studios to create the movie based on the very popular Lotpot characters Motu Patlu. 

The movie is slated to release on October 14, in Hindi and Tamil in over 700 screens across the country. “The animation industry in India is rapidly evolving with a growth rate of around 13.8 per cent. Secondly, with an estimated 400 million kids in the country today, the kids category is the third largest in the Indian broadcast sector, after the GECs and movies categories, with a sizable headroom for growth in terms of both viewership and revenues,” he said. 

“The launch of ‘Motu Patlu King of Kings’ is a big step for the animation industry at large. Given that Motu Patlu is the most popular kids’ brand in the country today, we were inspired to create this magnum opus suitable for the big screen,” Maya Digital Studios chairman and managing director Ketan Mehta said.