Few days back it was announced that India’s Toonz Media Group has joined hands with the USA based production company Sharmaji for producing preschool animated content. The series which is the first to explore the daily lives of Indian-American families targeting pre-schoolers, follows the lead characters Uma and Devan as they balance growing up in USA while also maintaining their Indian cultural heritage.
AnimationXpress spoke to Toonz Media Group, CEO, P Jayakumar to get better insight into the creation and distribution of the new series, Uma and Devan Namaste!.
Uma and Devan Namaste! animated series will be launched during MIPCOM – the world’s leading screenings and conference for entertainment content across all platforms which takes place in Cannes, France – in October 2017. The first season of the show is expected to have 26 episodes and is planned to be distributed to major TV and digital channels worldwide after its launch in October 2017. The run-time for each episode will be 11 minutes.
The 2D animated series will originally be released in English, “but we will create versions in other languages based on the global demand,” says Jayakumar. Toonz will handle the production out of their studio in Trivandrum, India itself whereas the writers and the voice cast will be NRIs. The direction will also happen in the USA. The project which is being funded by Sharmaji and Toonz will be co-created by both the media houses.
If you are wondering about the characters of Uma and Devan, Jayakumar reveals, “Uma and Devan have a loving and dynamic relationship that is also complex. They go through trials and tribulations, and use teamwork to find solutions that are inclusive.” Uma is a nurturing and affectionate elder sister and Devan is an admiring and compassionate younger brother, but they are nevertheless competitive. Devan many-a-times will try to tell a story and in excitement Uma will interrupt or rather ‘take over’ to fill in details which definitely miffs Devan who gets frustrated. “In the end, however, there is no bond stronger than theirs and they always come to each other’s defence. They are an excellent example of friendship and a heart-warming example of siblings.”
Jayakumar adds, “The characters in the series are based on a real life Indian family, living in the United States.” The owners of Sharmaji Productions are of Indian origin but grew up in the United States and United Kingdom. They have two children whose life and stories are the inspiration for Uma and Devan Namaste!
As mentioned by Jayakumar in a previous interview with AnimationXpress, he had plans to venture into the USA market. “We have seen an opportunity for a cultural specific show like this in the US market,” states Jayakumar. The show which is a very first collaboration between Sharmaji and Toonz will be heavily promoted through digital and social media platforms. The creators also intend to have apps, websites and other digital properties to support the series.
So what makes Uma and Devan Namaste! different from the other shows produced by Toonz Media? The series is the first animated series that tells the story of Indian children growing up outside of India. “We now live in a global society and our children will grow up connected to the rest of the world. Through the lens of our Indian culture, we hope children will discover how similar and connected we all really are.” At the core of the series is the universal brother-sister relationship and learning values of teamwork, perseverance, curiosity, empathy, and respect for all kinds of diversity. “Traditional Indian values such as a strong sense of community, the importance of extended family, respect for elders, and hard work will also be woven into the context of the series.”
The production teams also have plans to create a franchise out of the multi-million dollar project, whose IP is owned by Sharmaji Producions. Toonz expects to also work on more projects with Sharmaji in the future. As of now, the global distribution team is said to syndicate the project across the globe.
When asked what he wishes to tell the audience through the show, Jayakumar said that they want to encourage cultural diversity and teamwork at an especially critical time for the young ones. “Often times, the series finds Uma and Devan experiencing the unique cultures of their friends, only to have them learn to respect, admire, and celebrate all of the diversity that they are exposed to as Americans,” concludes Jayakumar.
Toonz Media and Sharmaji bring a very fresh concept through Uma and Devan Namaste!. Among most pre-school shows that explore the genre of fantasy, this one with a unique storyline will grab the attention of children as well as the interest of the elders. What’s in store will only be revealed later in the year.