Indian Broadcaster Sony Yay! Announces Four-Series Original Animation Slate

Indian kids and family network Sony Yay! has announced four new animated series as the broadcaster ups its commitment to locally produced animation.

Series Details:

• Karna: The Guardian – Based on the Indian epic “Mahabharata,” this series will blend traditional mythology and science to tell the story of Karna in a fun and educational way. Sony Yay! is planning to enlist a Japanese animation studio to co-produce the show, which will feature an aesthetic that mixes anime and Bollywood elements. There are also plans for a possible video game accompaniment.
• I.D. Squad – C.I.D. is a popular police procedural that ran from 1998-2018 and included more than 1,500 episodes. Now, the IP is being adapted as a two-season animated series. Described as a fast-paced thriller, the show will follow a detective who gets help from three teenagers while investigating crimes.
• Maya & the Magic Makeup Box – 16-year-old Maya is an ordinary girl who often lacks self-confidence. That is until she finds a magic make-up box that changes everything for her.
• Young Aviators – Billed as an interactive kids’ series, this show will introduce viewers to the physics of flying with independent flight missions in each episode.
• Sony Yay! has found plenty of success airing Indian-dubbed versions of global IPs such as Naruto, Oggy and the Cockroaches, and others, but is now shifting into original programming, including adult animation.
• The programs will not necessarily be available on Sony Yay! or its streaming service SonyLIV, but will instead be put on the market and go to the highest bidder.
• Speaking to Variety, Leena Lele Dutta, business head at Sony Yay!, explained: “At this point in time, we are pivoting into doing original programming and in animation for adults even. So that is the programming that we will speak about to an age group of 16-plus, with concepts and characters which are more universal with possibly kids plus family, or young adults, or even full families.”