Golmaal is a series of Indian action comedy films starring Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, and Tusshar Kapoor, directed by Rohit Shetty and produced by Dhillin Mehta. The franchise launched in 2006 with the movie Golmaal: Fun Unlimited, with Ajay, Tusshar, Arshad, Sharman Joshi and Rimi Sen as the central cast. It was followed by a sequel in 2008, Golmaal Returns, with Kareena Kapoor as the new leading lady and Shreyas Talpade replacing Sharman as Laxman. The third installment, Golmaal 3 was released in 2010 and became the second-highest-grossing Bollywood film of that year. The fourth instalment of this series, Golmaal Again, was released on the occasion of Diwali on 20 October 2017, this one going into the supernatural realm with Parineeti Chopra and Tabu on board. A fifth movie, Golmaal 5, is in the pipeline.
The films revolve around the lives of four (five in the third and fourth films) friends Gopal, Lucky, Madhav and Laxman (hence the title of the series is Golmaal or GoLMaL). It involves comical incidents taking place with them... usually leading to a dramatic end. The movies featured the characters:
Go (Gopal) - Played by Ajay Devgan
L (Lucky) - Played by Tusshar Kapoor
Ma (Madhav) - Played by Arshad Warsi
L (Laxman) - Played by Sharman Joshi in the first film. In second film, a new character of the same name (but different from the original Laxman) was played by Shreyas Talpade. In the third and forth film, Talpade and Kunal Khemu play two different characters, both named Laxman.
Golmaal Junior will have the same format as the movies and will have three central characters: Madhav, Gopal and Lucky. The show will release in May on Sonic channel and will have the plot of two mischievous but poles apart rival prank gangs fighting against each other in a comic way.
Golmaal Jr. won't be Rohit Shetty's first forray into television, with the film director and producers' Singham film series also being adapted into a animated series for kids, titled Little Singham. A source had told the Mumbai Mirror that Rohit has been actively involved with the planning of Golmaal Junior.
Update (14/4): Meet the new Gopal, Lucky, Laxman, Laxman 2 and Madhav from Nickelodeon’s upcoming show!
Rohit Shetty’s Golmaal franchise now has an animated version. Nickelodeon on Monday released the first look of the characters from its upcoming children’s show Golmaal Junior, based on Shetty’s Hindi comedy film series of the same name. The show features younger, animated versions of the lead characters from the Golmaal universe: Gopal, Lucky, Laxman, Laxman 2 and Madhav.
The series has been produced by Rohit Shetty Picturez in association with Reliance Animation. A release date is yet to be announced.
Nickelodeon said in a press note that the show will “revolve around the two prank gangs of Gopal and Madhav indulging into fun, chaos and drama”.
Four films in Shetty’s franchise have been released so far – Golmaal: Fun Unlimited (2006), Golmaal Returns (2008), Golmaal 3 (2010) and Golmaal Again (2017) – and a fifth is reportedly in the works.
The series follows the adventures of five eccentric friends, Gopal (Ajay Devgn), Lucky (Tusshar Kapoor), Madhav (Arshad Warsi) and two Laxmans (Shreyas Talpade and Kunal Kemmu). Golmaal Again (2017), which also starred Tabu, Prakash Raj, Neil Nitin Mukesh and Parineeti Chopra, was a massive hit.
Golmaal Jr - Character Introduction - Gopal
Golden Hills Ka Hero - Meet Gopal!
Golmaal Jr. - Character Introduction - Laxman & Laxman
Naam hai Laxman but fight se they always run!
From Glamsham:
Nickelodeon Reveals Golmaal Junior characters look
Over the last decade, Rohit Shetty’s iconic movie series Golmaal has made its way to all our hearts. From Gopal’s bossy behavior to Madhav’s wicked plans, and the banter between the trio; the five prank gangsters have always managed to tickle our funny bone. What if we were to tell you that the fun doesn’t have to stop at the movie series?
Nickelodeon – India’s leading kid's entertainment franchise, has joined hands with Reliance Animation and Rohit Shetty Picturez to open up a whole new world of Golmaal movie series through their latest venture – Golmaal Junior. The 8th IP of the brand will recreate the magic of the iconic movies through tailor-made animation to appeal to kids and will showcase it on the kid’s channel -Sonic.
The show will bring your favorite Golmaal characters in an all-new animated Avataar while maintaining the spunk and quirkiness from their original characters. The story will revolve around the two prank gangs of Gopal and Madhav indulging into fun, chaos, and drama.
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We bring to you the character sketch of the Golmaal Junior gang:
Ajay Devgn as Junior Gopal
Shreyas Talpade as Junior Laxman
Arshad Warsi as Junior Madhav
Tusshar Kapoor as Junior Lucky
Kunnal Kemmu as Junior Laxman 2
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From Times of India:
'Golmaal Junior's' animated protagonists borrow attributes from Rohit Shetty's film's characters
Rohit Shetty’s Golmaal series is getting an animated show for kids titled 'Golmaal Junior' and will feature the original protagonists, Gopal, two Laxmans, Madhav and Lucky. In the comedy franchise, the roles were played by Ajay Devgn, Shreyas Talpade, Kunal Kemmu, Arshad Warsi and Tusshar Kapoor respectively. In the small screen version, which will air on television channel, the story will revolve around the two prank gangs headed by Gopal and Madhav.
It had learnt that like Ajay’s character, his junior alter ego will be the ringleader of his gang, while the kiddie gang has also borrowed attributes from their seniors. “The junior Lucky (originally played by Tusshar) is the silent member but this time, his get-up includes a big belly and a lollipop. The first Laxman of the two (Shreyas) is a lovable character and a confidante to his ‘Gopu’ and sports a nerdy look with a mushroom haircut and round spectacles. The second one (Kunal) has been given a messy avatar, and recites shayaris, just like the senior. The junior Madhav (Arshad) is as wicked as the senior one,” said a source.
Jointly produced by Rohit and Reliance animation, the show will premiere in May. The Golmaal franchise, which has had four instalments so far, kicked off in 2006 with Ajay, Tusshar, Arshad, Sharman Joshi and Rimi Sen as the central cast. It was followed by a sequel in 2008,'Golmaal Returns', with Kareena Kapoor as the new leading lady and Shreyas Talpade replacing Sharman as Laxman. The third instalment released two years later, followed by 'Golmaal Again' in 2017, this one going into the supernatural realm with Parineeti Chopra and Tabu on board. Rohit had recently announced that part five is currently being planned.
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From Inkhabar:
Golmaal Junior Launch Date: जानिए कब, कहां और कैसे देखें रोहित शेट्टी की जूनियर गोलमाल
Golmaal Junior Launch Date: रोहित शेट्टी गोलमाल फिल्मों के बाद जूनियर गोलमाल सीरीज ला रहे हैं, इस सीरीज में आपको अजय देवगन और रोहित का किड्स अवतार आपको देखने का मिलेगा. इसका छोटा सा प्रोमो वीडियो भी आ चुका है. 13 मई से ये सीरीज शुरु हो जाएगी. हर रोज दिन में आप 1.30 पर आप इस सीरीज को सोनिक टीवी पर देख सकते हैं.
जानिए कब, कहां और कैसे देखें रोहित शेट्टी की जूनियर गोलमाल( फोटो क्रेडिट सोशल मीडिया)
बॉलीवुड डेस्क, मुंबई: फिल्म निर्देशक रोहित शेट्टी ने कई फिल्मोंं का निर्देशन किया है. इनके निर्देशन में बनी फिल्मों में गोलमाल की सभी सीरीज बॉक्स ऑफिस पर सुपरहिट रही हैं. इस सफलता को ध्यान में रखते हुए रोहित शेट्टी अब जुनियर वेब सीरीज लेकर आ रहे हैं. इस सीरीज में आपको कार्टून के जरिये हंसी से लोट-पोट होने का मौेका मिलेगा. लाइव टीवी चैनल निकेलोडियन सोनिक पर रोहित शेट्टी और अजय देवगन गोलमाल जूनियर किड्डी अवतार में नजर आने वाले है. एनिमेटेड किड्स टीवी पर इस सीरीज का प्रसारण होगा. 13 मई से ये सीरीज शुरु हो जाएगी. हर रोज दिन में आप 1.30 इस सीरीज को सोनिक टीवी पर देख सकते हैं.
जुनियर वेब सीरीज गोलमाल का प्रोमो वीडियो भी सोशल मीडिया पर आ चुका है. इस प्रोमो में कुछ कार्टून के जरिये रोहित इस सीरीज का प्रमोशन करते हुए नजर आ रहे हैं. वीडियो मेें उन्होंने इस सीरीज के प्रसारण होने की पूरी डिटेल बताई है. इस सीरीज में क्या रोहित शेट्टी गोलमाल फिल्म के कैरक्टर को भी लेंगे ये तो इस सीरीज के प्रसारण के बाद तय होगा.
रोहित शेट्टी की ये जूनियर गोलमाल सीरीज किड्स को काफी प्रभावित कर सकती है और कार्टून चैनल पर चल रही सीरीज को जूनियर गोलमाल तगड़ा कॉम्पिटिशन दे सकते हैं. अगर ऐसा होता है तो रोहित शेट्टी किड्स के बीच भी काफी फेमस हो जाएंगे.
रोहित शेट्टी ने गोलमाल के सभी पार्ट में टोटल फनी स्टोरी बना कर दर्शकों को काफी गुदगुदया है. हाल में रोहित ने गोलमाल 3 का निर्देशन किया था. इस फिल्म ने भी बॉक्स ऑफिस पर जमकर कमाई की. इससे पहले भी दो सीरीज में भी सभी कलाकारों ने मजेदार एक्टिंग की थी.
रोहित शेट्टी के वर्क फ्रंट की बात करें तो उन्होंने हाल ही में सिंधम फिल्म का निर्देशन किया था. इस फिल्म में रणवीर सिंह और सारा अली खान मुख्य भूमिका में नजर आए थे. इस फिल्म ने भी बॉक्स ऑफिस पर जबरदस्त कमाल किया था. 200 करोड़ से भी ज्यादा इस का इस फिल्म ने बिजनेस किया था.
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From IANS via Siliconeer:
Ranveer, Arjun root for ‘Golmaal Junior’
Mumbai (IANS) – Filmmaker Rohit Shetty’s forthcoming “Golmaal Junior” has got support from the Bollywood fraternity.
Over the last decade, Shetty’s iconic movie series “Golmaal” has regaled the audience. Now Nickelodeon has joined hands with Reliance Animation and Rohit Shetty Picturez to open up a whole new world of the “Golmaal” movie series through their latest venture “Golmaal Junior”.
It will recreate the magic of the iconic movies through tailor-made animation to appeal to children, and then showcase it on the children’s channel Sonic from May 13.
“For all the junior fans… ‘Golmaal’ goes junior! Enjoy,” Shetty posted on Instagram, along with a promo link of the show on his Instagram page.
It drew comments from celebrities like Ranveer Singh, Arjun Kapoor, Farah Khan, Shamita Shetty, Neil Nitin Mukesh and more.
Ranveer wrote: “Go go go golmaaaal”, while Arjun commented: “Sir please, it’s time for one more.”
The show will bring the “Golmaal” characters in an all-new animated avatar while maintaining the spunk and quirkiness from their original characters.
The story will revolve around the two prank gangs of Gopal and Madhav indulging in fun, chaos and drama.
–IANS
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From Box Office India:
Rohit Shetty at the launch of Golmaal jr on Nickelodeon
Rohit Shetty is one of the best directors in the Bollywood industry. He is also one director who has to his credit not one but two successful franchises; the Golmaal series and the Singham series. And now the Golmaal series will have an animated version.
The director was recently spotted at the Golmaal jr launch on Nickelodeon. Doing some other Golmaal with kids, he is been spotted playing and cheering up with children. Have a look at his adorable pictures with children right here and do let us know about your thoughts in the comment section below:
[...]
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From indiawest.com:
Sonic Launches ‘Golmaal Junior’ with Rohit Shetty and a Big Bang
MUMBAI— Get ready to get on board the laugh-riot and experience the legendary face-off between Gopal and Madhav with the “Golmaal Jr.” prank gang, which is all set to come to life on SONIC starting May 13 at 1.30 p.m. Nickelodeon's Sonic channel brings to kids its version of “Golmaal,” the popular movie franchise, with the all-new animated show, “Golmaal Jr.”
Claps, chuckles and cheers greeted the launch of 2019’s biggest kids show at the Grand Maratha Sheration, and the show couldn’t have got grander as it took off with a metaphorical big bang! In association with Reliance Animation and Rohit Shetty Picturez, Sonic will recreate the magic of the iconic “Golmaal” movies through a fun animated series. From Rohit Shetty making his way on the stage to the kid pranksters Gopal’s and Madhav’s grand entry on hoverboards, to them posing on tandem bikes, the launch of “Golmaal Jr” made for an evening to remember.
“Golmaal Jr.” recreates the comic chaos of the film by pitting two prank gangs against each other. Notorious, mischievous and full of life, these two groups are poles apart. Much like their film counterparts, the junior versions are a bunch of pranksters, expert in creating havoc owing to their never-ending quarrels. As their banters evolve through funny situations, the fantastic five promise to entertain the young to ensure the time of their lives.
Speaking about the success of the homegrown characters, Nina Elavia Jaipuria, Head, Hindi Mass Entertainment, Kids TV Network at Viacom18, said, “Understanding of kids, their choices and their diverse entertainment needs has been central to Nickelodeon. We have always introduced characters that are relatable, engaging and clutter-breaking. The new show is set to bring further diversity and scale to the wide content library of Nickelodeon.”
Commenting on the association with the brand, Shetty said, “The “Golmaal” franchise is very close to my heart. The concept of “Golmaal Jr.” had been in place for a while, and I’m very excited about the partnership with Sonic, to bring this high-decibel concept and show to life. Each character and their traits are so carefully crafted that I’m confident kids will love the Golmaal Jr Prank Gang.
The first six rows at the event were reserved for kids, while the media and other kids at heart of all ages were placed behind. Shetty showed his natural warm nature by spearheading the launch, calling over kids for various games on stage, and even asking the kids on vacation to watch the show every afternoon “while their mommies are asleep. But if they do wake up, they will enjoy the show along with you, and that will be even greater fun!” he said.
Myra Vishwakarma, who played the title role in “Pihu,” was the main and very precocious anchor on stage.
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From Glamsham:
Rohit Shetty announces his next for kids
Claps, Chuckles and Cheers – the launch of 2019’s biggest kids show couldn’t have got grander! The channel SONIC, from the Nickelodeon franchise in association with Reliance Animation and Rohit Shetty Picturez created the 8th IP of the franchise and will recreate the magic of the iconic Golmaal movies through a fun animated series that will entertain kids starting May 13 at 1:30 PM on SONIC. From Rohit Shetty making his way on the stage to the pranksters Gopal and Madhav’s grand entry on hover boards, to them posing on tandem bikes, the launch of Golmaal Jr. made for an evening to remember.
Further strengthening the legacy of the Golmaal movie franchise, Golmaal Jr. is an animated series that recreates the comic chaos of the film by pitting two prank gangs against each other. Notorious, mischievous and full of life, these two groups are poles apart. Much like their original counterparts, junior Gopal, Madhav, Laxman and Lucky are a bunch of pranksters, expert in creating havoc owing to their never-ending quarrels. As their banters evolve through funny situations, the fantastic five promise to entertain the young audience and ensure they have the time of their lives.
Speaking about the success of the home-grown characters, Nina Elavia Jaipuria, Head - Hindi Mass Entertainment and the Kids TV Network at Viacom18 said, “Understanding of kids, their choices and their diverse entertainment needs has been central to Nickelodeon. We have hence always introduced characters that are relatable, engaging and clutter breaking. The new show Golmaal Jr. on Sonic is set to bring further diversity and scale to the wide content library of Nickelodeon.”
She further added that, “Going forward, we will continue to enthral kids with great stories and characters and maximize ROI so that we can introduce kids to more such immersive and engaging content experiences.”
Commenting on the association with the brand ace filmmaker, Rohit Shetty said, “The Golmaal franchise is very close to my heart. The film has already been popular amongst the family audience and now the PRANK GANG- Gopal, Madhav, Laxman and Lucky are all set to entertain children on Sonic with the Golmaal Jr. animated series. The concept of Golmaal Jr. had been in place for a while and I’m very excited about the partnership with Sonic, to bring this high decibel concept and show to life. Each character and their traits are so carefully crafted that I’m confident kids will love the Golmaal Jr. Prank Gang.
Get ready to get on board the laugh riot and experience the legendary face-off between Gopal and Madhav with the Golmaal Jr. prank gang which is all set to come to life on SONIC starting 13th May at 1.30pm!
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From IANS via newkerala.com:
Merging universe of my films was big risk: Rohit Shetty
New Delhi, May 12 : Rohit Shetty has interwoven the world of "Singham", "Simmba" and his upcoming film "Sooryavanshi" - creating his own "cop universe" in Bollywood. But the filmmaker says the decision to merge together the popular films was not an easy one.
"I can't claim that I am making India's superheroes. But we are creating our own universe and I am happy that people are loving it and they know about this universe," Rohit told IANS.
"When I started with 'Simmba', when we were scripting for the film and we thought about the universe getting merged, I was a bit scared. Whether people will (like it)... Suddenly they should not feel 'what is happening'," he added.
Apart from being laced with the star power of Ranveer Singh and the charm of Sara Ali Khan, "Simmba" was lauded for bringing the world of Rohit's franchises together effortlessly.
Whether it was putting the cast of his "Golmaal" together in the electrifying "Aankh maare" with a potential hint about another film in the franchise, or Ajay Devgn coming to the rescue of Simmba in his Singham avatar, or the introduction of Akshay as "Sooryavanshi" in the end -- "Simmba" entertained fans for its crossover action drama.
Rohit is happy that the risk paid off well.
"I am happy that it was so-well received. It gave us the confidence and we had taken a bigger risk when we announced 'Sooryavanshi' and introduced the character in 'Simmba'.
"It was a big risk and I was scared and nervous about the first weekend reaction to 'Simmba'. In the first day only, it was so well-received. It gave us confidence and a responsibility that 'Okay, we can continue with this universe and expand it'."
Akshay's "Sooryavanshi" will take it forward.
The film is backed by Rohit Shetty Picturez in association with Dharma Productions and Cape of Good Films. It is produced by Hiroo Yash Johar, Aruna Bhatia, Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta and Rohit.
"That is what 'Sooryavanshi' is all about. It is going to expand the universe... let's see what happens."
At the moment, Rohit is elated to launch "Golmaal Jr.".
The channel Sonic, from the Nickelodeon franchise in association with Reliance Animation and Rohit Shetty Picturez will bring back the world of "Golmaal" -- this time in a fun animated way. The series will go on air on May 13. "Golmaal Jr." recreates the chaos of the film by pitting two prank gangs against each other.
On the thought behind the series, Rohit said "It started with 'Little Singham'. It was like an experiment whether the kids will like it or not... It did so well that it gave us confidence to make 'Golmaal' into an animated franchise.
"We knew that 'Golmaal' is bigger when animation is concerned because it has got so many characters...The show is hilarious and it will leave you with a feel good feeling."
What about the next chapter of "Golmaal" for the big screen?
"It (the franchise) will keep going on... Till the time we all grow old," he said.
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From News18:
Making a Golmaal Film Feels Like a Responsibility, Says Rohit Shetty
Rohit Shetty is currently directing Sooryavanshi, which stars Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif in lead roles.
Filmmaker Rohit Shetty has said that making Golmaal feels like a responsibility as it has been appreciated by the audience over the years.
He was interacting with the media at the launch of upcoming children's show Golmaal Junior, based on his Hindi comedy film series in Mumbai on Friday.
Talking about Golmaal Junior, Rohit said, “Golmaal is basically kid's brand. I am saying this because when adults come to see 'Golmaal' they become kids. For me, Ajay (Devgn), Arshad (Warsi), Kunal (Kemmu) and Shreyas (Talpade), it has been like a childhood memory. It's been 14 years since the time we started shooting since year 2005.
"I feel the Golmaal series is hugely appreciated among kids so we thought that we should take it to an another level. Then, we got an idea that we should make it in animated format so that kids can watch it on daily basis. Audience can see next franchise of Golmaal in every two or three years but they can also see animated version of it on television on daily basis."
Rohit added, "The Golmaal series is very close to my heart. When we started shooting it in 2005, it was a normal comedy film and we never thought it will become such huge household brand. Now, making Golmaal feels like a responsibility and the last instalment Golmaal Again was hugely appreciated by audience and especially kids. So, it feels really nice when your film does well."
Talking about his next cop film Sooryavanshi, which features Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif in lead roles, Rohit said, "There is still a lot more time for us to finish shooting of Sooryavanshi. We have just completed four days of shooting of it."
In Sooryavanshi, Akshay will be playing the role of the head of an anti-terrorism squad along with Katrina. Produced by Reliance Entertainment, Dharma Productions and Cape of Good Films, Sooryavanshi is scheduled to release on Eid 2020.
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From IANS via mid-day:
"When I started with 'Simmba', when we were scripting for the film and we thought about the universe getting merged, I was a bit scared. Whether people will (like it)... Suddenly they should not feel 'what is happening'," he added
Rohit Shetty has interwoven the world of "Singham", "Simmba" and his upcoming film "Sooryavanshi" - creating his own "cop universe" in Bollywood. But the filmmaker says the decision to merge together the popular films was not an easy one. "I can't claim that I am making India's superheroes. But we are creating our own universe and I am happy that people are loving it and they know about this universe," Rohit told IANS.
"When I started with 'Simmba', when we were scripting for the film and we thought about the universe getting merged, I was a bit scared. Whether people will (like it)... Suddenly they should not feel 'what is happening'," he added.
Apart from being laced with the star power of Ranveer Singh and the charm of Sara Ali Khan, "Simmba" was lauded for bringing the world of Rohit's franchises together effortlessly.
Whether it was putting the cast of his "Golmaal" together in the electrifying "Aankh maare" with a potential hint about another film in the franchise, or Ajay Devgn coming to the rescue of Simmba in his Singham avatar, or the introduction of Akshay as "Sooryavanshi" in the end -- "Simmba" entertained fans for its crossover action drama.
Rohit is happy that the risk paid off well. "I am happy that it was so-well received. It gave us the confidence and we had taken a bigger risk when we announced 'Sooryavanshi' and introduced the character in 'Simmba'.
"It was a big risk and I was scared and nervous about the first weekend reaction to 'Simmba'. In the first day only, it was so well-received. It gave us confidence and a responsibility that 'Okay, we can continue with this universe and expand it'."
Akshay's "Sooryavanshi" will take it forward. The film is backed by Rohit Shetty Picturez in association with Dharma Productions and Cape of Good Films. It is produced by Hiroo Yash Johar, Aruna Bhatia, Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta and Rohit.
"That is what 'Sooryavanshi' is all about. It is going to expand the universe... let's see what happens." At the moment, Rohit is elated to launch "Golmaal Jr.".
The channel Sonic, from the Nickelodeon franchise in association with Reliance Animation and Rohit Shetty Picturez will bring back the world of "Golmaal" -- this time in a fun animated way. The series will go on air on May 13. "Golmaal Jr." recreates the chaos of the film by pitting two prank gangs against each other.
On the thought behind the series, Rohit said: "It started with 'Little Singham'. It was like an experiment whether the kids will like it or not... It did so well that it gave us confidence to make 'Golmaal' into an animated franchise.
"We knew that 'Golmaal' is bigger when animation is concerned because it has got so many characters...The show is hilarious and it will leave you with a feel good feeling."
What about the next chapter of "Golmaal" for the big screen? "It (the franchise) will keep going on... Till the time we all grow old," he said.
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From Mumbai Live:
I Feel Privileged When Kids Like My Films And Shows: Rohit Shetty
Viacom18's kids entertainment channel, Nickelodeon Sonic brings forth its 8th IP of the franchise by recreating Rohit Shetty's popular film, Golmaal, into an animated series, Golmaal Jr.
Over the last many years, broadcasters have seen an increasing interest in content among kids. The entertainment channel dedicated to cartoons and their shows has been loved by the audience. Both the quality and the demand for new episodes, characters, and concepts have kept the animation houses and the broadcasters busy. Catering to the same need, and by taking their product, a level up is Nickelodeon Sonic.
The channel, in association with Reliance Animation and Rohit Shetty Picturez has created their 8th IP of the franchise, by recreating the magic of Rohit's popular films, Golmaal, for the kids. Titled, Golmaal Jr., the show will see the characters from the film, entertaining the audience with their pranks, skills and a lot more.
Sharing the news, Nina Elavia Jaipuria, Head - Hindi Mass Entertainment and Kids TV Network at Viacom18 said, "Understanding of kids, their choices and their diverse entertainment needs has been central to us at Nickelodeon. We have hence always introduced the characters that are relatable, engaging and clutter breaking. The new show FOlmaal Jr.on Sonic is set to bringing further diversity and scale to the wide content library of the channel. Going forward, we will continue to enthrall kids with great stories and characters thereby maximising ROI so that we can introduce kids to more such immersive and engaging content experiences."
While interacting with the media, Rohit said, "I never thought there'll be the second part of Golmaal, and now after so many films, the journey is overwhelming. It has become a household brand, and after understanding the reactions, we thought of making it a part of Animation series with Reliance."
Adding his thought about his understanding of the animation space, he said, "The growth in the TV and digital space is gradual, and with this, we'll get a better reach. We did little Singham and now Golmaal Jr. is also going to make it there. With time animation will also improve. Parents inform us that they like Singham and Simbaa, which kids have loved. Now we think this as a responsibility, and keep them in mind when we make a film or a show because we reach out to the audience of all ages. I feel privileged to have kids like my show, and with the audience responding positively, I want to work hard and keep myself busy. With Singham, Simbaa and the franchise, we are creating our own universe. We thought of expanding it because the response is great from the audience."
After tasting success with films and animations shows, we asked him if he would venture into theatrical releases of animation films, he said, "I don't know at present. My journey of making animation shows on TV is doing well and I'm wanting to explore this space and get established. For anything to succeed and make a mark, the story and techniques have to be really good. But theatrical releases for us (at the production house), we are a young company and we will wait for the response, see for a year or two, and then take a call basis that."
Strengthening the legacy of the Golmaal movie franchise, Golmaal Jr. is an animated series that recreates the comic chaos of the film by pitting two pranks gangs against each other.
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From The Telegraph India Online Edition:
Golmaal for kids
Rohit Shetty on the animation avatar of Golmaal and expanding his cop universe in films
Rohit Shetty is back with a new instalment of his laugh riot Golmaal, but it’s screening not in theatres but on the telly. On the sidelines of the launch of the Sonic Nickelodeon show (Golmaal Jr airs at 1.30pm daily) at ITC Maratha in Mumbai last Friday, the hitmaker spoke to t2 about his animation venture in which the mischief-makers create havoc as children in Golden View High School.
It must be a compliment having a cartoon series inspired by your film franchise Golmaal?
When we started the film in 2005, we did not even think of a second film. That was 14 years ago. Now it has become a household brand. It belongs to the audience. We just do the work and serve them. Reliance (Entertainment) came up with this idea of doing it in animation.
You started this trend with Singham (which was made into Little Singham last year for Discovery Kids)…
I never thought kids liked these films so much, especially Singham, till parents started telling me ‘hamara bachcha aisa karta hai’ (shows sparring moves). For us, it was an action film. Perhaps the popularity increased because of the combined reach of film and television. By the time we were making Golmaal, we knew that it would be for the family and kids would be coming to watch it.
What was your son’s reaction?
Ishaan was very excited when I made Singham. He used to make cars crash into each other with his toy cars. Now he is 13. On hearing Singham was being animated, he told me that children would like it. I said: ‘Achha, tu bahut bada ho gaya hai!’ (Laughs)
How did this trend of animating your films start?
When we merged with Reliance, they had an animation company. They said: ‘Why don’t you take over the company and start work on it?’ They came up with the idea of turning Singham into animation. I said: ‘Chalo, let’s try”. When I saw the edit, I really liked it. It worked wonders for the channel. I hope the same happens with Golmaal Jr also.
How different will the animation series be from the film in terms of the concept?
Everyone knows Gopal, Lucky, Laxman and Madhav. Their character traits are same — masti khor hai. So we show what happens when they are young. Golmaal was a two-and-half hour film. This is
10-hour footage that will be shown over a month’s time. Gradually, the story will grow and expand with every character. And where kids are concerned, the whole take has to be different. In films, you cater to everyone, all ages. Here it is only kids. They are not that much worried about where it will go but how it goes is important for them.
What is your contribution to the show?
The final draft of each episode comes to me. If I feel like, I tweak something. The animation team is really good. They understand kids.
Any thoughts of ‘Little Simmba?’
We have not even thought about it (laughs). We just made the film (Simmba). It has done so well. We are the only company which has two franchises in animation. As it is, it’s a big responsibility and requires a lot of focus. We cannot let anything go wrong as it would hurt the franchise and make us lose our kid audience. We thought of Golmaal Jr only after a year of Little Singham.
That’s why you have not announced ‘Golmaal 5’ yet.
No, it has not been announced. Shreyas (Talpade) just said uss pe kaam chal raha hai. It will take a lot of time.
Will there be Golmaal toys and video games?
Kids are not so much into toys now. It will take time to build on the franchise. For now, we are concentrating only on animation.
Do you see yourself making an animation film for theatrical release?
The journey of television is going very well. I think we need to establish ourselves more in TV animation. We are a young company in animation. We have just started with Little Singham last year and now we are launching Golmaal Jr. We will wait for a year or two and see how it goes.
Do you have a favourite cartoon?
We didn’t have Indian animation characters then, Chacha Chaudhury type. In comics, Tintin was my favourite. I get nostalgic when I see Tintin in animation.
You directed Singham and Simmba, and now Sooryavanshi is happening. Are you trying to create an Avengers-like universe?
Avengers is too big a brand to compare us with. We are trying to create a universe and we are open about it. We were worried whether people would understand Simmba but it worked in a big way for us. So we are going ahead and expanding that universe.
In your world of male cops…
Female cops bhi aayegi. Time lagega. Main kuchh nahin chhupata.
Who do you see in the role of a female cop?
Yeh main bolne waala nahin! (Laughs) Kal subah ka headline ho jaayega. Ek toh main Twitter-witter pe hoon nahin. Mujhe bahut tension ho jaati hai.
Did you like action films as a child?
My father was an action director. So my background was in films. Just like my son says he wants to be in films. For me, too, it was a set career path — be it as director or action director. By the time I was 16, I was an assistant director. By 17, I was first assistant director in Phool aur Kaante. My father expired when I was eight years old. My mother brought us up as a single parent. She was a stuntwoman. That’s how my parents met.
I am 45 now. My mom stays with me. My work ethic comes from her and Ajay (Devgn). He is such a big star, yet such is his sincerity that he has never missed a flight in his life, though I may have missed one or two. I am lucky to have been surrounded by such people early on in life.
You have had a film every year, except after Dilwale.
I took a year’s break after Dilwale as I was setting up my own production company. Since then, I have produced all my films. I love going to work. We were shooting for Sooryavanshi (starring Akshay Kumar) today. It was so dusty that I got an infection in my throat. We packed up at 7.30pm and I came here. This will continue till past midnight. I will have to be back tomorrow morning for the next shift. But I am happy.
What news of Sooryavanshi?
We started on May 6. This schedule is till June 30. We will go to Bangkok now and to Hyderabad after that. The next schedule will be in November-December.
One hears you are quite a prankster on the sets.
The team which works with me is like a family. Someone was 16 when he joined and is now an adult. Someone got married while working. We are the only team that makes films every six months or three months, for that matter. Simmba abhi tak satellite pe aayi nahin hai, Sooryavanshi shuru ho chuki hai. They are together round the year. As a team, we are a happy team. Obviously there is pressure, but we see to it that we are happy. It’s a question of one Friday whether audiences like a film or not but the journey of a year or two to make the film should be good.
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From Firstpost:
Rohit Shetty on Akshay Kumar's citizenship row, Golmaal Jr and comparisons of his cop-verse to Avengers franchise
Director Rohit Shetty has spoken in support of Akshay Kumar after the Sooryavanshi actor received backlash for holding a Canadian citizenship. Talking about the issue, Shetty said that people would soon forget about the issue because of his charitable disposition.
"It is just a matter of few days and people will forget about it, since he has taken up the responsibility of helping people. I know him very well, while he helps others a lot, he avoids blabbering about it," Shetty said in a statement.
Talking about Golmaal Junior, the upcoming animation television show based on his blockbuster franchise Golmaal, Shetty shared that the massive success of Little Singham propelled him towards making a series on the comedy films. "The appreciation Little Singham got from kids gave us the confidence to think that we have one more franchise which is much larger and can work well with kids. That's how Golmaal Junior happened."
He added that he takes his franchise as a responsibility. "Whatever you do, it is like a responsibility because you can't kill your brand if Golmaal Again goes wrong, or Golmaal Junior goes wrong. Because you may lose your kid audience."
After the back-to-back successes of Singham, Singham Returns and last year's Simmba, many wondered if Shetty is on his way to create a cop universe akin to the Avengers franchise and MCU. "The Avengers brand is too big, and comparing my cop-verse to it is like a joke," Shetty quipped.
He further remarked that he was scared to include Singham's character in Simmba, "but it worked in a very big way so we are just going ahead and expanding it (the cop-verse)."
He added that the female cop film will definitely happen, but it will take some time as the film demands a "very strong script." He also assured that Golmaal 5 is also on the cards.
(With inputs from Simran Singh)
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From The Pioneer:
Children enjoy ‘Golmaal Jr. Toons’
The children had a lot of fun with Golmaal Jr. Toons as the characters were in Bhopal on Tuesday.
The channel Sonic from the Nickelodeon franchise in association with Reliance Animation and Rohit Shetty Picture has recreated the magic of the iconic Golmaal movies through a fun animated series that will entertain kids. The visit of Golmaal Jr toons to Dale Town Dance Company in Bhopal made for a day to remember for kids. Toons of Golmaal Jr. informed the kids about this new animated show and kids were overjoyed to see toons among them, they danced on the Golmaal song and clicked selfies with toons.
Further strengthening the legacy of the Golmaal movie franchise, Golmaal Jr. is an animated series that recreates the comic chaos of the film by pitting two prank gangs against each other. Notorious, mischievous and full of life, these two groups are poles apart. Much like their original counterparts, junior Gopal, Madhav, Laxman and Lucky are a bunch of pranksters, expert in creating havoc owing to their never-ending quarrels.
As their banters evolve through funny situations, the fantastic five promise to entertain the young audience and ensure they have the time of their lives.
In a message sent by Rohit Shetty, he said, “The concept of Golmaal Jr. had been in place for a while and I’m very excited about the partnership with Sonic, to bring this high decibel concept and show to life. Each character and their traits are so carefully crafted that I’m confident kids will love the Golmaal Jr PrankGang.”
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From AnimationXpress:
Sonic’s animated ‘Golmaal Jr.’ maintains the charm of the original franchise
Golmaal Jr., the newest kids’ animated series which airs on SONIC is a slice of life for kids. The series promises endless fun, laughter to kids.
Based on one of the most popular movie franchises of Hindi cinema – Golmaal, which has been immensely popularised by known filmmaker Rohit Shetty, the animated show brings to life the relatable characters, humour and fun.
While talking to the animation team behind the 2D series, Reliance Animation COO Tejonidhi Bhandare said, “This series will focus on fun and only fun. Golmaal as a franchisee is a fun content and we have tried to replicate the same fun for the kids.”
The channel decided to carefully take the five beloved characters from Golmaal franchise and animated them into series that the kids will relate to. “We have retained some characters and have paid homage to the first Golmaal movie, and took the famous character of Utpal Dutt,” said Nickelodeon executive VP programming content and research Anu Sikka in a conference.
Targeted to the age group of six to 12 years, the humour is the key ingredient that will attract that age bracket. The broadcaster has tried to give full justice to the original franchise with the use of proper elements. Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment and the kids TV head Nina Elavia Jaipuria thinks that the show will be entertaining not just for the targeted group but for elders too.
The original IP of Golmaal rests with Rohit Shetty Picturez and the animation content is being held jointly by Reliance Animation and Rohit Shetty Picturez. “Rohit Shetty is our mentor and he has given us the line of direction on the basis of which the series are created. There are certain do’s and don’ts for the series which needs to be adhered to and we are in sync with that,” added Bhandare.
Rohit Shetty in a press conference said, “Little Singham was well received by kids, and we decided to create another property into animation. Gradually we can expand the series, considering the fun from the movies. We are not worried about where it will go but how far it will go.”
The series subtly shows that friendship is above all and in hard time its only friendship that comes to the rescue. Bhandare thinks that the holiday season and the right spot for the content, with a strong marketing strategy is definitely going to drive the kids to watch the show. “Once the kids are hooked on to the show then you have a game on hand once the school re-opens,” mentioned he.
The entire pre and post-production has been done at Reliance Animation studio in Pune. The team is enjoying working on the animation as they like the characters and are having a good time creating them. “There has been time that the team has finished an episode in eight days, working day and night and are not allowing us to outsource the episode just for the love of the characters,” expressed Bhandare.
Sonic thought this type of content is a game changer and addressing the right target audience who are just entering teens would want to see fun content relevant to their age. The brand is already well-associated with the target group and with Nick having the largest reach; this is definitely a good combination!
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From AnimationXpress:
How marketing strategies are helping to create bigger brands out of Indian animated IPs
For instance, the launch of Golmaal Jr. on Sonic (part of Nickelodeon) was supported by a dynamic 360 degree marketing and communication plan that included an aggressive TV plan, within the Viacom18 network and outside the network. A high decibel outdoor plan along with mall visibility is sure to capture eyeballs across the country.
In a recent round table press conference, Viacom18 Kids Network and Hindi Mass Entertainment head Nina Jaipuria mentioned, “We’re a 360 degree entertainer across all platforms. We have almost 11,000 reach in retail and ‘Back to School’ products. For Golmaal Jr. we’re checking highly visible outdoor plans. From visibility in malls, to retail outlets, to transit media branding, to partnering with fun-zones, fun photo opportunities with the iconic Golmaal bike and audio standees at multiplexes playing the catchy Golmaal title track, pranks on Fever FM and Golmaal promos in theaters, we have a lot that’s sure to break the clutter.”
There are various innovations lined up on the digital front also, starting with the innovative YouTube unskippable ad that is a category first.There would be a large influencer campaign reaching out to the digital audience. Keeping in mind the sensibility of the social media natives, they have also launched a challenge – #GolmaalJrChallenge where kids would be asked to replicate the popular Golmaal dance step!
Similarly Sony YAY! have exciting plans for kids too. Last month, the kids channel has announced a massive 124 city van activation to amplify its on-ground engagement with kids. The van activation promises a fun-filled time for young ones with exciting show themed games and a host of other activities.
With specially designed vans set to give everyone the reel-to-real experience, Sony YAY! is going all out to transform its pit-stops into YAY-zones. The vans will halt and engage with young audiences at prominent locations in cities across Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Lately, their popular toon Honey in a Back to School campaign went to many household to promote child rights and right to education for kids.
SPN Kids genre business head Leena Lele Dutta noted, “This year we are not coming out with any new IP but we are doing a lot of activities with our existing ones. We have our van activation across almost over 100 cities and towns through the length and breadth of the country. So, that’s a big big initiative. In one city they will visit two to three locations, collate kids, have contest, get inclusion from parents. So, we’re trying to make sure our characters’ presence is widespread than launching another IP and focusing on that. This entire year it’s about making our IPs popular through our PTL activities and this we plan to take the entire summer season on ground. We have mall activations, bookshops, fun fares and all of that where kids are associated. You’ll find our association with Imagica and more. And we’ll make sure that our existing characters popularising Honey Bunny and KickO will reflect what our on ground strategy also.”
Sony YAY! also lately brought on board popular rap-singer and musician Badshah for the title track of KickO and Super SpeedO.
Turner is also no exception in this league. Turner’s fan-first strategy focuses on a 360 degree approach to engage fans beyond the TV to digital, social media, apps, games and events. Their successful ‘School Contact Programme directly connects with over one million kids pan-India. First launched 14 years ago, this trendsetting property gave young viewers an opportunity to directly engage with their favourite cartoons from various IPs such as Ben 10, Roll No.21 and Chhota Bheem. The school contact programme has cultivated a solid reputation as perfect fan engagement avenue, strengthening the bond between kids and their brands Cartoon Network and Pogo making their respective popular franchises which have become household names today.
Another recent example was the launch of an all-new show on POGO, Kalari Kids, where they set up an immersive 360-degree AR video photo booth in multiple malls. Here, fans could digitally immerse themselves into the character-verse and truly feel like they were a part of the show. They also conducted a programme ‘Chhota Bheem ki Eco-Pathshala’ at shopping malls across the city to engage and entertain kids.
Turner also focuses on merchandise marketing, leveraging the legacy of its top franchises and iconic characters such as The Powerpuff Girls, Tuzki and We Bare Bears. The brand is known for like-minded partnerships with Indian designers such as Nandita Mahtani and Manish Arora, and with merchandising partners such as The Souled Store, POPxo Shop and Myntra. Each partnership further fortifies fan engagement, brand awareness and boosts the franchise.
Commented Turner India managing director Siddharth Jain, “Our marketing efforts are designed to build both the Cartoon Network and Pogo brands as well as their respective franchises and IPs on a ‘fan-first strategy’. It’s a strategy that focuses on the dynamic on- and off-screen demands of fans. With an audience that has evolved with us since the time we pioneered the kids’ entertainment space and who today thrives on immersion, new experiences and engagement, we have moved towards greater experiential brand-building enabling our fans to embrace our brands, franchises and characters in very part of their everyday life beyond the TV screen.”
Besides broadcasters, studios too consider marketing strategies to be lucrative in making their IPs a bigger brand that helps them get more acknowledged and associated with it. Green Gold Animation is probably the best in this case. Chhota Bheem as an IP is identified all over the globe.
Green Gold Animation founder and CEO Rajiv Chilaka said, “To establish our brands, the biggest marketing strategy we took up with our original productions was to work on the best content to bring the bands closest to its audience. Exciting stories ensured that the viewership of the shows increased. This again was followed up with attractive merchandising and exhaustive events activation, that kept the brands close to its fans and help establish them.”
For Cosmos-Maya, the focus has always been on carefully calculated digital and print campaign. To quote a recent example, for Inspector Chingum’s launch campaign on Disney’s Hungama TV, the story had coverage in more than 150 print publications all over the country covering all major regions and languages. This was combined with a concerted marketing effort on WowKidz, the studio’s YouTube platform with more than 21 million subscribers.
Cosmos-Maya CEO Anish Mehta added, “Our endeavour has always been on building brands and not just business. With more and more of our IPs being commissioned, we run planned integrated marketing campaigns for our viewers. We also help the broadcaster push the show with trade and clients. We also leverage our social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. For Inspector Chingum, there was an Instagram handle created especially for the IP which was subscribed to by close to 70k people in less than a week’s time. All this was in addition to Disney’s promotional activities which included promos of the show running even during the IPL.”
Based on their expertise in developing IPs into powerful global brands, DQ Entertainment has grown a unique know-how in creating franchises with strong international 360 degree display. DQ Entertainment’s flagship property –The Jungle Book has been sold in over 160 countries with over 500 categories of merchandising products being sold globally. DQE has been building its strategy by growing a diversified portfolio of both recognisable brands and original content.
Their international brands like The Jungle Book, Peter Pan, Robin Hood, Psammy show and others have worldwide presence as apart of merchandising marketing. That includes – television, home entertainment, music publishing , games ,toys, books, apparels, bags, stationary, inflatables, walkie-talkies, lollipops, playing cards, beach toys, Stickers, Puzzles and lot more.
DQ Entertainment group COO Manoj Mishra informed, “The marketing strategy followed by us is largely dependent on the kind of show and target group it caters to. Apart from having the presence of the brand felt in major international markets such as MIPCOM,MIPTV,KIDSCREEN and more to attract global broadcast and VOD players we have also effectively used the print media from time to time to do branding exercises so as to reach a wider audience. We have also extensively used social media platforms for marketing our brands and merchandising products to increase their brand equity and all such activities have given immense dividends to us in terms of sales and taking the IPs forward.”
Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year through its animation wing, Toonz Animation brings famous comic character Chacha Chaudhary to life into the animation world with a comprehensive 360-degree strategy stradling all the media vehicles. Toonz Animation has tied up with Disney to air the multi-episode animated television series from June and the series is expected to receive a fantastic reception.
Spokesperson from Toonz Animation quoted, “ We’ve initiated the marketing strategy of promoting Chacha Chaudhary from March with the launch of the social media channels and platforms. Chacha Chaudhary official facebook page which was an instant hit among the pre millennials with many of them dropping in messages, ideas and good wishes for the upcoming series. The Instagram as well as Twitter handles also have been equally buzzing with enthusiasm. These vehicles have now become the drivers of traffic onto the Chacha Chaudhary Youtube channel launched by Toonz in April. The channel has seen a steady increase in traffic which will provide a good audience base when the Chacha web series when it launches.”
With such calculated and researched integrated strategies in place, we can definitely hope to witness a splurge in this sector that brilliantly aids and supports the animation industry in India. Fingers crossed for that!
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More Nick: Nickelodeon India Launches 'Pressure Ko Bolo Bye' Campaign to Combat Stress in Students!
Originally published: Wednesday, April 10, 2019.
Additional sources: Wikipedia (II), Bollywood Hungama, Google.co.uk, Forbes, Scroll.in, Google Translate, Tv News - India TV, Spotboye, 5 Dariya News.
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