Disney And Apple Jump On The Bollywood Bandwagon
Animated films from India aren't new, but now that Disney is taking an interest, they may get a higher profile here. Yash Raj Films is teaming up with Disney to bring out Roadside Romeo, an animated venture in Hindi that will use the voices of Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan. Other versions will be in Tamil and Telugu. Slated for release next year, it'll be the first film in a projected joint series by the two companies. The Indian animation industry, already worth $275 million, will grow by $500 million over the next three to four years. The portrayal of villains in films as cartoon characters takes on a whole new meaning, now that it'll be literally—not just figuratively—true. Other possibilities include Indian adaptations of Disney staples like High School Musical. Cast members, as per a news report, may be chosen through an American Idol-style contest. Apple, on the other hand, has partnered with DesiHits.com to launch the Desi Hits! ITunes Store, making Bollywood's ever-popular songs even more accessible to fans everywhere. Besides film music, other desi genres like hip hop and bhangra will also be available for downloading and dancing anytime of the day or night. DesiHits.com, which started out as a blog two years ago, is now one of the "top 100 digital entertainment companies to watch for."
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