10 March,2009 09:25 AM IST | | Surender Sharma
India's favourite cartoon characters Chacha Chaudhary, Sabu, Pinki and Billu set to enter international merchandise market
India's household cartoon strips Chacha Chaudhary, Sabu, Pinki and Billuu00a0are all set to go global.
The man whose mind works faster than a computer and his 20-feet tall friend from Jupiter would soon feature on T-shirts, jeans and other garments manufactured by top brands of the world.
The famous cartoon characters created in the seventies by Indian cartoonist Pran Kumar Sharma along with other characters Pinki and Billoo would be sold by the owners Diamond Comics to international companies for their use on their products.
Diamond Comics has tied up with License India, a product licensing solution provider, to sell the comic characters globally to be used in animated films, mobile games, clothing, stationery and toys.
Chairman and Managing Director, Diamond Comics, Gulshan Rai said: "We have heard much about Disney cartoons, Disney clothes and Disney stationary; now it is the turn of the Indian comic characters to be seen worldwide."
The company has already tied up with Motion Pictures for the use of the characters while talks are on with other movie companies too.
"Right now I can't reveal the names of companies but these are all international playersu2026It would be our endeavour to partner with global brands for the use of these characters on their products. It can be anything from toys, games and clothing to stationery items," said Anupama Bindra, business head, License India.
Pran created the cartoon character Chacha Chaudhary for the Hindi magazine Lotpot. According to Diamond Comics, Indian kids in the age group 10-13 years ranked Chacha Chaudhary as their most recognisable comic book character.
Disney Consumer Products occupies the foremost position in the market, with the characters of Mickey and Minnie alone generating 43 per cent of its revenue in the licensed merchandise industry.
| Shiv Khera joins in |
| Apart from the cartoon strips, License India has also signed a contract with author and motivation speaker Shiv Khera. License India will identify and collaborate with companies to carry the educator's messages and pictures on their products. "Celebrity branding is a big responsibility for the personality himself as his personal values reflect in the endorsements," Khera said. But his messages and photographs won't be sold to companies manufacturing items like cigarettes and alcoholic products. |
