Yashraj teams up with Walt disney

Mumbai, Jun 13 (UNI) Yash Raj Films (YRF), promoted by leading Bollywood filmmaker Yash Chopra, today announced its tie up with Walt Disney Studios to exclusively create a series of original computer-animated feature films.

The announcement was made by Mr Chopra at a joint press conference with Walt Disney Studios chairman Dick Cook.

The first co-production will be 'Roadside Romeo', written and directed by Jugal Hansraj. The production has already begun and will be released in the summer of 2008.

State-of-the-art computer animation technology done entirely in India will be utilised for the ambitious venture, Sanjeev Kohli, CEO of Yash Raj Films said.

He said Bollywood actors Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Javed Jafri will lend their voices to the main characters in the film which is about a spoilt dog abandoned on a Mumbai street. ''The animation film has all the trappings of a contemporary live action feature. There will be songs and dances and a proper music release will precede the actual release of the film,''he added.

Chopra said the tie-up of YRF and Walt Disney was the first of its kind in the field of animation. The two companies will work exclusively to co-produce a series of animation films in Hindi.

Both companies will be equal partners in the venture and will contribute creative, technical and financial support to the project.

He said when YRF decided to venture into the animation space, the company felt that an alliance with Disney Studio, leader in animation, represented the coming together of not just two organisations, but the teaming up of likeminded individuals committed to creating excellent products.

Mr Cook said Animation was a new and rapidly expanding area in India, and the collaboration between Disney and YRF will bring the best in story telling and cutting edge technology together.

He said the tie-up will ensure that the two companies co-produce atleast one animation film every year.

UNI