Netflix's Mighty Little Bheem Is Its First Indian Original for Kids

Netflix has greenlit a new animated series called Mighty Little Bheem, based on the popular kids character Chhota Bheem, in partnership with its Hyderabad-based maker Green Gold Animation. The new series will be a non-dialogue, younger version of the character that will cater to a pre-school audience.

Slated to release sometime in 2018, Mighty Little Bheem will be the first pre-school targeted series of the Bheem franchise, and will follow the character travelling across his hometown of Dholakpur as he goes on crazy adventures, most of which involve the Indian sweet laddu.

The addition of Mighty Little Bheem takes the count of Netflix Indian originals up to four, with Saif Ali Khan-starrer Sacred Games currently in production, and two others – an adaptation of Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger in Selection Day, and a female-led detective series called Again – announced earlier this year.

“We are thrilled to work with Netflix and take Mighty Little Bheem, a story based on India’s most popular children’s character, to an audience across India and 190 countries worldwide," Rajiv Chilaka, founder and CEO of Green Gold Animation, said in a statement. "This is an incredible opportunity to bring best-in-class storytelling to young audiences everywhere."

“We continue to invest in Indian productions and creative storytelling that our members will love and cherish,” Andy Yeatman, head of global kids content at Netflix, added. “We’re excited to partner with Green Gold Animation and announce an original show that will bring great storytelling, based on one of India’s beloved characters, not just to India but to kids and families around the globe.”