MUMBAI: Amar Chitra Katha (ACK) Media, co-owned by Future Ventures and Elephant Capital, has entered into a co-production agreement with leading kids network Cartoon Network to produce its first feature film titled ?Sons of Ram ? Heroes will Rise?.

The mytho animated film, which has been written and directed by Kushal Ruia, is slated to hit theatres on 2 November during Diwali. Ruia comes from the award winning team at ACK Animation Studios.

?Sons of Ram ? Heroes will Rise? will release in Hindi and English in over 400 screens pan-India on the first day of the Diwali holidays. Select theatres will screen the film in stereoscopic 3D. The film will also be released in Tamil and Telugu language.

Based on ACK?s bestselling comic book, Sons of Ram tells, Luv and Kush?s journey through enchanted forests into the revered land of Ayodhya, the home of their fabled heroes. Complete with a new gang of loveable characters, this feature is an epic coming-of-age adventure.

The film?s world-class animation was completed in partnership with Malaysia-based Inspidea Studios. Maya Digital Studios is converting the film into stereoscopic 3D and will distribute it, in theatres both in India and abroad.

Turner International India General Manager, Entertainment Networks, South Asia Monica Tata said, ?The ?Desi Toons? strategy is an integral part of Cartoon Network?s goal to boost the Indian animation industry. We have had a very successful relationship with ACK to date and are thrilled to expand our strategy and association with them into theatres. This Diwali, kids are in for a visual treat with this new movie.?

Commenting on the film, ACK Media CEO Vijay Sampath said, ?Sons of Ram carries forward the great storytelling tradition of Amar Chitra Katha and promises to grip its audiences in a tale of brotherhood, adventure and fun. With a November release, we look forward to entertaining millions of children and their families during the Diwali school holidays.?

Backed by the legendary Amar Chitra Katha name, the film will be widely marketed across television, outdoor, print, and school contact programs. A special 3D teaser will hit theatres this month with the release of ?Ice Age: Continental Drift.?

ACK Media has teamed up with its parent company Future Group to release a full assortment of merchandise from toys, stationary, apparel, and home products for the film to be sold in the Group?s flagship chain Big Bazaar.

The deal includes prime promotional support during the busy festive shopping season and special offers for consumers to receive discounted tickets on the film.

ACK Media is majority owned by Future Group and the balance is with Elephant Capital, a private equity firm owned by Gaurav Dabur, a member of the family that owns consumer goods maker Dabur India.

MUMBAI: Amar Chitra Katha (ACK) Media has launched National Geographic Traveller, the travel magazine from National Geographic, and will be available on newsstands across the country from the first week of July.

ACK Media and the National Geographic entered a magazine partnership in 2011 following which the former gets to publish the Indian edition of National Geographic Traveller. The magazine?s distribution will be handled by ACK Media?s subsidiary India Book House (IBH). IBH also manages the distribution of National Geographic?s flagship magazine in India.

ACK Media COO and National Geographic India publisher Manas Mohan said, "I am honoured to be associated with National Geographic Traveller India. It is a huge achievement for ACK Media to partner with National Geographic Society to bring out the Indian edition of National Geographic Traveller. The hard work has paid-off, with a fantastic response from advertisers, and I am eagerly waiting for the positive review from our readers."

National Geographic Traveller has taken up the tagline ?No One Knows This World Better? and its content is about immersive travel experiences that inspire the readers to travel. More than 80 per cent of the content in National Geographic Traveller India has been generated locally according to a statement from ACK Media.

National Geographic Traveller India editor-in-chief Niloufer Venkatraman said, "At National Geographic Traveller India we bring together travel and culture, travel and experience, travel and story-telling. Our intention is to inspire more travel to more places, in our vast country and across the world, for the whole family. National Geographic Traveller India tries to bring variety to the experience of travel, inspiring all kinds of journeys from sedentary to super-active ones. Additionally, we are committed to spreading awareness about sustainable travel, and to ensuring that travel destinations endure for future generations."

National Geographic Traveller India will follow the steps of its international partner, with the same look, and the familiar yellow-bordered cover.

IBH director Abizar Shaikh added, "IBH is proud to be the exclusive India distributor of the ?National Geographic Traveller?. All of us at IBH have been waiting with bated breath for months for the launch of this truly global, world class product. IBH will bring in all its energy, passion and drive to ensure the ready accessibility of NGT for readers across the country by making it available at every possible retail outlet in India. We are confident that NGT will be the crown jewel in the IBH range of magazine offerings."

MUMBAI: Education and entertainment company for kids, ACK Media, has launched an Amar Chitra Katha title on its creator Anant Pai.

Named ?Anant Pai ? the master storyteller?, the Amar Chitra Katha title on Uncle Pai is available in all book stores and stands since the third week of February at Rs 50. It is also be available on the Apple App store.

Fondly known as Uncle Pai, he had also created Tinkle. He passed away in February last year.

Marking the occasion of his first death anniversary, the biography of Pai was launched during Comic con on 18 February by his wife Lalita Pai. A short film titled ? Tribute to Uncle Pai was also aired during comic-con.

Amar Chitra Katha editor Reena Puri said, ?This is a tribute to the man who created Amar Chitra Katha. It is an acknowledgement of the revolution he brought, not just by creating comics based on Indian stories but also by bringing into the limelight stories of our country which needed to be shared and told. It is a tribute from all of us who have worked with him and learned from him.?

Known as the Walt Disney of India, Pai told stories from mythology, history and literature using the comic book format. A chemical engineer by profession, he gave up his job to follow his dream that led to the creation of Amar Chitra Katha and Tinkle. The title traces the story of the man who left behind a legacy of learning and laughter. This is his life story from his childhood days in a village in Karnataka, through his education and then the pursuit of his dream till he succeeded.

?The Anant Pai title is an inspirational story which seeks to provide a role model for children. It is a typical Amar Chitra Katha, the only difference is that it is about a man who still reaches out and touches the hearts of millions of Indian children. It was very difficult to decide what we should finally put into the script of the book as there was lot of information available. What guided us were Mr Pai?s own words, ?See if the story will be of interest to children. See if there is something in it for children to take away. Then tell it.? We feel that there is a lot for a reader to take away from the story of this wonderful man ? be it a child or a grown-up,? Puri added.

Researched and scripted by Gayathri Chandrasekaran, the title is a 32-page comics biography and took 11 months to compile.

?A lot of people who worked with Mr Pai had to be met and extensive interviews conducted with his wife, Mrs Lalita Pai, his sister and other relatives. Mr Subba Rao, who was one of the first associate editors of ACK gave us very valuable inputs and helped us refine the script,? Gayathri Chandrasekaran said.