Indian toons step out: Animation studios turn popular IPs into classrooms

From opening themed cafes to weaving characters into apps, animation studios are racing to build new touchpoints that can bulk up non-screen income and keep the IP alive in children's daily lives

Creators of Chhota Bheem, Little Singham and The Adventures of Tenali Raman are pushing their homegrown heroes beyond the TV screen, turning them into full-fledged franchises to unlock new revenue, stay on kids’ radars and reach a wider universe of young fans. 

From opening themed cafés to weaving characters into apps, animation studios are racing to build new touchpoints that can bulk up non-screen income and keep the intellectual property (IP) alive in children’s daily lives. 

Green Gold Animations will be opening a pilot cafe with the Chhota Bheem theme in the next two months in Hyderabad, with an investment