Remaking Mickey for Indian viewers

This has not stopped Disney from racking up some eye-catching viewership numbers in the country. The secret to its success is an approach which many other media channels and even brands could learn from — effective localisation.

For Disney, this has meant devising original content, rather than relying on the tried and tested international characters that may work in other markets. In particular, the channel has opted to update a popular Indian mythological series — Betaal Panchabingsati — for its new Vicky & Vetaal programme.

The show follows the fortunes of a schoolboy who stumbles upon the Vetaal character. According to Disney India head of programming Nachiket Pantvaidya, by updating the kind of stories that Indians have grown up with, the channel can form a closer connection with its audience.

“The original works of Betaal end with a question that tests moral judgement; something our target audience cannot relate to,” says Pantvaidya. “Vicky & Vetaal offers more light-hearted entertainment, with a simple, moral ending.”

For Disney, a relative latecomer to India, the approach is paying rich dividends — it now boasts a relevant market share of 52 per cent of kids’ viewership after just two years. The creation of original content in Disney’s case remains limited to the live-action segment, where the channel has also launched Dhoom Machao Dhoom, a series about four Indian teenage girls forming a rock band.

Pantvaidya confirms that animations have yet to be made locally by Disney. Most players are content with either acquiring locallyor dubbing international cartoons. Disney itself, for example, acquired local animated blockbuster Hanuman — another popular Indian mythological character — for its Toon Disney channel. “We will not be producing an original, localised animated product for at least the next five years,” said Nachiket.

“Not only is it five times more expensive, it is much more culturally-neutral, essentially for kids up to nine years of age. Our focus group in India is eight to 16 and, thus, lives action, makes more sense.”
Disney is not focusing on content alone. It is also expected to merchandise the new Indian characters, a revenue stream that earned the company some US$23 billion globally in 2006. The developments come as the kids market in India finally gets to grips with the tweenies category of kids aged between eight and 14. As Pantvaidya points out, this audience is too old for cartoons, and previously relied on adult channels before the localisation strategies came to the fore.

Disney is not alone in its endeavours to ‘Indianise’ its offerings. Nickelodeon India recently voiced its Pan & James show using two popular characters from Bollywood smash Lagey Raho Munnabhai, and has also launched a range of local-flavoured shows such as The Legend of Prince Ram and Krishna: The Birth. Meanwhile, Cartoon Network sister channel Pogo has launched seven original productions so far in the country.

“While urban kids demand contemporary shows, non-urban kids want to see familiar content,” says Rohinton Baji Maloo, managing director of Cutting Edge Media.

“The winners will be those who have a judicious mix of international content with out-of-ordinary local content, packaged specially for the Indian kid.”