London: Indigo (www.indigofilm.com) has signed a deal with Toonz Animation India, a leading Indian animation studio, to distribute its new project, The Adventures of Tenali. This was announced by Indigo head of kids Suzie Giblin.

Indigo will take worldwide television, video, DVD and licensing rights, excluding India and Singapore, as part of an ongoing agreement with the studio that includes Asian distribution rights for How To Care for Your Monster, a co-production with the UK-based Treehouse Productions and the Canadian-based Vivamundo.

The Adventures of Tenali (26x11 minutes) takes a trip through history to a world of monarchs and palaces. Based on the character from Indian folklore Tenali, the kings favourite courtier, finds that his popularity brings him many enemies. However, like all heroes, Tenali battles back and triumphs with wit and charm over his adversaries.

With a touch of Bollywood and a little Hollywood, The Adventures of Tenali is an entertaining blend of history and fantasy that will be enjoyed by kids and adults around the world. The series is due to be completed in November 2002 and will launch in India in December 2002.

Toonz Animation India was set up in 1999 by former Disney executive Bill Dennis. Based in Thiruvananthapuram, the studio provides animation services for western companies, including Cartoon Network, Rainbow and Neptuno, and is now developing its own projects, featuring stories from Indian folklore and mythology for international audiences.

Toonz won first prize at World Animation Celebration 2000 in Los Angeles for its short film Stone Crusher, making it the first-ever Indian animation studio to receive an international award. The company also has offices in Los Angeles, Tokyo and Brisbane as well as a studio in Mumbai.

Indigo established its kids division to meet the demand for high-quality childrens programming and we believe our agreement with Toonz Animation will increase our international profile. The Adventures of Tenali is Ali Baba meets Bollywood individual, quirky and will work well in transcending all demographics, says Giblin.

Toonz is delighted to be working with Indigo and we believe that this agreement will be the first of many deals between our two companies. There are great opportunities in India for animation. Currently, Toonz is developing four projects and we believe our stories, based on Indian mythology with traditional values, will appeal to children and families around the world, says Toonz Animation India CEO and president Bill Dennis.

Indigo is an independent distributor and co-producer of high quality films, drama series, documentaries and childrens programming for the international market. Working with some of the worlds most renowned and prestigious production companies, the groups principal business activities are conducted through three operating companies Indigo Film and Television, Indigo Factual and Indigo Kids.

Indigo Film and Television specialises in the international distribution of prime-time network features, US-produced series and drama from leading producers including BBC and La Fete (Canada).

Indigo Factual represents independent producers from around the world in all genres, including history, natural history, science, arts and social documentaries. Indigo Factual has co-produced projects with a variety of networks including BBC, National Geographic International and Channel 4 UK.

Indigo Kids, the newest addition to the group, was established in 2001 to distribute and fund high-quality animation, teen live-action movies and series. Indigo Kids will look to expand its business across multimedia platforms, including video, merchandising and publishing, in 2002.

Based in London, the Indigo group was founded in 1998 by Paul Shields and David Lawley.