Toonz to produce Jamillah & Aladdin with Kindle, Mediamax

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 19 (IANS) Technopark-based Toonz Entertainment is working with award-winning international production houses Kindle Entertainment (Britain) and Mediamax (Canada) on 'Jamillah & Aladdin' -- a contemporary re-working of the classic Arabian Nights story.

'Jamillah & Aladdin' takes a fresh look at a classic tale that will appeal to audiences all over the world.

Toonz is a co-producer for this series and will also be distributing it worldwide (excluding Britain, Ireland and Australia) through its recently acquired company Imira Entertainment.

This series has been co-commissioned by CBeebies and CBBC. CBeebies is the brand used by the BBC for programming aimed at encouraging learning through play in a consistently safe environment for children aged 6 or under and CBBC (Children's BBC) is the name given to the digital channel for children aged 6-12.

P. Jayakumar, CEO, Toonz Media Group said 'Jamillah & Aladdin' is an authentically Eastern story with worldwide appeal taking elements of the mystical past and weaving them into a fresh and modern series.

"We are fortunate to be working with industry leaders on this project, from Kindle Entertainment and Imira to the renowned CBeebies and CBBC channels," said Jayakumar.

Aimed at a young audience, the series follows Jamillah, a 21st century London girl who stumbles upon a curious lamp in her attic, who is transported back to ancient Baghdad by the lamp's resident comical genie.

There she meets Aladdin, a street-smart young boy who knows the city like the back of his hand and shows her a whole new world of adventure, excitement and magic.

The 14-minute-long 52-episode series is co-financed by Mediamax's parent company -- Canadian finance and production group Mediabiz.

The filming of the series has begun in South Africa's Western Cape.

Kay Benbow, controller of CBeebies says 'Jamillah & Aladdin' will transport viewers to an enchanting world full of adventure and intrigue. The series is packed with wonderful stories that will delight and entertain our combined audiences.

Cheryl Taylor, controller of CBBC, said children of all ages will be drawn to the two colourful protagonists.

Kindle Entertainment is a Britain-based independent production company that produces top quality, award-winning family entertainment for audiences across the world.

Founded in 2000 and based in Montreal, Mediabiz is a group of companies dedicated to the development, financing and production of quality media for the global market.