Two years back when the animated movie Hanuman was released, it became a runaway hit. Poeple were still doubtful about the Indian Animation Industry as an emerging market, but if the future projects are anything to go by, then Bollywood might just get the much wanted relief in the upcoming animated flicks. And this includes everything from animating a southern superstar, to a deal with who else but the ones who started it all, Walt Disney Pictures.

South superstar Rajnikanth will hit the screens soon in an animated version, when Adlabs and Ocher Studios come out with Sultan The Warrior. Every mannerism of his and every body measurement is being carefully transferred into the on screen persona of the southern sensation, whose latest hit Sivaji, is still running to packed halls. The movie will be in 3D (three dimensions), thus involving far more financial investment than a 2D animated flick, but being one of the first Indain animated movies, it is bound to create a hungama at the Box Office.

Hanuman, the 2D blockbuster was made on a Rs. 10 crore budget, which was quite an investment, since the producers had to take the risk of making a film primarily targetted at the grossly ignored child audience, which doesn’t have anyone but Vishal Bhardwaj’s mainstream children’s flicks to count on. But now, Hanuman Returns, which is ready, would be released this winter, on Christmas eve. Percept Picture Company, the makers of the film, will also venture into the 3D market with Jumbo, the story of a baby elephant.

Jugal Hansraj, the blue eyed boy, who found a way into everyone’s heart with Masoom, and then tried his luck in Papa Kehte Hain, and Mohabbatein, has now turned director. Too young? Not for animation! Jugal would be directing Roadside Romeo, and also written by him, produced by Aditya Chopra, and presented by a merger of the sort of Tata-Corus deal - Yashraj Films and Walt Disney Pictures. The story? It’s about a dog who is abandoned on the streets of Mumbai, drifted away from the confines of luxury, onto the real big bad world.

Not just that, UTV too is ready to battle it out in the new ‘in’ zone, with as many as three movies: Dream Blanket ($US 8mn), Alibaba, and Arjun ($US 14m). They will be working in a mergere with Virgin Comics. It has announced a $US 30m co-production agreement with actor/producer Will Smith’s company Overbrook Entertainment, and Sony Pictures Entertainment. And one of their first movies would be an animated one, with a budget of $US 20m. While UTV will also be making purely Indian characters, under it’s Spotboy division with Virgin Comics, Bollywood will find it’s fair share of particpation in the league. Shah Rukh Khan and television actor Rakshanda Khan who played the role of ‘Mallika’ in Sony Tv’s hit sitcom Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi, had started this long time long time back, when the Hindi version of The Incredibles, ‘Hum Hain Lajawab‘ was released here, with these two lending the main characters their voices. Actors Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan will lend their voices to the characters in Roadside Romeo. Music magician AR Rahman will will be giving the music of Sultan. And Jaideep Sahni, who jotted down the lyrics of Bunty Aur Babli, and the recent blockbuster Chak De! India, has been roped in to do the same for Roadside Romeo. Well with so much activity and excitement to see who makes the best impact, we hope that when Bollywood runs dry of hits, these toons along with their superhero avatars come to the rescue!