CAKE, King Banana TV and Paper Owl Films are teaming up for a new 2D animated family sitcom titled Nikhil & Jay, for CBeebies. The 52 x 11′ series is based on award-winning author Chitra Soundar’s book series, inspired by her own dual heritage family of British and South Asian heritage.
“Chitra’s books are full of heart, warmth and humor and we are so happy to bring Nikhil & Jay to CBeebies,” said Kate Morton, Head of BBC Children’s Commissioning & Acquisitions 0-6. “It is a truly lovely show and it’s so important that children get to see themselves reflected on screens. We can’t wait to bring these stories to life.”
Nikhil & Jay follows the adventures of two young brothers whose Mum is Indian by heritage and Dad is English. With a myriad of grandparents, uncles and aunts, both Indian and English, their life is a rich blend of customs, traditions, festivals, foods and music. A family sitcom written from a place of knowledge, love and authentic, lived experience of two cultures coming together, Nikhil & Jay celebrates the similarities and differences with fast paced wit and visual humor.
“Everyone at King Banana is so excited to be working with this fantastic team to bring Chitra’s experiences to the screen,” said Lotte Elwell, Company Director at King Banana TV. We know that the stories, character and humour in Nikhil & Jay will have a huge impact on the pre-school audience.”
The series will be produced for CBeebies by King Banana TV (Yakka Dee!, Meet the Experts), Paper Owl Films (Pablo, Happy The Hoglet) and CAKE (Angry Birds Summer Madness, Supa Team 4), with funding from Northern Ireland Screen. CAKE will own distribution rights and will be selling the series internationally.
Gavin Halpin, Managing Director, Paper Owl Films, shared, “We are delighted to be working on this beautiful show, it comes from Chitra’s heart and her passion for seeing all children reflected on screen.”
“We love the authenticity of the books that Chitra created and are looking forward to working with the talented creators and producers at Paper Owl and King Banana in bringing this project to the screen,” added CAKE CEO Ed Galton.
The creative team will reflect both South Asian and British cultures and encourage and mentor new talent from diverse backgrounds. Becky Overton (Thomas & Friends, Ninja Express, Justin’s House) leads a diverse writing team with Soundar as executive producer, ensuring cultural authenticity at every level. The characters are designed by Chris Allen (Yakka Dee!)
