Kamal Hassan

The home of a colorful movie industry, Disney believes the next “Happiest Place on Earth” is in Bollywood.

Taking the next step in its new international venture, the Walt Disney Company India announced its planned production of four live-action features under its local banner, Walt Disney Pictures India, according to published reports in Reuters and The Hollywood Reporter.

“We have finalized two projects to start with,” a WDCI spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter shortly after the deal was announced on Friday.

Those two projects, which already have a plot and cast, include some of the most up-and-coming Bollywood actors.

Disney India’s first project will be The 19^th Step. Slated to star Kamal Hassan, Asin, and Japanese star Asano Tadanabo, the movie will be a multilingual release focusing on Kalarippayattu, an Indian martial arts form. Bharat Bala, a well-known Bollywood music video director, will reportedly be in charge.

In its second production, Zokkomon will be a children’s tale reportedly starring Darsheel Safari, the child-actor who starred in the Oscar-nominated 2007 hit Taare Zameen Par. Directing the movie will be Satyajit Bhatkal, according to sources.

The other two features are still in development, according to Walt Disney Pictures India.

Budget details for all four movies were not provided.

Disney’s involvement in Bollywood picked up steam last year, when the Hollywood production company came to terms with Mumbai-based Yash Raj Films for a three-picture deal to co-produce animation films. The first animated flick under that deal, Roadside Romeo, will open throughout India on October 24th. Bollywood megastars Said Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor provided their voices to the movie.

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