Galli Galli Sim Sim

"Galli Galli Sim Sim" (Devanagari: गली गली सिम सिम) is the Hindi language adaptation of the American children's television series "Sesame Street" (famous for its muppets), for India. It is co-produced by Sesame Workshop and Turner Broadcasting, through Miditech. "Galli Galli Sim Sims Indian production company is known as Sesame India"'.

The series will be accompanied by a similarly-structured radio program, a move that follows the success of South Africa's "Takalani Sesame".

"Sesame Workshop's mission is to create innovative engaging content that maximizes the educational power of media to help children reach their highest potential. As with all our adaptations, we are now working with local experts to identify Indian children’s issues and how to best address them on- and off-air. We're thrilled to work with Turner, the undisputed leader in Indian kids' television, to build a long-term presence and to together serve the children of the amazing Indian sub-continent." - Gary E. Knell, Sesame Workshop's President and CEO.

Production of the show is based in Delhi, but crew will travel the country to tape segments. Filming of the first season's 65 half-hour episodes began in February 2006, with the premiere scheduled for 15 August, 2006. [ [http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k6/july/july25.htm Indiantelevision.com's Kidology: CN gets on to DD with a branded block ] ]

Funding for the initial development phase of Sesame India was provided through the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), ICICI Bank and Turner Broadcasting. [ [http://www.usaid.gov/in/newsroom/press_releases/fs_galli.htm USAID India : Press Release: Fact Sheet - Galli Galli Sim Sim (Sesame Street India) ] ]

Format

Episodes will be similar in format to that of the originating series. The show will consist of Street scenes, segments (some filmed locally with Indian actors and children, some Indian animation, some are classic American Muppet skits dubbed in Hindi) will include four new Indian muppets specially created for the subcontinent's children. The puppet characters will include Indian boy and girl muppets, a character based on traditional Indian folk tales and an animal muppet.

About 157 million children in India will be able to tune in to the show from next August on Indian children's TV channels Turner's Cartoon Network and POGO.

In a country with more than 15 official languages — not including English — Turner and Sesame Workshop had their work cut out deciding which language the show should be broadcast in, but have decided to launch the first season's shows in Hindi, with a few English words in each episode.

However, producers hope to make Sesame India available in other languages in the next few year and plans are also under way to broadcast the program on Indian radio.

Producers, who worked with Indian educational experts on the show's content and teamed up with Sesame Workshop to design Sesame India's set and characters, say the shows will reflect India's rich cultural diversity and heritage while helping youngsters to read and write.

Characters

* Jugaadu, "who likes to find innovative solutions to fix problems, and does not view his disability as a handicap".
* Basha Bhaijaan, "who owns a corner store and knows several Indian languages".
* Dawa Di, Basha's wife, who is from North East India, and teaches dance.
* Kabir, Basha Bhaijaan and Dawa Di’s son, who is an active and curious eight-year-old.
* Col. Albert Pinto, a retired army person, is an advocate for healthy living and civic sense.
* Rukmini Pinto (Doctor Aunty), Col. Pinto's wife. A doctor by profession, she is a combination of contemporary and traditional wisdom.

Leading local Muppets

* Boombah, a hedonistic, vegetarian lion who believes he is descended from one of India's historic royal families. Coincidentally, Boombah bears a resemblance to Goleo VI from the 2006 Fifa World Cup, a puppet constructed by The Jim Henson Company.
* Chamki, a schoolgirl dressed in the uniform of an Indian government school
* Googly, Chamki's best friend, named after the cricket delivery and with a cricket ball-like nose
* Aanchoo, a storyteller who is transported to other places when she sneezes

Crew

* Niret Alva, President of Miditech and Executive Producer of the series
* Pria Somiah, Supervising Producer
* Julius Packiam, Music Director
* Samir Chanda, Art Director
* Sehba Iman, Head Writer
* Prakash Moorthy, Head Animator

Quotes

"I am extremely happy that a revolutionary pre-school kids’ television series, Galli Galli Sim Sim, is launching in India. I am sure that the compelling educational content that the programme has to offer will change the face of young kids’ education in India, just like the globally renowned Sesame Street show has in many countries across the world. For me, Sesame India’s local version, Galli Galli Sim Sim, in days to come, will become an asset to Indian kids’ education as well as provide a new direction in teaching kids to love, understand and celebrate India’s diversity and rich culture. I wish Turner, Sesame Workshop and Miditech the best of luck in this landmark venture - Galli Galli Sim Sim." -- Honorable Minister of Information & Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, Priya Ranjan Das Munshi, in a congratulatory note.

References

External links

* [http://www.galligallisimsim.com/ Galli Galli Sim Sim official web site]
* [http://www.miditech.tv/content.aspx?page=Galli_Galli_Sim_Sim_Kids Miditech's Galli Galli Sim Sim page.]
* [http://www.sesameworkshop.org/aboutus/inside_press.php?contentId=15862998 Sesame Workshop: Laughter and learning will be heard on every street as Galli Galli Sim Sim makes its mark in India; production begins on landmark kids' educational television series]
* [http://www.indiantelevision.com/special/y2k6/galli_galli.htm Indiatelevision.com's special report on the show]
* [http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Galli_Galli_Sim_Sim Page on Muppet Wiki]