Rudyard Kipling’s “Kim” is set to get an animated feature adaptation by Indian filmmaker Ketan Mehta.
Mehta’s animation studio, Cosmos-Maya, will co-develop the film alongside Irish animation studio Piranha Bar. Mehta (“Sardar,” “Mangal Pandey: The Rising”) will direct.
“Kim” is a story by Kipling (pictured above) about Kimball O’Hara, AKA Kim, a savvy street kid turned child spy in colonial-era India who becomes an apprentice to a Shaolin monk. Kim is co-opted as a spy for the British Empire before embarking on an adventure of friendship, treachery and self-discovery.
Mehta, a recipient of France’s Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, has co-written the screenplay with James V. Hart (“Hook,” “Dracula”).
“We couldn’t be more pleased to announce our animated feature film version of the legendary text from none other than Rudyard Kipling,” said Cosmos-Maya CEO Anish Mehta. “Adapting this timeless tale, much beloved around the globe, is a true honor. With our co-production partner Piranha Bar, talented director Ketan Mehta, and acclaimed writer James V. Hart, we’re confident this will excite audiences all over the world. We’re looking forward to bringing more partners on board for this brilliant IP, and it’s fantastic that we’ll be able to have these conversations in person at the upcoming festival.”
Piranha Bar CEO Dave Burke added: “We are thrilled to be involved with Cosmos-Maya in bringing Kipling’s final and most famous novel to the big screen. Creating the world of Lahore, Kimball O’Hara and the full ensemble of diverse characters has been an incredibly ambitious and successful undertaking for our teams in Ireland and Mumbai. We now set our sights on bringing Kipling’s visually striking and emotionally gripping story of ‘Kim,’ the original child spy, to life.”
