DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. today announced that it is fast-tracking the development of Monkeys of Bollywood (working title), a Bollywood-style animated musical adventure set in modern-day Mumbai.
Executive producer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz (“Wicked,” Prince of Egypt, Enchanted), executive producer and composer A.R. Rahman (127 Hours, Slumdog Millionaire, Bombay Dreams), and writers Gurinder Chadha & Paul Berges (Bride & Prejudice, Bend It Like Beckham) are together this week at DreamWorks Animation’s headquarters in Glendale, California to continue their collaboration on the feature project.
“To reunite with Stephen Schwartz and work with such a celebrated team of artists on DreamWorks Animation’s first-ever CG animated feature musical project is incredibly exciting,” said DreamWorks Animation’s Chief Creative Officer, Bill Damaschke. “Together we will create a movie that is full of magic, fantasy, adventure, comedy and emotion in which inspiring songs and dances will delight audiences everywhere.”
Inspired by the great Indian epic tale of The Ramayana but retold through the point of view of its monkeys Monkeys of Bollywood revolves around two common monkeys who become unlikely heroes in a last ditch effort to stop an ancient, thought-to-be-mythical demon from conquering the world. The project is being overseen at DreamWorks Animation by Bill Damaschke and development executive Chris Kuser.