SACHIN TENDULKAR OPENS A NEW INNINGS IN ANIMATED TV SERIES ‘MASTER BLASTERS’CO-PRODUCED BY SHEMAROO & MOONSCOOP

in this Action, Comedy & Spirited Adventure series, Sachin mentors a Team of young & Aspiring Cricketers Around the Globe into a winning combination

Mumbai, India, April 09–The 'God of Cricket' is marking a new innings in his illustrious career with his television debut in an animated avatar! Sachin Tendulkar, the world’s greatest cricket superstar, is all set to star in a 3D CGI action, comedy and adventure animation series, Master Blasters, co-produced by Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd. and Moonscoop LLC. This first-of-its-kind international co-production deal featuring the global cricketing icon was announced by Smita Maroo, VP of Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd. and Mike Young, CEO of Moonscoop LLC. This is the first time that an Indian cricketer or sportsperson will be seen in an animated avatar on World television - yet another first for the record-breaking Sachin Tendulkar.

“Master Blasters” Season One will comprise 26 episodes of 22 minutes each. In Master Blasters, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar is appointed by The Programme for International Training of Cricket Heroes (PITCH), to head a training camp for the finest young cricket talents from around the world.  While coaching and teaching the young hopefuls the finer points of the game, Sachin also mentors them to be grounded and unspoiled humanitarians. As ambassadors for the sport, the kids play a series of international, competitive matches in a futuristic, high-tech, spaceship-like cricket stadium that can actually fly and land anywhere in the world!  Meanwhile, another cricket camp headed by the envious cricket star Peter is secretly determined to have his team humiliate Sachin’s protégés – by any means necessary! High spirited and adventurous, Master Blasters, featuring the central character of Sachin, along with twelve kids and a dog, is animated with fun filled, 3D comedy action and best of all, cricket!

Smita Maroo, Vice President, Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd., said,“Shemaroo Entertainment is proud and privileged to present Living Legend Sachin Tendulkar as an animated character in his television debut series ‘Master Blasters’. Cricket runs in the blood of every Indian and working with an icon like Sachin Tendulkar is a dream come true. The fact that Shemaroo Entertainment is collaborating with world renowned Moonscoop for a co-production deal involving a super sportstar talent Sachin Tendulkar is testimony to our expertise and experience. We are confident that this highly entertaining series will be a great success in India and the cricket playing nations. We plan to introduce this unique format to non-cricketing countries as well.”

Sachin Tendulkar, the cricket legend, remarked “I have always been fascinated with the world of animation and have enjoyed watching it with my children. The challenge for the production team will be to ensure that some human values and learnings are imparted while continuing to entertain the viewers through the series. It will indeed be a different experience to see one’s own rendition on the animated screen, performing larger than life action much beyond the limitation of the real world!”

"With his incredible popularity in half the world where Cricket is a passion, Sachin's impact with the sport of Cricket and Master Blasters will break international boundaries in the same way as Football's Pele, Ice Hockey's Wayne Gretzky and Basketball's Michael Jordan," says Mike Young, CEO, Moonscoop.

This pioneering initiative by Shemaroo Entertainment and Moonscoop is a great opportunity for Indian and international brands to be associated with Sachin Tendulkar’s ‘Master Blasters’ series and reach out to kids, families and fans of all age groups. ‘Master Blasters’ Season One worldwide rights will be available at MIPTV, Cannes, in April 2013. 

The series is co-produced by Shemaroo Entertainment (UK) Pvt. Ltd., a 100% subsidiary of Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd., one of India’s foremost distributors and Moonscoop LLC.

About Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd

Celebrating the golden jubilee, Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd is among few entertainment companies that have hallmarked several pioneering efforts with its innovative and out- of-the- box thinking. Founded in 1962, Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd is one of the largest Filmed Entertainment “Content Houses” in the country, active in Content Ownership, Creation, Aggregationand Distributionwith a large content library of over 2500 titles.

Shemaroo is engaged in the distribution of contentfor satellite channels, physical formats and emerging digital technologies like the Mobile, Internet, Broadband, IPTV and DTH among others. With its partnership with the major telecom operators and other digital media platforms, Shemaroo is at the forefront of the digital age. The company has also tied up with many content providers across the country. The “Shemaroo” brand today is synonymous with quality entertainment in the Indian entertainment eco system.

About Moonscoop

Specializing in children’s entertainment, Moonscoop is an innovator, developer and producer of original animated television series, properties & brands which are implemented across all digital platforms of the media.  The company’s library contains over 3000 half-hours of programming airing in more than 160 territories worldwide.   Among Moonscoop’s key brands licensed in markets worldwide and produced by their talented animation production staff include: Code Lyoko, Chloe’s Closet™, Geronimo Stilton, Hero 108™, Tara Duncan and Casper’s Scare School. Moonscoop‘s current new series production slate includes: Code Lyoko Evolution, Sabrina Secrets of a Teenage Witch™, Chloe’s Closet -Season II, Jungle Book - Season II and Ava Riko Teo - Season II.  As a production company hired by outside content owners, Moonscoop has produced animated series for a number of high profile brands, such as Care Bears™, Lalaloopsy™,Strawberry Shortcake™ and Zhu Zhu Pets®.

Kabillion® and Kabillion Girls Rule™!™, a subsidiary of Moonscoop, is ranked Top 10 Kids Free On Demand TV Networks, reaching over 40 million US households and available on Comcast, Time Warner & Charter, among others.  Kabillion’s reach extends across their trans-media platforms including Kabillion TV Networks, Kabillion.com, KabillionGirlsRule.com, Yoursphere.com, Soccer.org&The Kabillion Youtube channel.