Exclusive | Nick's Nina Elavia Jaipuria on Keymon Ache & Nani in Space Adventure

Nickelodeon launched the second season of Keymon Ache on 29th October 2012 following a successful stint the show had during it’s first season. It had initially premiered in May 2011 and is India’s first local, non-mythological contemporary show. Keymon Ache enjoys a huge fan following not only in India but also across the globe. From being just a funny dude , Keymon went on to rule kids’ hearts, achieving a 1.11 TVR in the very first week of it’s launch. Since its launch in 2011 Keymon Ache has made its presence felt in the print, online and outdoor media and has been the biggest multiplatform summer launch in the category in the year gone by.

Now Keymon Ache has made its theatrical debut. After capturing the hearts and minds of kids on television, he has now made his debut on the silver screen with his movie - Keymon Ache & Nani in Space Adventure – A Viacom18 Motion Pictures Release. Released on 9th November  2012, the movie trace the adventures of Keymon along with his buddy Rohan. Produced in association with DQ Entertainment International, the movie will see a theatrical release across Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Delhi and Bangalore in leading multiplexes.

Keymon & Nani in Space Adventure will see Keymon with his buddy Rohan jetting off to Goa to meet his Nani, a fierce lady who knows karate and is a linguist. The character design of 'Nani' has been inspired by Usha Uthup herself! A relaxing trip turns into an adventurous one as Keymon, Rohan and Nani encounter some unexpected enemies. What follows is a series of extraordinary events with Keymon & Rohan having to rescue Nani and have an alien adventure of a lifetime!

National Award winner Usha Uthup has lent her voice to the catchy songs in the film and the background music for the show has been composed by popular music director Sandesh Shandiliya.

Starting November 2012 to take the brand a step further, Keymon Ache will be supported with an extensive merchandise launch. The channel will launch the first ever Keymon Ache consumer products range for kids 4years+, that will include exciting apparel, footwear, puzzles and even DVDs. Keymon footwear is being launched in association with Wiesner Worldwide Kreations. To create further excitement for Keymon fans, Reliance Footprints and Maya Gitanjali will run a retail-based contest called ‘Star with the Super Star’. Winners of the contest get an opportunity to catch the premiere of the movie with Keymon Ache! The launch of ‘Keymon Ache’ merchandise will further strengthen their existing product lines around ‘Dora the Explorer’, ‘SpongeBob Square Pants’ & ‘Ninja Hattori’, which already has an existing presence in over 50 categories in India. On the digital space, a customized Keymon microsite will keep Gen Y glued through games and movie videos. After the fantastic response received for the game ‘Keymon goes fishing’ last year, the channel is introducing 2 new Keymon games on the microsite www.keymon.in.

Adgully spoke to Nina Elavia Jaipuria, EVP and Business Head, Sonic and Nickelodeon India in connection with Nickelodeon  taking it’s entertainment quotient to the silver screen, the premiere, the on going promotional activities , the popular Keymon games and much more.

Keymon Ache had always been a frontrunner ever since it was launched on Nickelodeon and it was only natural for the channel to extend his presence beyond television. Keymon has always been a hit with kids on the small screen and he stole the hearts of the little audiences on the small screen. When asked what made the channel consider launching it on the 70mm screen Nina Elavia Jaipuria said, “Keymon is a unique character and it is a truly unique show. It is a typically Indian in concept and it was doing great on the small screen that is when we realized that it should have a run on the big screen as well.  We wanted to entertain children across all platforms through different touchpoints and in the digital world across screens because to me today we are looking at the new generation. So it is about taking the content to every screen where the child is. So we have attempted to take it on multiscreen, small screen, silver screen, internet screens and mobile screens hence making it a truly multiscreen strategy and in the process trying to cater to their entertainment needs across platforms.”

With regard to their expectations from the movie she said that it could not compare to a box office hit but more about putting a kid’s favourite character on the big screen. She said, “There are nearly 9 million kids who watch the channel and we are hoping that they have enjoyed the show on the small screen. It is the Diwali vacation time now, children are getting bored, parents are restless and totally at a loss as to how to keep them occupied so it’s a great time to be in a cinema hall, eat popcorn and watch a super movie!” Revenues are not a priority for them but it is more about engaging and entertaining children and their parents during the festival vacations, on a screen that is larger than life.

How have they promoted the whole initiative? To this Nina said that fortunately for them their target audience is sitting on their platform. “Nickelodeon will be our primary form of advertising and will be the first platform we will cater to. It’s already been blasting on the television screen since a couple of weeks now. We also intend to create awareness through listings and we have put out a listing a couple of days ago for which we have been getting several enquiries. Keymon has been in the movie ads for a while now and on a limited amount of hoardings. Through our digital plan we are promoting the film in the digital space for e.g. bookshow.com and myschool.com.” Nick has partnered with ‘Gelato’, where a Keymon Special Black Currant flavour will be available across all Gelato outlets in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Pune. Kids can also participate in a simple contest being held at these outlets and stand a chance to win Nickelodeon merchandise, which will be handed to them by Keymon himself! Nina continues to inform that “It is creating awareness on all the outfits and promotions are restricted to the target audience and also to our channels which is the mother brand and platform to begin with alongwith a little bit of digital to create awareness on all the platforms.” Their whole concept is on their website and including a contest on Nickelodeon’s Facebook fanpage (www.facebook.com/nickindia) will give kids a chance to win movie tickets with their nani’s along with goodie bags!

She goes on to say that today it is very difficult to promote to children. So they are looking for innovative ways to do it and hence depending on other platforms. Fortunately with the ongoing holidays the footfalls in the malls are very high and this is helping them achieve their target.

Given the fact that Keymon Ache games on Nokia Ovi created a record of 3 million +  downloads Nina elaborated on this and said, “Yes, it is a super figure. So it is a move from passive engagement like watching television to actual engagement when children are playing with Keymon. For children it is all about touch, feel and play. It is about a character from television coming into their life and that is why the Keymon games work so beautifully. It is also about playing with the characters on different screens so there was a good response and if you ask me the games are really addictive! It is not a one way engagement but a two way street taking the characters on multi platforms into different touch points.”

Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Ahmedabad and Bangalore are the key cities where ‘Keymon Ache & Nani in Space Adventure’ are to be released.

The songs are sung by National award winner Usha Uthup and the character design of 'Nani' in the movie is also inspired by her.  The music for the movie is composed by ace music director Sandesh Shandilya.  Nina admits that Usha Uthup was foremost in their thoughts when they were writing Nani’s character. Right from her large bindi to her kanjeevaram sarees no one could have inspired them better. “We could not have a rockstar or fundoo nani so we thought of having a nani like Usha since she is also a lingusist, she is whacked out and she does kung fu. So for us that was a great source of story and characterization.” Where Sandesh Shandilya is concerned they have worked with him recently for Motu Patlu and considering he did a great job earlier he was their choice for Keymon too.

Speaking about the other on ground activities that would be seen in connection with the Keymon movie Nina said, “We are doing a couple of screenings. We are having a premiere which is more like a preview since the movie is due to release on 9th November 2012. Similar activities will happen in Delhi as well. The critical part is that the whole Nicktoon brigade will be present at the preview to support Keymon.”

Among the other attractions planned at the premiere Keymon will be walking the orange carpet and the whole Nick brigade of Dora, Ninja and Spongebob too are expected to be present at the occasion. Ample fun is promised for children when they will get an opportunity to interact with the characters and last but not the least they will get to see Keymon himself perform a jig in the auditorium! These on ground activities have been planned only for the Mumbai and Delhi metros.

On an end note Nina said, “By taking Keymon’s entertainment quotient to the silver screen, we hope to connect with our audience and reach out to them wherever they are through multiple touch points, thus creating awareness for Keymon Ache. Nickelodeon will ensure that kids and parents enjoy their Diwali holidays at the movies this year.”

Keymon’s debut on the 70mm screen is sure to entertain everyone alike with all the ingredients of a masala blockbuster for the whole family – magic, comedy and action! So be an early bird and catch ‘Keymon Ache & Nani in Space Adventure’ at a theatre near you!