Disney India to make Telugu film with Siddharth, Shruti Haasan

New Delhi, March 11 (IANS) The Walt Disney Company India, Indian arm of the Hollywood studio, Thursday announced a Telugu movie with leading southern stars Siddharth and Shruti Haasan. A yet to be titled epic fantasy adventure, is the company's first locally developed studio project aimed specifically at southern audiences.

"As we work to build a family entertainment brand in India, we plan to provide Indian audiences with an unparalleled roster of locally relevant stories and engaging characters and will continue to tap into the local creative ecosystem to develop content which resonates with Indian kids and families," Mahesh Samat, managing director of The Walt Disney Company India, said in a statement.

Slated to release Jan 2011, the movie commenced production in November 2009 and also features Lakshmi Manchu and Harshitha.

To be co-produced by K. Raghavendra Rao, the movie is being directed by National Award winning Prakash Rao Kovelamudi. It will also be dubbed into Tamil.

Set in the fictitious teardrop shaped land of Sangarashtra, the film will explore the bond between man and the myths. The story focuses on the journey of a nine-year-old girl with special healing powers and her quest to save Sangarashtra from the tyranny of an evil Queen, played by Manchu.