UTV may merge toons with motion pictures biz

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Mumbai, Feb 7: There's fresh speculation on the UTV Software Communications Ltd front. Sources disclose that most likely UTV Toons – the animation division, which is under the Interactive business of UTV - will be merged with the UTV Motion Pictures business.

Sources say UTV has taken an internal decision that it will not take outsourced animation work anymore and will only work on home productions. Currently, the studio is working on two big-ticket animation movie projects – Arjuna and Magic Blanket .

Sources added that UTV was shutting down its animation pre-production unit and current employees have been given two months' notice. They have been also given the option of appearing for a test to join UTV Motion Pictures. UTV is willing to pay employees during the notice period. However, they will not be eligible for annual increment. Currently, there are around 200-plus employees in UTV Toons. A UTV spokesperson said, “UTV Toons is developing in-house productions in the form of animation movies for the UTV Motion Pictures label and as such it is moving up the value chain in a vertically integrated studio model which is what the UTV strategy is.” However, UTV has shrugged off industry speculation on an impending merger of Toons with the motion pictures business as a ‘misconception’.