“Deepa & Anoop” — a new colorful, animated preschool series from Mattel, Inc. — will premiere on Netflix on Aug. 16, TheWrap can exclusively reveal. The show’s accompanying trailer, which TheWrap has the first look at, depicts the adorable adventures of 7-year-old Deepa and her best friend Anoop, a color-changing baby elephant.
The music-driven series — which includes a Bollywood number in each episode — marks Mattel’s first foray into animated shows based on original IP.
Here’s a logline for the series: “The dynamic duo, self-appointed ‘concierges of fun,’ makes everything bigger, grander and more wonderful for guests at Mango Manor, the bed and breakfast run by Deepa’s multigenerational family.”
Promising kids episodes chock-full of “music, merriment and mischief,” the trailer depicts the inevitable mess that results when Deepa attempts to make the “gooiest concoction the world has ever seen.”
Created by Munjal Shroff (“Shortcut Safari”), “Dragon Tales” writer Lisa Goldman and producer Heather Kenyon (“Doki Adventures”), the series has a strong focus on authentically portraying Deepa’s Indian heritage, featuring song and dance performances with Bollywood influences. The main voice cast includes Pavan Bharaj (“Deepa”), Veena Sood (“Naani-ji”) and Ana Sani as Mama.
The debut season of “Deepa & Anoop” features 11 half-hour episodes and two 22-minute specials. Executive producers are Mattel Television’s Fred Soulie and Christopher Keenan.
“While Mattel is well-known for developing entertainment content based on our fan-favorite brands, we’re excited to partner with Netflix to bring audiences a heartwarming, all-new series based on original IP,” Soulie, who serves as senior vice president and general manager at Mattel Television, said in a statement. “Later this summer, fans will be delighted as Deepa and her best friend Anoop take on exciting challenges and lead colorful musical numbers that illustrate the importance of friendship. Deepa & Anoop is sure to make an impact on audiences globally.”
Keenan, who is SVP of Creative at Mattel Television, added, “We have been lucky to work alongside best-in-class advisors and consultants during every stage of ‘Deepa & Anoop’s’ development. Our hope is that young audiences around the world will find this heartwarming series as authentic as they do relatable. We could not be more proud or excited that ‘Deepa & Anoop’ is Mattel’s first original series based on all-new IP.”
