Maya Entertainment Ltd. (MEL) and Leander Paes promoted Leander Sport Pvt. Ltd. (LSPL) has announced a arrangement wherein they will co-produce animated content around sports and fitness themes involving usage of digital images of sports personalities beginning with Leander Paes, Indian Tennis Ace, across the world for TV, DVD, Mobisodes and other present or future technologies.

Commenting on this development, Leander said, "It is exciting to know that I can use my achievements in the sporting arena and the popularity generated by my performance to create wholesome digital content for children and youngsters. As a father and national sports figure, I feel it is my duty to impart love for sports and an active lifestyle so the next generation can develop the mindset of champions both on and off the field."

Jai Natarajan, Executive Vice-president and Business head, MEL said, "It is great to work with a multi-talented and passionate legend like Leander Paes. Lee's creative instincts, friendly screen presence, strong value system and love of animation make him an ideal catalyst for these projects. We have ideated multiple content opportunities and are looking at domestic and international exploitation platforms to roll out the content in the future."

To begin with, MEL and LSPL will work on an animated TV series presently titled 'The Magic Racquet', targeting a young audience. The series consists of entertaining content promoting values of active outdoor lifestyle, healthy eating habits, physical fitness and winning mindset, while giving tips about tennis as a sport. The series will have 26 episodes of half an hour each and will be targeted for the worldwide market.

Ara Pararajasingham, Director, LSPL said "We are excited about this partnership with MEL. "The Magic Racquet" is the beginning of a stream of engaging content aimed at the active lifestyle market, which is core to our broader corporate strategy. The goal of this venture is to use technology to inculcate the core values of fitness, competitiveness, and patriotism. These are the same values that Leander Paes is known for."

Ronald D'mello, Managing director and CEO, MEL said "We are constantly moving up the value chain by developing own or shared IPs for local and international exploitation, while constantly delivering a positive message. After commencing an international science-based co-production for TV series called Cosmic Quantum Ray and launching the production of a mythological feature film, we are excited to get associated with Leander in developing innovative content from our studio."