MUMBAI: Viacom18 Consumer Products division is all set to bring all the jungle fun associated with the iconic Mowgli, Bagheera, Balloo and Sher Khan. The company recently inked an exclusive deal with animation and gaming firm DQ Entertainment to get the rights as a master franchise to launch the merchandise in India.

This would be Viacom18’s second deal into representing brands outside the Viacom portfolio. The company plans to roll out the products by end of the year.

Viacom18 Consumer Products Head Saugato Bhowmik said, “The Jungle Book is a great franchise with characters that are familiar, iconic and loved by children across the world. DQ Entertainment’s Jungle Book presents the characters in a fun and livelier manner which make the products more endearing and attractive to the consumers.”

The Jungle Book merchandise will cover a whole range of products from apparel to accessories and from toys to books. To be promoted through Viacom18’s distribution network, the products will be available across all leading kids and toy stores, both across malls and standalone stores.

DQ Entertainment CEO Tapaas Chakravarti said, “Our partnership with Viacom18’s Consumer Products division adds to the list of best-in-class partners that The Jungle Book has attracted globally. The Jungle Book has successfully managed to increase its market for the fourth consecutive year with broadcast in more than 165 countries and over 300 product categories ranging from books, apparels, toys, plush, bags, stationary and many others. We are sure children will love the merchandise of their favorite Jungle characters, brought to them by Viacom18.”

The Jungle Book, penned by Rudyard Kipling is a children’s classic that has captured the imagination of millions of children across the world over the years. The show currently airs on Nickelodeon.