Into the increasingly inclusive world of children's programming comes "Mira, Royal Detective," Disney Junior's newly ordered animated series inspired by the cultures and customs of India.
"Mira, Royal Detective" is billed as a mystery-adventure series geared toward preschoolers and is slated for a 2020 debut. Set in the India-inspired land of Jalpur, the series will follow a young girl, Mira, who is made a royal detective after she solves a mystery that involves saving the kingdom's young prince.
Helmed by Sascha Paladino ("Miles From Tomorrowland"), the series' other characters will include Mira's inventor friend, Prince Neel; her creative cousin Priya; and mongoose sidekicks Mikky and Chikku. Each episode will consist of two 11-minute stories that promise to take viewers on adventures that highlight critical thinking and encourage deductive reasoning while weaving in authentic music, dance, and customs.
To help bring authenticity to the series, the network enlisted Shagorika Ghosh of IW Group, a multicultural marketing agency, as a cultural consultant, as well as Bollywood dancer and choreographer Nakul Dev Mahajan ("So You Think You Can Dance") and music producer Deepak Ramapriyan ("Basmati Blues").
"We are eager to introduce kids and their families to the rich, diverse cultures and customs of India through Mira, a young girl who looks at things with her own unique lens to gain different perspectives and help others in her community," Joe D'Ambrosia, senior vice president of original programming at Disney Junior, said in a statement. "We hope that she will encourage our audience to actively engage with the inspiring world around them and appreciate the little details that make life extraordinary."
Mira will be voiced by 15-year-old newcomer Leela Ladnier. Other notables lending their voice include Freida Pinto ("The Path") as Queen Shanti; Hannah Simone ("New Girl") as a young commoner named Pinky; Jameela Jamil ("The Good Place") as Mira's Auntie Pushpa; Kal Penn ("Designated Survivor") and Utkarsh Ambudkar ("The Mindy Project") as mongooses Mikku and Chikku, respectively.
