Engaging young viewers with indigenous stories and adorable characters, India’s leading kids’ entertainment channel Nickelodeon’s continued success could have many reasons. But the unmissable reason is the presence of toon icons, Motu Patlu.

The adorable and loved duo are now celebrating 10 years of a fantastic journey of becoming the ultimate global icons. From being born as characters in kids’ magazine Lotpot, to coming to life on television to being the first ever Indian animated character duo to have their statues at Delhi’s Madame Tussauds, Motu Patlu’s charismatic journey has been unmatched.

The everlasting bond with young viewers that now extends across OTT, consumer products, games and beyond is filled with milestones at every stage, said a media statement from Viacom18, the company that manages Nickelodeon in India.

Brought to life by Nickelodeon, along with Cosmos Maya, the legendary Motu Patlu reached out to over 289 million viewers in seven languages across India.

Here is recapping the most memorable and winning moments of India’s favourite Nicktoon’s #10tastic journey.

Victory With Viewership: With an early achievement of being the highest-rated slot on Nick, Motu Patlu began its success story within the launch week itself in 2012 and since then continues to stay at the top a decade later, giving the category a much-needed impetus.

A testimony to Nickelodeon’s challenging DNA, Motu Patlu’s exponential growth is visible through its current top position on the channel, contributing 45 percent to Nick’s total ratings and featuring amongst the top 5 shows of the category week on week.

Growing Global Fandom: With digital distribution, love for Motu Patlu has crossed national boundaries as they continue to entertain young viewers across continents in different languages. With a screen-agnostic approach, Motu Patlu has delivered and entertained young viewers with 1000+ stories across 560 episodes, 25 movies, and 20+ games across iOS and Android further growing its fandom across the globe.

In 2018, Google Trends declared Motu Patlu as the most searched Indian TV show in the world, making it one of the most significant milestones for the dynamic duo.

Building Advertiser Trust: Motu Patlu’s strong values, fandom and ratings have made way for integrations beyond FCT through product licensing, brand films, in-content product placements and adding significant brand building for advertisers in India.

Motu Patlu’s popularity has led to patronage from leading advertisers, including Colgate, Casio, Parle Products, Pratap Snacks, Perfetti Van Melle, ITC and Dabur, among others.

Speaking on the fantastic decade of Motu Patlu, Nina Elavia Jaipuria, Head, Hindi Mass Entertainment & Kids TV Network, Viacom18, said, “Nickelodeon has truly been revolutionary in changing the face of kids entertainment in India. Ten years ago, the Indian kids’ entertainment category was in need of indigenous characters and stories and Nickelodeon, with the launch of Motu Patlu, successfully paved the way.

“With Motu Patlu, we built not just endearing characters but an iconic brand that has gone to be a category game changer amongst all stakeholders- kids, parents and our advertisers. We are thankful to our patrons and delighted in completing 10 very successful years and look forward to the next 10 with enthusiasm and zeal.”

On capturing young hearts and minds through its decade-old IP Motu Patlu, Anu Sikka, Creative, Content & Research, Kids TV Network, Viacom18, said, “A decade ago, when we decided to give life to Motu Patlu on television it was a leap of faith. Not only were we introducing kids to our first homegrown indigenous IP but also introducing kids to two adult but adorable characters in a world dominated by international kid toons.

“Apart from being an exemplary piece of great storytelling, it is the affability and relatable camaraderie that made the duo a runway hit. From being launched as our homegrown IP to becoming global icons today, Motu Patlu’s width and depth of stories and immense fandom makes it the most successful and largest kids IP in the country. Motu Patlu’s success is a testimony to our deep understanding of kids content and propels us to continue tapping white spaces, launch new IPs and enthrall kids with great stories and characters for India. We are extremely thankful to Lotpot and Cosmos Maya for being a part of this legendary success story.”

“Motu Patlu have grown to become icons that have carved a space for themselves in India’s story of homegrown toons and we are elated on being a part of this journey. We are very happy that we were able to bring characters to life that have become an intrinsic part of a kid’s childhood. We are delighted to have partnered with Nickelodeon on this journey which was truly visionary and one that opened avenues for growth for the animation industry in India,” said Ketan Mehta, founder & MD, Cosmos Maya.

10tastic Promotion Plans: Celebrating Motu Patlu’s 10tastic birthday, Nickelodeon has pulled out all stops with an all-encompassing marketing blitz, which will include on-air, on-ground and digital promotions across the Nickelodeon franchise, along with a robust activation with mommy networks and influencers.

Moreover, top kid influencers and new age content platforms are being engaged with Reels, Stories and posts. Driving interactivity, the kids’ franchise has initiated a dance challenge, giving viewers a chance to feature on Nickelodeon’s social media pages. Furthermore, leveraging its network’s strength, brands within the network will join the celebration by engaging in a fun banter on Twitter and other social handles to share some of the best Motu Patlu moments.

Toon icons Motu Patlu over the last decade provided unparalleled engagement and happiness to kids. The next decade will see them break new ground, set new benchmarks and create many more winning moments, the company statement said.