MUMBAI: CA Media, the Asian investment arm of The Chernin Group, has acquired an undisclosed large minority stake in Graphic India, a comic book and animation company focused on creating mythological and superhero characters, comics and stories for the Indian youth market, published across mobile and online platforms.

With this, CA Media has made its third acquisition in India. The company acquired 49 per cent stake in Endemol India and Only Much Louder (OML) and is looking at investing $50 million in Indian digital companies. In addition, CA also incubates a company called Fluence which manages Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan and Karisma Kapoor.

Launched last year by media entrepreneurs Sharad Devarajan, Gotham Chopra and Suresh Seetharaman as a subsidiary of U.S. comic book company Liquid Comics, Graphic India will now be jointly owned by Liquid Comics and CA Media.

Devarajan will be appointed CEO of Graphic India and remain Executive Chairman of Liquid Comics.

As part of the transaction, Liquid Comics will contribute one of the world?s largest and highest-quality comic book libraries based on Indian characters to Graphic India. In addition to CA Media?s investment, it will partner with Graphic India to provide industry expertise and create iconic franchises for Graphic?s characters through multiple media within the Indian entertainment ecosystem.

Graphic India will launch mythological and superhero characters and storylines through animated shorts, digital comics, and associated media content. It will enable consumers to experience its growing library of content across a variety of mobile and online devices, both within India and worldwide through its own digital platform as well as through distribution partners.

CA Media India CEO Rajesh Kamat said, "Following our successful entry into the traditional media space, we are very pleased that Graphic India marks our first investment in the digital space.CA Media?s aim is to create an ecosystem of diversified assets across media, where each asset not only unlocks its own value, but also adds to the rest of the portfolio. Graphic India is a valuable addition to this mix, especially in the youth segment. We look forward to working with the company to create heroes that inspire the next generation of Indian consumers.?

Graphic India intends to launch numerous new projects in the upcoming year showcasing original stories from young breakthrough talent as well as established Indian and global icons.

The company has partnered with POW! Entertainment and Stan Lee, the legendary co-creator of Spider-Man, X-Men, Hulk, Iron Man, Hulk and The Avengers, to create his first superhero for the Indian market, Chakra The Invincible. The story centers on Mumbai teenager Raju Rai, who develops a technology-enhanced suit that activates the mystical chakras of the body, unleashing newfound abilities and powers. Lee will be collaborating with a team of leading Indian artists and creators to bring the new superhero to animation and comic books.

In addition to numerous new properties in production, Graphic India will release new digital content around the highly acclaimed comic books previously published by Liquid Comics, including:

• Devi, created by preeminent filmmaker Shekhar Kapur (Elizabeth; Mr. India; The Golden Age) features the story of an immortal goddess reincarnated as a young woman in the fictional Indian city of Sitapur, charged with using her super-heroic powers to save her city from demons and monsters.
• The Sadhu, created by Gotham Chopra, about a British colonial soldier who becomes trained by the Indian mystics known as Sadhus and uses his newfound abilities for justice and currently being developed as a theatrical live-action film in Hollywood.
• Ramayan 3392AD, a futuristic epic inspired by the classical Ramayana myth and currently being developed as a theatrical live-action film in Hollywood with Mandalay Entertainment.

MUMBAI: After securing $200 million from Providence Equity Partners, former News Corp president and COO Peter Chernin?s global media investment company The Chernin Group has received $100 million from Qatar Holding.

The deal makes TCG one of the first media investments from Qatar Holding, which has stakes in Barclays Bank, Harrods of London and Volkswagen.

The funding considerably expands TCG?s ability to make strategic acquisitions. It will use this capital to expand and diversify the company?s media and entertainment operations in the US and across Asia.

TCG Founder and CEO Peter Chernin said, "Building on our successful investment partnership with Providence formed earlier this year, we are pleased to expand our formidable shareholder group with the addition of Qatar Holding, a distinguished investor and strategic partner. This capital and partnership positions us well to continue to pursue the most compelling areas of growth in the global media industry."

TCG?s assets include Chernin Entertainment, which produces feature films and television programs; a majority stake in Hong Kong-based CA Media, which builds, manages and operates media, entertainment and technology businesses in Asia; and several strategic investments in technology and media companies in the U.S. including Pandora, Fullscreen, Tumblr, Flipboard and Scopely.

In India, TCG?s CA Media is headed by Rajesh Kamat as its India CEO. Kamat had joined the company in April last year, after quitting Viacom18 as Group COO and Colors CEO.

CA Media, TCG?s Asian media investment arm, had earlier this year acquired 49 per cent stake in production house Endemol India and in an undisclosed music, live events and youth media company.