MUMBAI: Disney Channel has acquired from Accel Transmatic the television rights for the animated TV series Ek Tha Jungle.
Developed by Accel Animation Studios, the 26 episodic series will showcase couplets from Thirukkural by noted Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar.

Disney Channel will air Ek Tha Jungle from 5 April, every Monday to Thursday at 9.30 am. The 11 minutes each animal fables are laced around strong ethics and family values with a moral that is applicable to the present and future generations.

Each episode has a universal theme presented in 3D animated format.
 
Walt Disney Television International India associate director-programming Devika Prabhu said, “Disney Channel is committed to showcase evergreen stories that transcend generations and are locally relevant. Ek Tha Jungle is one of the many steps that we will take to enliven Indian storytelling heritage which continues to remain thoroughly entertaining and equally relevant to modern day India.”

Added Accel chairman and executive producer NR Panicker, "When Accel Animation Studios set out to create its own properties for television media, we decided to embark on socially relevant subjects. There is no better way than adapting the evergreen Thirukkural to narrate stories to the young audience. We are delighted to partner with Disney Channel, to bring this classic work to the Indian audience."

Thirukkural is considered to be the first work to focus on family values in Tamil literature and has been translated into several languages across the world.

Some other popular stories include The Clever Monkey, The Helping Bear and The Rabbit and the Tortoise.