The actor has given his voice for the first time for an animated film.
Our Correspondent
Disney’s The Lion King (2019) is gearing up for a worldwide release this week and will be seen in four languages in India – English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. The beloved animated film, first released in 1994, is being reimagined and recreated digitally for a whole new generation.
The Hindi version features a star-studded voice cast that includes Shah Rukh Khan and his son Aryan as lion royalty, Mufasa and Simba. Actor Shreyas Talpade plays Simba’s friend, the meerkat Timon. To add flavour and a desi twist to his character, Talpade used Mumbai lingo while voicing Timon.
“The Lion King is a timeless classic and it’s an honour for me to be a part of it. For my character, we worked on the Mumbai slang through relatable terms that are funny and yet non-offensive. It is a family entertainer and we wanted to maintain that in every dialogue,” Talpade said.
Incidentally, this is Talpade’s first dubbing experience, voicing a character for a film. It was also his first opportunity to sing a song. “The icing on the cake was getting to sing the iconic song ‘Hakuna Matata’,” he added.
The Lion King (2019) is due to be released on 19 July.
