Akshay's Jumbo traced to Thailand

Apart from Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and Ghajini, if there is one film which is trying to grab attention, it is Akshay Kumar's Jumbo where the superstar has not just lent his voice for the central character of an elephant but also shot for an exclusive music video - 'Everything Is Gonna Be Alright'. While Percept Picture Company has proudly flashed their association with Akshay Kumar for the film and there have been (reported) talks about him being paid Rs.9 crores to come behind the mike, the production house has chosen to keep the film's origin as a closely held secret.

Well, the secret which has been unveiled now throws quite some surprise as it is revealed that the animation film Jumbo is neither an Indian product nor has it been made in collaboration with an International animation house. Instead, Percept Picture Company has claimed the rights of a Thai film that goes by the name of Khan Kluay.

Khan Kluay, which was released in 2006, is a Thai computer-animated feature film and is about a baby elephant named Khan Kluay who wanders away from his mother and eventually becomes the war elephant (for whom Akshay Kumar has given the voiceover).

The film has been directed by Kompin Kemgumnird, an animator, who has worked on the Disney features such as Atlantis: The Lost Empire & Tarzan and also Blue Sky Studios' Ice Age. The film was in the making for three years and cost 150 million baht (about $3.9 million USD). When released in 2006, the film was the highest grossing Thai film in 2006 with an approximate box-office receipt of 91 million baht. The film has already been released on DVD in the United States with its title as The Blue Elephant. The movie has won numerous awards ever since its release and now looks at making an impression at Indian theaters with Akshay Kumar endorsing its case.