'The Jungle Book' to release in India a week prior to US

Disney's "The Jungle Book", featuring Indian child star Neel Sethi as Mowgli, will hit the Indian theatres on April 8, a week before its release in the US.

The live-action movie has an impressive list of voice stars in Ben Kingsley, Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba and Christopher Walken, said a release here.

Based on Rudyard Kipling's India-set adventure stories and inspired by Disney's animated adaptation of the same name, the beloved story revolves around Mowgli, a man-cub raised in the jungle by a family of wolves, who embarks on a journey of self-discovery when he's forced to abandon the only home he's ever known.

"Tales of The Jungle Book have been an intrinsic part of most of our growing up years. Adventurous stories of Mowgli, Baloo, Bagheera, Kaa and Shere Khan are so beloved by the Indian audience.

"We are thrilled to confirm that Disney's all-new live-action epic, 'The Jungle Book', will be out in Indian theatres a week prior to the US release. We have a few more surprises in store for The Jungle Book fans in India," Amrita Pandey - Vice President, Studios, Disney India, said.

Favreau has seamlessly blended live-action with photorealistic CGI animals and environments, using up-to-the-minute technology and storytelling techniques to immerse audiences in an enchanting and lush world.