By Beth Deitchman

Jalpur, the fairytale land that’s the setting of Mira, Royal Detective, the brand-new animated series from Disney Junior, is a spectacular world inspired by the customs and traditions of India. Its inhabitants make for a pretty beguiling bunch, as well. Before you tune in to the series premiere this Friday, March 20, on Disney Channel (11 a.m. ET/PT), Disney Junior (7 p.m. ET/PT), and in DisneyNOW, get to know Mira, her mongoose sidekicks, and more.

Mira

Mira may be the most diminutive royal detective Jalpur has ever known, but no sleuthing is needed to understand why the Queen appointed the young commoner to the prestigious role. Nothing can stop Mira when she’s on the case, and she never hesitates to make solving mysteries a team effort, bringing her friend Prince Neel, cousin Priya, and mongoose mates Mikku and Chikku along on the adventure. Mira is voiced by newcomer Leela Ladnier.

Queen Shanti

Jalpur is in benevolent and compassionate hands with Queen Shanti as their ruler. It is Queen Shanti who saw in Mira all the qualities that are so important in a royal detective, and she becomes a mentor to Mira as the young girl grows into her role. Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire) lends her voice to Queen Shanti.

Auntie Pushpa

Mira’s aunt, Auntie Pushpa, is proprietor of the high-end boutique in Jalpur where the royal detective’s first adventure in the series, “The Case of the Royal Scarf,” unfolds. Auntie Pushpa is voiced by Jameela Jamil (The Good Place).

Mikku and Chikku

What could be better than a mongoose sidekick? How about a pair of them? Mikku is charming and quirky, and he’s a stickler for rules. He’s also obsessed with food. Chikku is certainly not one to pass up a snack himself; the zany, cuddly mongoose also has a fondness for the spotlight. Kal Penn (Sunnyside) lends his voice to Mikku, while Utkarsh Ambudkar (Brittany Runs a Marathon) plays Chikku.

Pinky

The sweet and bubbly Pinky is a commoner in Jalpur, just like the royal detective herself. She loves animals—especially goats!—and is one of Mira’s closest friends. Hannah Simone (New Girl) voices Pinky.

Sahil

Mira’s sweet and funny father oversees transportation for Queen Shanti and the rest of the royal family. He is voiced by Aasif Mandvi (The Daily Show).

Meena

You’ll often find Mira’s stylish cousin Meena among the beautiful scarves and accessories in Auntie Pushpa’s boutique. Aparna Nancherla (BoJack Horseman) lends her voice to Meena.

Prince Veer

Queen Shanti’s eldest son loves being a member of Jalpur’s royal family and he enjoys all of the trappings that come with his status. Prince Veer has strong opinions on, well, most things—and he’s always happy to share those opinions with Mira and her friends. Prince Veer is voiced by Karan Brar (Disney Channel’s BUNK’D).

As you watch these characters in action on Mira, Royal Detective, get ready to see some magical, musical moves created by acclaimed Bollywood choreographer Nakul Dev Mahajan. And get clued in on all the reasons why Disney fans are sure to love Disney Junior’s new animated mystery-adventure series right here on D23.com.

By Courtney Potter

Disney Junior’s brand-new animated series Mira, Royal Detective introduces viewers young and young-at-heart to a brave and resourceful girl named Mira, a commoner appointed to the role of royal detective by the queen. Mira’s often joined by best pal Prince Neel, cousin Priya, and some hilarious mongoose sidekicks named Mikku and Chikku; their mystery-solving adventures not only entertain, but also help encourage those ever-crucial deductive reasoning skills along the way. Set in the fairytale land of Jalpur—inspired by the cultures and customs of India—the series features a truly all-star cast of South Asian actors… not to mention a host of original songs, and some incredible dance sequences created especially for the show by Bollywood and So You Think You Can Dance choreographer Nakul Dev Mahajan. (For some D23-exclusive behind-the-scenes info from the creators of Mira, Royal Detective, be sure to click here and here!)

As the theme song to the series explains, “We’ll take in the world with a whole new perspective!” And D23 found that out firsthand when we were lucky enough to sit down recently with the royal detective herself, newcomer Leela Ladnier—as well as Utkarsh Ambudkar (Chikku) and Freida Pinto (Queen Shanti)—to get some inside scoop on the show, and to find out what the messages they hope families take away.

Leela Ladnier (Mira) on the moment she found out she’d been cast, and what the opportunity to be a voice in a Disney Junior series means to her…
“My mom actually took me to an ice cream shop and told me,” says the teenage Ladnier, chuckling. “I understand a lot more now how monumental this project is, [and] how much the show means to so many people—more so than I did then… I’m still trying to come to terms with it! Disney’s been the biggest part of my life since I was little. I had all the dresses and the playsets; watched all the movies; sang all the songs. And to think now that I’m a part of this company that’s been such a big part of my life—I can’t even explain to you how much that means to me. It’s amazing!”

Utkarsh Ambudkar (Chikku) explains how he got involved with the show…
“I’m good friends with Anthony Veneziale; we’re in this group called Freestyle Love Supreme,” explains Ambudkar—for the uninitiated, FLS is a hip hop-improv group, co-founded by Oscar® nominee Lin-Manuel Miranda, that just finished a successful run on Broadway—“and [Veneziale and Mira, Royal Detective executive producer] Sascha Paladino are friends. That’s how we got in each other’s worlds. And they came to me with the offer for the role—and I saw the cast that was involved, and it looked really exciting… [The show is] a home run; it’s really great. It’s special, it’s cute, it’s rhythmic, it’s fast-paced—I think kids are really gonna love it.”

Freida Pinto (Queen Shanti) on how she connects to her character…
“I feel like there are parts of my character that I do relate to,” admits Pinto, “in the sense that she’s the leader and the ruler and has to make all the right decisions; she has this big responsibility to rule the kingdom and to guide the people of the kingdom in the right way. And so I do feel like in my own role as a leader—whether it’s at my production company or growing up, when I would lead the children’s choir [I took part in], just simple things like that, I had to always come from a place of inclusivity—making sure that the quiet ones and the shy ones were not being left out, making sure that I encouraged people to come forward, but at the same time also [offering] tough love. I feel like a combination of that is truly Queen Shanti’s character… Every time I’d have a recording session, there’d be a sense of pride that I was getting to be a part of this show.”

Ladnier on what it was like the first time she saw her character come to life in animation…
“I honestly was at a loss for words,” admits Ladnier. “Obviously, with anything, when you work really hard on something, it’s so rewarding to [watch] that actually manifest itself and to see it… I’m still getting used to hearing my voice alongside an animated character. This is my first voiceover job and so, it’s definitely very surreal.”

Ambudkar on the chance to record together with actor Kal Penn, who voices Chikku’s mongoose cohort Mikku…
“We got to record together in New York a few months ago,” says Ambudkar, “and that was super fun. They finally wrangled us both in the same room! It’s different when you get to play together—especially when you’re so connected on the show; our characters are basically finishing each other’s sentences. So to be able to do that in the room [together] was really cool… [But] something special happened with the show, where the rhythm [Kal] hit and the rhythm I hit—totally independent of one another—just happened to work. And that’s cool and rare. It doesn’t happen often.”

Pinto on what she thinks kids and adults—of any cultural background—will be able to take away from Mira, Royal Detective…
“For the South Asian kids, they’re gonna feel seen and heard,” believes Pinto. “And for the kids who are not South Asian, I think there’ll be a sense of curiosity and excitement that they’re learning new things. Kids ‘get’ the most when they watch their favorite animated movies or animated shows; they learn [and] absorb, and they’re taking themes and ideas from it into their everyday lives—from fantasy to real life… And I feel like it’s gonna be a fun time for the American adult audience [too], to go beyond America. And in a way, [the stories are] also deal with so much humanity and kindness and smarts and intelligence—common sense. All those themes tie in wonderfully.”

Ultimately, Ladnier cannot wait for audiences to see the show…
“I think that Disney Junior’s done a great job with the series,” she says, “and anyone can relate to the messages and the themes of the show—like persevering in tough situations; being independent; not looking to other people to solve your problems for you… I really think that everyone deserves to grow up seeing themselves represented. I’m growing up in a time where you’re seeing more diversity in the media—which has definitely encouraged me to pursue acting, and has encouraged me and helped me believe that I can do this. [And] I think that one of the things I really wanted to drive home when I was playing Mira was that she’s just a regular girl. This does happen to be a show that features South Asian culture—but I’m hoping that young kids everywhere will be able to grow up [universalizing] our culture and learning to embrace diversity.”

Don’t miss Disney Junior’s Mira, Royal Detective—premiering Friday, March 20, at 11 a.m. EDT/PDT on Disney Channel, and at 7 p.m. EDT/PDT on Disney Junior!

By Beth Deitchman

Disney Junior’s latest series, Mira, Royal Detective, set in the India-inspired fairy-tale land of Jalpur, kicks off with an infectious Bollywood dance number. But before the animators could create this spectacular sequence on screen—and others like it—dance consultant and choreographer Nakul Dev Mahajan first had to bring it to life in his studio.

Fans might remember Mahajan from the Emmy®-winning dance competition series So You Think You Can Dance, and Bollywood dance has been part of his life since he was 5 years old. He came in to meet with the Mira, Royal Detective team during the early stages of production, and shares, “I was literally blown away with the artwork, the narrative, and the story they were telling me. It was so detailed. I wanted to live in this place, it was so stunning.” Mahajan was struck by how beautifully Mira, Royal Detective represented his South Asian culture and knew, “I had to be part of this.”

Mahajan is new to the medium, but he’s quickly learned that some movements translate to animated characters—humans and mongooses alike—better than others. “Bollywood dancing can be super-fast. It can be very intricate, and it can be very detailed,” he explains, adding that his greatest challenge is maintaining the genre that he “lives, breathes, eats, and sleeps,” without overwhelming the artists.

It’s also important to note, Mahajan says, that Bollywood dance has evolved in the last 25 years. When asked to define it, he shares, “I would always say [Bollywood dance] is every genre of dance under the sun on a Bollywood song… And then from there you have your sub-categories: Is it traditional Bollywood? Is it Bollywood hip hop? Is it Bollywood jazz? Is it Bollywood contemporary?”

All of these sub-genres have been incorporated into Mira, Royal Detective, for which most episodes will feature authentic forms of dance that can be found across India. Mahajan lets the story and the music serve as his guide. “I can tell by the music tempo and the types of instruments that they’re using what part of India it’s from,” he says.

Mahajan’s creative process starts with the script and the music, and after he and the animation team hone in on a shared vision for a dance sequence, he heads into his studio and begins to choreograph. Mahajan and his assistant perform the dances themselves and create very detailed videos that address formations, nuances, facial expressions, and more. He explains, “For me, Bollywood is not just moving your body.”  Go into Mahajan’s studio in the exclusive behind-the-scenes featurette below to see firsthand what it takes to create these magical moves for Mira, mongooses Mikku and Chikku, and more:

Mahajan, a lifelong Disney fan, was born in Agra, India, and raised in Southern California. As a child, he spent every birthday at Disneyland and says that now seeing his choreography come to life on Disney Channel is a dream come true. “It’s perhaps my favorite job,” he confesses. Beyond its authentic portrayal of Indian culture, Mahajan appreciates how Mira, Royal Detective inspires critical thinking in young viewers, and he loves the series’ confident, independent protagonist: “If there’s anything that has those components and my name can be attached to it, I can be a very happy man for the rest of my life!”

Disney Junior’s small and mighty detective is on the case this Friday, March 20, in the series premiere of Mira, Royal Detective. Tune in to Disney Channel at 11 a.m. ET/PT and Disney Junior at 7 p.m. ET/PT. The episodes will also be available on DisneyNOW.