Disney has always created beloved (and despised) cartoon characters. But growing up, most of us were exposed to a steady diet of well-known cartoon characters that had little to do with India, either geographically or culturally.
We have gained valuable life lessons about love, friendship, power, and living happily ever after from characters like the cute Micky mouse, the heroic Mulan, and the legendary Cruella De Vil.
On-screen representation has been a hot discourse topic over the past few years. Despite some recent advances, there is still much work to be done. According to what we can determine, Indian representation is unquestionably underrepresented.
Particularly given that we may state that the collective does not now include any Indian Disney princesses. We are confident that the day will come when this becomes a reality, but let’s hope Disney will take notice of this as soon as possible.
As we travel down memory lane to determine who the greatest Disney characters of all time are, let nostalgia give you butterflies in the stomach. Here are the best 25 Indian Disney characters of all time.
1. Mowgli (The Jungle Book)
Rudyard Kipling wrote the original text, which is a collection of tales with the predominant undercurrent of abandonment. You’ll notice that the majority of our memorable characters are drawn from The Jungle Book’s Disney rendition. Our primary character, Mowgli, has a motivational tale of tenacity and survival.
He is first seen at the beginning of the narrative, floating aimlessly along a river until Bagheera, the black panther, discovers him and takes him to a group of wolves.
He is raised by the wolves as one of them and believes that he is one. When Shere Khan, a tiger who doesn’t think Mowgli should be allowed to remain with the wolves, discovers that he is still with the pack, he sets out to find him. Mowgli learns the ways of the forest and how to survive.
2. Bagheera (The Jungle Book)
Mowgli was discovered by the black panther Bagheera, who decided to look for him until he could be reunited with his human companions. After hearing many arguments against it, the young panther nevertheless chose to look after the youngster after discovering him in the river.
Bagheera entrusted him with the wolves and frequently visited him, trying to teach as much knowledge as he could. Bagheera is shown as a wise character. The panther is one of the most sensible animals in the forest, intelligent and level-headed. Bagheera loves the man-cub very much but is also quickly irritated and cannot stand foolishness.
In particular, whether Mowgli should stay in the forest or go back to the Man Village to live with his kind would lead to some pretty acrimonious disputes between the two. Occasionally, Bagheera’s temper causes him to lose his sense of reason, leading to irresponsible actions like leaving Mowgli in the forest despite being aware of the dangers there.
However, he is fast to change and frequently finds himself back by Mowgli’s side. He is a loyal ally who prioritizes the safety of those who are important to him. He quickly recovers, though, and frequently finds himself back by Mowgli’s side.
He is a dedicated ally who prioritizes the safety of those who are important to him. He is undoubtedly a more responsible character than Baloo the bear, who would also keep them company. They would frequently debate who had the better strategy, and Baloo was more of a “go with the flow” type of character.
3. Baloo (The Jungle Book)
Baloo’s laid-back, friendly nature is an obvious way to describe him. The sloth bear is recognized for his beliefs of staying calm as much as possible and preventing the demands and responsibilities of life from holding one down, as vocalized through his song, “The Bare Necessities,” in which he frequently speaks in a quiet, silky tone.
The wise panther Bagheera calls him a “jungle bum”—a pointless animal who spends all of his time relaxing, eating, scratching his back, and engaging in other basic activities that are typically associated with laziness.
Baloo has a big heart and frequently shares his ideals—which are seen to have successfully led him to a happy lifestyle—with others, including Mowgli the man-cub, in an effort to spread the happiness he has been fortunate enough to experience. Baloo is lazy, stubborn, and unprepared for true responsibility, but he also lacks these traits.
4. Shanti (The Jungle Book)
Shanti is a young girl who is depicted as living in a community next to a jungle. When Mowgli first entered the human world, he was taken there. She plays a supporting role in the first movie, but she plays a major role in the second Jungle Book movie.
Although she only had a little part in the first movie, Mowgli falls in love with her, and she ends up being one of the key reasons why he stays among humans. Her side of the relationship is mutual. She undoubtedly has feelings for Mowgli, but she is hesitant to express them.
They complement one another perfectly. Mowgli is exceedingly playful and disobedient, in contrast to Shanti, who is quite responsible and observes the rules.
They develop and learn from one another. For instance, even though Shanti is terrified of all wild animals, she yet decides to help Mowgli when she learns that he has been abducted. Even after the close call with Kaa, who nearly devoured her.
5. Shere Khan (The Jungle Book)
Even though Shere Khan plays a villain in the movie, we learn why he despises Mowgli. He hates people because so many other people have destroyed the jungle by passing through it. They would enter the jungle with their weapons and fire, destroying large portions of it and displacing countless animals.
Although Shere Khan doesn’t show it, he is an outsider in his own right; thus, in a way, he shares some of Mowgli’s worries. He is feared by all, and his egotism is what motivates him to act in the way he does.
He worries that if anyone learns about his sensitive side, they will either become hostile toward him or lose all respect for him. Interestingly, when he was younger, Bagheera, Baloo, Louis, and Kaa were all his buddies, and they all got to know his gentle side. Unfortunately, his ego won out in the end.
6. Kaa (The Jungle Book)
Kaa is a sneaky, cunning Indian Rock Python. He uses a soothing, sometimes seductive voice to either entice his victims into a sleepy, dreamy condition or trick them into giving him their trust before devouring them astray.
His renowned ability to charm his prey with his eyes, turning them into enchanted beings under his control, furthers this. Kaa, a dreaded jungle dweller, has a strong and lethal ability. This was demonstrated when Bagheera, who is often calm and fearless, cried out to the panther after he stopped eating Mowgli out of obvious terror.
However, Shere Khan, the tiger, the chosen king of the jungle, do not share such terror. Khan is disliked by Kaa because she sees him as a hypocrite and thinks it is despicable to kill for fun rather than for survival. Although Shere Khan sees Kaa as the “eyes and ears” of the jungle and occasionally relies on him to help in his quest for Mowgli in the movie, the two monsters are frequently at odds.
7. Priya Mangal (Turning Red)
The upcoming film Turning Red is produced by Pixar, which is Disney’s parent business. On Disney+ this year, a coming-of-age film was released. A young girl named Mei is followed throughout the narrative as she experiences all the typical teenage milestones, obsesses over boybands, and has fun with her friends.
When she suddenly awakens one day as a red panda, everything changes as she experiences a total transformation. She is great friends with Priya Mangal, a witty person who is loyal to all of her pals. She enjoys reading other Gothic works of literature as well as vampire romance novels.
Priya is a 13-year-old Indian-Canadian teen girl of ordinary height, brown-skinned, brown-eyed, and thick brows. She also has purple-gray shadows beneath her eyes. Her bangs are split and slightly curled, and her thick, wavy, dark brown hair extends past her shoulders.
8. Mira (Mira, Royal Detective)
The main character of the kids’ television show Royal Detective is Mira. The final episode of the show, which debuted in 2019, was broadcast this year after it was renewed for a second season. It was made for the Disney Junior series and is currently available on Disney+.
She is a bright and courageous young woman who merits the title of royal detective. No matter who the client is, she resolves cases for both commoners and royalty. Who, after solving a mystery involving preserving the kingdom’s young prince, was chosen by Queen Shanti to be a royal investigator in Jalpur.
As was revealed in the episode “The Mystery of the Secret Room,” the last royal investigator was a man by the name of “Gupta,” although it is unknown why he ceased to be one or what became of him. In contrast, Queen Shanti has made reference to previous royal detectives in subsequent episodes.
9. Priya (Mira, Royal Detective)
Priya plays a significant role in Mira, Royal Detective. She is a close friend of Prince Neel and the creative cousin of Mira. She is also Meena’s younger sister and Pushpa and Naveen’s child.
Priya is smart and kind while being adorable and attractive. Despite being modest, she is a young girl with a kind attitude and compassion. Her wry sense of humor is really sharp. In the event that she loses something crucial to her, she may get demoralized.
10. Neel (Mira, Royal Detective)
Prince Neel, a prince of Jalpur and the protagonist of Mira, Royal Detective, is a gifted inventor. He is friends with Mira and Priya and is rumored to be crushing on Mira.
Neel is a prince with dark hair and tan skin. He wears a light blue vest over a long white shirt. He is dressed in blue clogs and loose, yellowish-tan jeans. “Soggy samosas!” is his go-to term.
11. Veer (Mira, Royal Detective)
Prince Veer has dark brown hair, brown-hazel eyes, and olive skin. He is dressed in white jeans, a shirt with a blue and gold pattern, and a pair of blue shoes with gold patterns.
He is overconfident, haughty, and unyielding. He prefers order and cleanliness, appreciates compliments, and despises when others treat him disrespectfully. He is also snobbish, polite, and royal.
12. Ravi Ross (Jessie)
Ravi Gupta Balasubramanian Ross is one of the primary characters in Jessie. He was born in Kolkata, India, and was adopted by the Ross family when he was 10 years old. Although English is a second language for him, his native tongue is Hindi.
He is a really wonderful man who brought Mrs. Kipling from India and now takes care of her as his pet and dearest friend. The Indian actor Shah Rukh Khan, who is his favorite actor, was addressed in the Star Wars episode. Karan Brar played the role of Ravi.
13. Dolly Singh (Best of Luck Nikki)
Best of Luck Nikki aired from April 3, 2011, to April 16, 2016, the Indian sitcom broadcast exclusively on Disney Channel India. The show is a parody of the American show Good Luck Charlie, and its story is very similar to that of the American version.
It centers on the Singh family as they attempt to cope with the arrival of Nikki, their fourth child. Every episode feature Dolly Singh, who plays the role of the elder sister, giving Nikki advice on “surviving” their family and life as a teen in the form of a video blog diary.
Dolly tries to explain to Nikki what she might experience in the diary so that she will always be able to solve problems.
14. Sunny Singh (Best of Luck Nikki)
The middle Singh child, Sunny Singh, is played by Aakash Nair. He is the older brother of Nikki, Bobby, and Kookie and the younger brother of Rohan and Dolly. He can be sarcastic, sluggish, and a troublemaker, yet he can also be obedient and dedicated.
He’s the nemesis of their neighbor Roli Aunty and always creates problems with her and is often complained about her. Bradley Steven Perry’s Gabe Duncan, who is Sunny’s equivalency.
15. Himani Singh (Best of Luck Nikki)
Himani Singh, played by Gurdeep Punj, is the wife of Avatar and the mother of Rohan, Dolly, Sunny, Nikki, Bobby, and Kookie. She was a hospital nurse who transitioned into hosting a news program. She is frequently described as obedient, guarded, and funny. Himani, portrayed by Leigh-Allyn Baker in Good Luck Charlie, is akin to Amy Duncan in that film.
16. Rohan Singh (Best of Luck Nikki)
Rohan Singh, played by Murtuza Kutianawala, is the oldest Singh sibling. He frequently comes out as clumsy, somewhat irresponsible, and juvenile, but he has proven to be resourceful, innovative, and intelligent on countless occasions.
He always has a thing for women. He’s very dumb when it comes to logic and senses and is always with his best friend, Poppy, who has a thing for his sister. Jason Dolley’s character PJ Duncan’s counterpart is Rohan.
17. Avtar Singh (Best of Luck Nikki)
Gireesh Sahedev plays Avatar Singh. He is the spouse of Himani and the father to Rohan, Dolly, Sunny, Nikki, Bobby, and Kookie. He is the owner of “Avatar Bijlee Company (ABC),” an electrical business, and is fascinated by his business. He’s a good father but sometimes irresponsible. Eric Allan Kramer’s portrayal of Bob Duncan is comparable to that of Avatar.
18. Nikki Singh (Best of Luck Nikki)
As Nikita “Nikki” Singh, Anannya Kolvankar: The fourth-youngest Singh kid, she is. Nikki is comparable to Mia Talerico’s Charlie Duncan, who plays the role. She is adored by all. The Singh family, a Punjabi family, living in Delhi, is the focus of the series as they adjust to the arrival of their fourth child, Nikita, or Nikki.
Himani and Avatar Singh ask their three older children to help care for their younger sister when they go back to work. Dolly, Rohan, and Sunny accomplish this while overcoming usual teenage struggles.
Each episode’s happenings serve as the basis for a video diary series that Dolly is producing in the hopes that Nikki may one day find it helpful when Dolly moves out. She wishes Nikki luck at the conclusion of each video and says, “Best of Luck Nikki.”
19. Karan Jaiswal (The Suite Life of Karan & Kabir)
An Indian sitcom called The Suite Life of Karan & Kabir debuted on the Disney Channel on April 8, 2012, and lasted till August 18, 2013. The Suite Life of Zack & Cody is an American television program, and the series is an Indian adaptation.
The series, which stars Siddharth Thakkar, Namit Shah, Shivshakti Sachdev, Tara Sutaria, Damman Bagan, and Shruti Seth, is set in Mumbai’s Raj Mahal Hotel and centers on the trouble-making twins Karan and Kabir, who reside there.
The rich daughter of the hotel’s owner, Rani Oberoi; Preeti, the hotel’s assistant manager and mother of the twins Karan & Kabir; and Mr. Maan Singh, Other significant characters include the pushy hotel manager. Siddharth Thakkar portrays an immature, noisy, and conceited boy in his role as Karan Jaiswal.
Compared to his twin Kabir, he is 10 minutes older. He resembles Zack Martin from The Suite Life of Zack & Cody in many ways.
20. Kabir Jaiswal (The Suite Life of Karan & Kabir)
Kabir Jaiswal is the kinder, more intelligent twin brother, played by Namit Shah. Although he lacks Karan’s sense of adventure, he frequently gets into trouble by joining in on his brother’s shenanigans. He resembles Cody Martin from Zack & Cody’s The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.
The program centers on twin brothers Karan and Kabir, who reside with their mother, Preeti Jaiswal, the hotel’s assistant manager and a gifted singer, in Mumbai’s Raj Mahal Hotel, a parody of the Hotel Taj.
Like its parent series, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, the series chronicles the antics and mischief that the boys are constantly getting up to, as well as the exploits of Vinnie, the candy counter girl, and Mr. Maan Singh, the rigid and obedient manager who frequently serves as a foil to Karan and Kabir’s plans. Rani Oberoi is the privileged and ditzy heiress of the Oberoi business.
21. Vinnie (The Suite Life of Karan & Kabir)
Vinita “Vinnie” Mishra, played by Tara Sutaria, in season 1. She is the adolescent candy-counter employee at the Raj Mahal Hotel who also looks after Karan and Kabir’s mischief’s she’s also friends with them, often seen guiding them or sometimes their partner in crime.
In The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, Maddie Fitzpatrick’s counterpart is Vinnie. Rani and Vinnie are also connected, often in rivalry or sometimes in a truce. Once Vinnie works for Rani until she can pay back the money she owes her for her parents’ trip to Malaysia. In the end, all of the employees pitch in some cash so that Vinnie may reimburse Rani.
Rehan, a hotel visitor, checks into the Raj Mahal Hotel, and Vinnie seems to really like him. Vinnie is asked to go along for one night and pretend to be wealthy when Rani invites her and Rehan to visit a concert. When Karan and Kabir get involved, and Rehan and his parents decide to spend an additional night in Mumbai, this backfires.
The boys manage to bring the wrestler into the imperial suite, but Shamsher Singh, another visitor, checks into Vinnie’s suite, necessitating the boys’ dismantling of the suite in order for the wrestler to leave the hotel, so this is how the boys and Vinnie are partners in crime also Rani tags along few times.
22. Maan Singh (The Suite Life of Karan & Kabir)
Mr. Maan Singh is played by Amandeep Singh Bagan. He is the hotel’s manager and has a big vocabulary and an urbane vernacular. He frequently finds Karan and Kabir’s plans amusing. Because they injured Mr. Maan Singh while rollerblading in the lobby, Karan and Kabir are sent home for a week.
When they learn that a well-known couple will be getting married at the hotel, they purchase a camera from Vinnie in order to capture a photo of the pair that is believed to be worth one lakh rupees. Vinnie, Kabir, and Karan are caught by Mr. Maan Singh after Karan sneaks inside the wedding and snaps a photo.
Priti learns the truth and has the boys grounded for a second time for a week. As a manager, he must keep an eye on the mischief of the mischievous boy. Therefore he frequently pursues them or assigns his butler to watch over them. He is comparable to Mr. Marion Moseby from Zack & Cody’s The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.
23. Jassie” Singh (Oye Jassie)
An Indian television sitcom called Oye Jassie made its debut on Disney Channel India on October 13, 2013. It is an Indian adaptation of the Disney sitcom Jessie from the United States. Tara Sutaria plays Jassie, also known as Jaspreet Singh, in the show.
Jaspreet “Jassie” Singh, played by Tara Sutaria, is a resourceful and idealistic young woman from the Karnal military post. Jassie traveled to Mumbai to pursue her aspirations of celebrity as a recent high school graduate going against her strict father, who wanted her to join the army.
However, due to an unforeseen turn of circumstances, Jassie finds up becoming a nanny to the four Malhotra kids. Even though Jessie and the kids occasionally irritate one another, they all genuinely care about one another, and Jessie is even occasionally shown to be overprotective. Jassie is comparable to Debby Ryan’s character Jessie Prescott.
24. Rocky Malhothra (Oye Jassie)
Rocky Malhothra, played by Mohit Bagri, is a laid-back, flirtatious, clever boy from West Bengal who loves video games, breakdancing, and getting into trouble around the penthouse. He can also be snarky at times. He sees himself as a “women’s man,” and he particularly likes Jassie.
Rocky even made an attempt to date her in the early episodes. The second oldest Malhotra child is Rocky. He has a close relationship with Tony and spends a lot of time with his brother, Subbu. Luke Ross, who is portrayed by Cameron Boyce, is comparable to Rocky.
25. Ayesha Malhotra (Oye Jassie)
Ahsaas Channa portrays Ayesha Malhotra, a diva, slightly ditsy, the cynical young woman who is anxious to rearrange the world according to her views. The oldest and only biological child of Rahul and Reisha Malhotra, Ayesha is the oldest member of the Malhotra family.
She doesn’t value her brother Rocky because she spends most of her time with Tiya. Ayesha is comparable to Peyton List’s Emma Ross in that role.
In Season 1, it seems as though Ayesha spends most of her time with Tia and doesn’t value Rocky as much as her other siblings do. She plays the role of Kitty Couture, a purported professor of fashion, in Season 2. She’s interested in fashion and is beginning to get along with Rocky more.
As long as Tony, Jassie, Rocky, Tia, or any of the aforementioned individuals are there, she and Subbu begin to interact as brother and sister. Ayesha also matures and starts to take her duty as a big sister more seriously this season, as seen by the fact that she sneaks out to the dance to inform Rocky that his girlfriend is ditching him.
