US-born Indian to play Mowgli in 'Jungle Book: Origins'

Young actor Rohan Chand, who was born in New York to Indian parents, has been cast as Mowgli in Warner Bros' 3D adventure entertainer "Jungle Book: Origins".

Benedict Cumberbatch, Cate Blanchett and Christian Bale will head the ensemble cast for the film, which is a 3D adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's classic "The Jungle Book".

The action adventure, which will blend motion capture and live action, will mark the feature film directorial debut of Andy Serkis, and it is slated for worldwide release beginning Oct 21, 2016, read a statement.

Rohan, who has been seen in films like "The Hundred-Foot Journey" and "Bad Words", will play the boy raised by wolves, Mowgli.

The animal kingdom will be brought alive by Cumberbatch as the fearsome tiger, Shere Khan; Oscar-winner Blanchett as sinister snake, Kaa; Bale as cunning panther, Bagheer; Serkis as the wise bear, Baloo; Peter Mullan as the leader of the wolf pack, Akela; Tom Hollander as the scavenging hyena, Tabaqui; Naomie Harris as Nisha, the female wolf, who adopts the baby Mowgli as one of her cubs; Eddie Marsan as Nisha's mate, Vihaan; and Jack Reynor as Mowgli's Brother Wolf.

The film, being produced by Steve Kloves along with Jonathan Cavendish, has screenplay Kloves' daughter, Callie Kloves, based on the stories by Kipling.

The story follows the upbringing of the human child Mowgli, raised by a wolf pack in the jungles of India.