Montclair State Adjunct Professor Lisa Goldman Celebrates Season 2 Renewal of Netflix Show Deepa & Anoop

An innovative content creator, producer, and educator with a specialization in show development, Montclair State School of Communication and Media Adjunct Professor Lisa Goldman  is a co-creator, consultant, and writer of Deepa & Anoop, a preschool Netflix series that was recently renewed for a second season. 

Described as a light hearted show, the colorful, and music-driven series follows seven-year-old Indian native Deepa, and her best friend Anoop, a color-changing elephant. The lively and “concierge fun” pair greet guests at the Mango Manor, a bed and breakfast run by Deepa’s multigenerational family. Working alongside Anoop, Deepa uses her imaginative skills to create music, merriment, and mischief while solving problems. Season 2 features 32, 11-minute episodes and two, 22-minute specials. 

The show was inspired by a life-altering trip to India when Goldman served on the international jury for the Mumbai Film Festival and taught a workshop at an animation school. Her fascination with the culture and inspiration from a “Page Three” column in The Times of India dedicated to Bollywood (Hindi Cinema) stars led to the creation of the series. Along with her team of Heather Kenyon and Munjal Shroff, she later pitched and landed a deal with Mattel to develop the series. 

“Deepa & Anoop was created with such love,” Goldman said. “I think you can feel it when you watch the show.”

Goldman and team recently celebrated a Kidscreen nomination for “Best New Preschool Series and Best Inclusivity Series” with winners to be announced this month. “It’s such an honor and we’re beyond excited about these nominations,” she said. “It’s wonderful that the awards ceremony for the show we love so much is on Valentine’s Day!” 

Goldman’s writing credits include Pinky Dinky Doo, Pilar’s Adventures, Dragon Tales, articles in Animation Magazine, awn.com, and an ebook, Burlap the Bearwolf and the Go-away Stay!.

After the show launched, positive reviews on platforms such as TikTok highlighted how South Asia is represented. TikTok creators @Shiv.alry and @Marvelwithrid shared their appreciation for the characters, animals, architecture, and colorful displays of their culture which helped fuel popularity for the series and its characters.  

Story by Rayane Yamout