Mumbai, Jun 29 (IANS): Actor Nani has been roped in to voice the iconic character of Simba in the Telugu version of upcoming live-action "The Lion King".

"I have been a huge fan of Disney movies since my childhood and I have fond memories of their iconic characters," Nani said in a statement.

"Simba is one such character that is a family favourite from the movie 'The Lion King', and when the opportunity to voice him in Telugu came my way, I was excited and thrilled! 'The Lion King' is a perfect all-in-one family entertainer and I hope my fans and movie lovers appreciate this new role of mine," he added.

"The Jungle Book" fame director Jon Favreau has re-imagined the world of Disney's classic to bring alive a live-action film. He has stayed true to the classic story of Simba and used pioneering and game changing photo-real technology, using cutting-edge tools to make the musical drama come alive on the big screen.

The film will release in India on July 19 in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.