MUMBAI: Building on the success of High School Musical, Disney Channel has stepped up its efforts in localisation for the sequel High School Musical 2 and its soundtrack.

The High School Musical 2 soundtrack album, to be released across the Asia Pacific beginning 14 August, features 10 new original songs from the upcoming sequel, plus localized version of various songs sung by six Asian artistes from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia and the Philippines. These localized songs will be included in the original soundtrack in their respective markets.

In India, the whole soundtrack will be re-recorded by Bollywood artistes in Hindi, and will replace the English soundtrack in the movie. Music videos will also be produced for all localized tracks and air on Disney Channel.

In addition, the sequel will be available in eight local languages across the region, which will premiere on Disney Channel starting from 9 September.

“We believe it is really important that we talk to our audience in the language in which they are most comfortable and for High School Musical, where music is such an integral part of the movie, it makes perfect sense to extend that to the songs as well,” said Disney Channel Asia Pacific vice president of regional marketing Simon George.

Reprising their singing and dancing roles in High School Musical 2 are Zac Efron (as Troy Bolton), Vanessa Hudgens (as Gabriella Montez), Ashley Tisdale (as Sharpay Evans), Lucas Grabeel (as Ryan Evans), Corbin Bleu (as Chad Danforth) and Monique Coleman (as Taylor McKessie).

The soundtrack features music by many of the same songwriters who contributed to the original movie — Jamie Houston, Matthew Gerrard, Robbie Nevil, Andy Dodd, Adam Watts, Randy Peterson, Kevin Quinn, David Lawrence and Faye Greenberg — as well as the work of a pair new to the High School Musical sensation, Tim James and Antonina Armato.