MUMBAI:Disney Channel has stepped up its efforts to localise 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 ten new original songs from the upcoming sequel along with 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 to the global hit, High School Musical 2 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 Pasific VP regional marketing Simon George.

Reprising their singing and dancing roles in High School Musical 2 are bona fide superstars in the kid and tween universe: 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 entire creative team that made High School Musical has reassembled for the sequel. Emmy Award-winner Kenny Ortega returns to direct and, along with fellow Emmy Award-winning choreographers Charles Klapow and Bonnie Story. The story and screenplay was written by former rock music journalist Peter Barsocchini. Emmy Award winners Bill Borden and Barry Rosenbush are the executive producers.

Like its predecessor, High School Musical 2 uses songs to tell much of its story with the themes `believe in yourself`, `express yourself`, and `stay true to yourself` carried through the lyrics. Together, the songs tell the highs and lows of summer for Troy, Gabriella, Ryan, Sharpay, Chad, Taylor and the rest of the East High School Wildcats in the singing, dancing, comedy and romance-filled movie sequel.

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.