Mumbai, April 23 British filmmaker Stephen Frears, is set to helm the screen adaptation of William Dalrymple’s critically acclaimed book ‘The Anarchy: The Relentless Rise of the East India Company’. The adaptation is being done for the long-format content, and is being mounted as an international co-production between US and India.
Set in the 18th century, ‘The Anarchy’ is a gripping exploration of the British East India Company’s commercial ambitions in India, which ultimately led to the takeover of an entire subcontinent. It strongly mirrors the current world where corporate giants possess the power to shape the destinies of entire nations.
Talking about the project, Stephen Frears said, “This is the most contemporary of themes: A ruthless businessman and his corporation seizing power, a group of oligarchs taking over a chunk of the world, asset-stripping, looting, manipulating the stock market, destroying whole economies for their profit. The East India Company is stealing India in the 18th Century”.
The series is being produced jointly by the US-based studio wiip and leading Indian production house Roy Kapur Films.
The rights acquisition of William Dalrymple’s bestselling book was believed to have been amongst the most sought after book to TV rights deals in India, with Roy Kapur Films ultimately emerging with the rights. Adapted for the screen by Walon Green, Amit Bhalla, and Lucas Jansen, the writers behind Hello Tomorrow! (Apple TV+), ‘The Anarchy’ will be shot across the UK and Asia.
Siddharth Roy Kapur said, “Stephen’s range as a filmmaker is simply unmatched. He has directed some of the most beloved films of the last four decades, including some of my personal favourites, and to have him come on board to helm this project is an absolute dream come true”.
He further mentioned, “Collaborating with our production partners at wiip has been an incredibly enriching experience. This is a story that demands scale, depth, and ambition, and I am proud that we have brought an extraordinary team together to bring it to life for a global audience”.
The upcoming series adaptation now marks a bold step in expanding Indian history into the global entertainment arena, with an epic narrative that’s both timely and timeless.
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