British director Stephen Frears to helm series adaptation of William Dalrymple’s book The Anarchy

Acclaimed British filmmaker Stephen Frears, known for directing titles like The Queen (2006), Victoria and Abdul (2017) and Dangerous Liasons (1988) among others, is set to helm the series adaptation of William Dalrymple’s book The Anarchy, the makers said in a press release on Wednesday. It is a co-production between Siddharth Roy Kapur's Roy Kapur Films and US-based studio wiip.

Set in the 18th century, Dalrymple’s book, which came out in 2019, explores the British East India Company’s commercial ambitions in India, which ultimately led to the takeover of an entire subcontinent. It is adapted for the screen by Walon Green, Amit Bhalla, and Lucas Jansen, the writers behind Hello Tomorrow! (Apple TV+).

Speaking about it, Stephen 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 stealing India in the 18th Century.”

Siddharth called it a 'dream come true' to have Stephen on-board as the director. "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 added, "Collaborating with our production partners at wiip has been an incredibly enriching experience. This is a story that demanded 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 series will be shot across the UK and Asia.