Charithra Chandran Boards Song of the Sun God Adaptation

Charithra Chandran (Bridgerton, Alex Rider) has joined Synchronicity Films and Photoplay Films’ Song of the Sun God adaptation and will star in the lead role and serve as associate producer.

Based on Shankari Chandran’s best-selling debut novel, the emotional thriller explores the loves, lies and misdemeanors spanning three generations of a close-knit Sri Lankan family, told through the perspective of Leela, a young Australian woman living in London who is largely disconnected from her own culture.

A personal and dangerous journey takes Leela across three continents to find her lost aunt and uncover the shocking reason for her disappearance. Set against the present-day fallout of 70 years of political turmoil and conflict between the Tamil and Sinhalese communities, along with the legacy of the island’s British colonial history, Song of the Sun God is ultimately about the wisdom, mistakes and sacrifices of our past that enable us to live more freely in the future.

Song of the Sun God, in development with Cineflix Rights, is being adapted for TV by Olivia Hetreed (Girl with a Pearl Earring, Wuthering Heights), who is working closely with author Chandran, who is creative consultant. Executive producers are Claire Mundell for Synchronicity Films and Karen Radzyner for Photoplay Films.

“At Synchronicity we have a drive and passion for adapting powerful and important books for the screen,” said Mundell, managing director and creative director of Synchronicity Films. “Song of the Sun God is one such book. Shankari Chandran’s novel is a poignant and deeply moving story of the Sri Lankan conflict seen through the prism of one family. With its timely and universal themes, we feel the project will resonate with global audiences. We are excited that Charithra is both joining the cast and the producing team.”

Radzyner, executive producer and head of development at Photoplay Films, added, “We are thrilled to be collaborating with such a dynamic team of talented women to bring this female-led story of a little known war to life. Shankari is an incredible novelist, and Olivia’s screenwriting compellingly captures the emotion and jeopardy for Shankari’s three generations of women. With Charithra now set to play our lead on-screen and join myself and Claire on the production, we couldn’t be [more] galvanized. There has never been a better time to tell this powerful story. We can’t wait to bring it to the screen.”