TVDRAMA
Applause Entertainment has signed on to develop an Indian version of BBC Studios’ acclaimed drama Luther.
The deal was announced as APOS gears up for its official opening in Bali, Indonesia, tomorrow. This is the second Asian format deal on the Idris Elba drama that has sold into some 230 territories following the South Korean remake, Less Than Evil.
Applause Entertainment, owned by India’s Aditya Birla Group, previously worked with BBC Studios on the Indian versions of The Office and Criminal Justice.
Sameer Nair, CEO of Applause Entertainment, noted, “We have just produced and premiered an Indian version of Criminal Justice, which has been incredibly well received by the local audience [on Hotstar]. We at Applause are always on the lookout for premium dramas we can produce for Indian viewers, and are proud to once again partner BBC Studios on Luther. The original Luther has a tremendous international following, and we believe that an Indian version will work very well in our region.”
Myleeta Aga, senior VP and general manager of South and Southeast Asia at BBC Studios, added, “We are pleased to work with Applause Entertainment to deliver high-end drama to our fans in India. Applause is known for its focus on creating premium drama, and we believe that they will be able to do the format justice. We look forward to its success.”
