Applause Entertainment Secures Rights to Six Jeffrey Archer Novels

Applause Entertainment, the largest Indian content studio as a part of Aditya Birla Group has bought exclusive screen rights on six of the best selling British novelist Jeffrey Archers iconic novels.

This is a landmark deal as it is the first time that the studio is entering into global fictions with titles such as The Clifton Chronicles and Fourth Estate, First Among Equals, The Eleventh Commandment, Sons of Fortune, and Heads You Win. The deal, launched on August 4, will see Applause develop these novels into high-end series and feature films, including translation into a variety of languages and mediums.

The political thrillers, spy novels, the clash of the power of the media, multi-generational family melodramas that Archer created, provide a rich story canvas. Sameer Nair, Managing Director of Applause Entertainment, described the arrangement as a “milestone moment” underlining how the studio seeks to bring stories into this dimension where they can be brought to life with a grand cinematic appeal. Nair pointed out Archer has character-rich and screenable novels, because of their universal appeal.

• Applause Entertainment Acquires Rights to 6 Jeffrey Archer Novels for Screen Adaptations
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• Applause to Turn Archer’s Bestsellers into Series and Films in Landmark Global Deal

Jeffrey Archer, joining via video link from London, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, citing Applause’s commitment to honoring his original stories. “I’ve always had a deep fondness for India, a nation that has embraced my stories like its own,” said Archer, an ardent cricket lover. He stressed the importance of staying true to his narratives, recalling past unauthorized adaptations in India that frustrated him. “They just stole the story,” he noted, praising Applause for their legitimate approach.

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The agreement, which was reached following one year of talks, shows the desire of Applause to merge international narrative with Indian creative flairs. The studio deals with highly rated shows such as Scam 1992 and Criminal Justice to enlist the interests of the creative society within India to work on these adaptations. This will go into production soon, and casting and distribution announcements should be made in three to six months. The move does not only boost the international profile of the company Applause but is also expected to gift the world with the classic stories of Archer.