Roy Kapur Films and WIIP Partner to Adapt William Dalrymple's The Anarchy

In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, global independent studio WIIP (known for producing the well-received web series Mare of Easttown) and Indian production house Roy Kapur Films will create a web series adaptation of writer-historian William Dalrymple's critically acclaimed and best-selling book The Anarchy: The Relentless Rise of the East India Company.

The web series will be produced in both the UK and Asia.

According to a source, the first season of the web series will cost $100 million, which is comparable to the budgets of critically acclaimed large-scale web series such as The Crown and Game of Thrones.

The Anarchy: The Relentless Rise of the East India Company tells the story of how the East India Company, based in a small London office, seized control of the entire Indian subcontinent, accounting for more than one-fourth of the world's GDP at the time.

The web series will be directed by legendary British director Stephen Frears, known for films such as Dangerous Liaisons (1988) and My Beautiful Laundrette (1985).

"This is the most contemporary of themes. A ruthless businessman and his corporation seizing power, a group of oligarchs gaining control of a portion of the world, asset stripping, looting, manipulating the stock market, and destroying entire economies for profit. "The East India Company stole India in the 18th century," stated director Stephen Frears.

This will be the first large-scale collaboration between Indian production and an international production house to create a web series adaptation.

The series will most likely be funded by a global streaming platform.

"Stephen's versatility as a filmmaker is unmatched. He has directed some of the most popular films of the past four decades. "Having him on board to direct this project is a dream come true," said producer Siddharth Roy Kapur, founder of Roy Kapur Films.

"Working with our production partners at WIIP has been a truly enriching experience. This is a story that required scale, depth, and ambition, and I am proud that we have assembled an extraordinary team to bring it to life for a global audience," he said.