MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide India has announced a partnership with Aditya Birla Group’s Applause Entertainment that will see the two organisations working together to develop and produce Indian versions of iconic BBC formats.
Kicking off the partnership, BBC Worldwide and Applause Entertainment will work together to develop Indian versions of acclaimed BBC formats, Criminal Justice and The Office to bring to online audiences throughout India.
Criminal Justice is a British television drama series produced by the BBC. The original UK version was written by Peter Moffat, with each series following an individual on a gut wrenching journey through the criminal justice system. The series won multiple TV awards including BAFTA, RTS and International Emmys. It was also adapted in the US as The Night Of and starred John Turturro and Riz Ahmed who won an Emmy for his performance in the series.
BBC Worldwide South East Asia and South Asia SVP and GM Myleeta Aga said: “We are very excited to be working with Applause Entertainment, and are assembling an A-list cast of talent to ensure the highest standards of execution. We see Criminal Justice and The Office as just the first step in a long and fruitful partnership with Applause. We are confident this partnership will be result in many more incredibly popular and well-loved Indian adaptations of BBC formats.”
The original UK version of The Office won numerous TV awards and has spawned eight international versions in Europe. The UK version, written by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant is set in a nondescript paper office company in a nondescript industrial town and features narcissistic, childish and egotistical middle manager, David Brent (played by Ricky Gervais) and the psychological car wreck that is his life. The US version which starred Steve Carell in the lead role won numerous Emmys and went on for nine seasons.
Applause Entertainment CEO Sameer Nair said, “Applause is looking to create premium content for Indian viewers to watch online, delivered on the back of the big digital highways that have been built through telecom and all other platforms that exist. We feel that BBC Worldwide,with its high quality content library and formidable reputation for making premium content in India, is the ideal partner to work with. Together, we are pulling expertise and resources to adapt popular BBC formats here. We have picked shows that have been global successes and we believe that the Indian adaptations will meet the viewing needs of the Indian market.”
This will be the first time both Criminal Justice and The Office formats will be developed in Asia, with India being the first in Asia to launch Indian versions of the shows.
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