Apple TV+ has revealed its first look at Shantaram. The much-anticipated TV series stars Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy), as he wanders into the 1980s slums of Bombay, India, in search of freedom and love. Shantaram, based on the 2003 novel of the same name by Gregory David Roberts, in 12 volumes. Three of them will premiere on October 14, on the streaming platform, while the remaining nine episodes will be released weekly, from Friday to December 16.
Hunnam (Pacific rim) plays Lin Ford, a drug addict who escapes from an Australian maximum-security prison, and arrives in India in the 1980s. Having enough experience with heroin and other substances, he reformed himself. I became a doctor, thanks to a fake passport, a welcome sign in the slums of Bombay. Events quickly escalate when the “doctor” becomes entangled with a local mafia boss, leading him to Afghanistan, where he trades guns to fight against the invading Russian army.
For the name ‘Shantaram“, it was gifted to Lin by the mother of his friend Prabaker. It means Man of God’s Peace. The book also details that he became fluent in the local Marathi language and started dealing with the lepers. Apple Haven’t done any interviews to confirm the level of detail of this adaptation. Shantaram A romantic twist is also expected, as Lin joins Karla (Antonia Desplat), leaving him with a choice between “love or freedom” and the complications that come with it.
In 2019, Radhika Apte (Andhadhun) was cast as Kavita Singh, an Indian journalist. According to IMDb, she will star in two episodes. At the time, Richard Roxburgh (Rake) was also nominated for the role of Australian Federal Police Sergeant Marty Nightingale, although his name is no longer visible. Instead, we have David Field (Mortal Kombat) play Wally Nightingale. Could this be a possible name change?
Apple originally planned to release the series in 2020, but it was delayed due to the monsoon and then the COVID-19 pandemic. Before Apple authorized it as a series, Shantaram was originally billed as a feature film release, with Warner Bros. in charge of distribution. Hollywood stars like Russell Crowe, Johnny Deppand Joel Edgerton were attached to it, at different stages. Conversations eventually broke down due to scheduling issues and studio interference.
Shantaram Also starring Shubham Saraf, Elektra Kilbey, Fayssal Bazzi (Peter Rabbit), Luke Pasqualino, Alyy Khan, Sujaya Dasgupta, Vincent Perez, Alexander Siddig (Star Wars: The Bad Batch), Gabrielle Scharnitzky, Elham Ehsas, Rachel Kamath, Matthew Joseph and Shiv Palekar. The series is written and run by Steve Lightfoot (Who punished), who also acts as a host. Meanwhile, Bharat Nalluri (Little America) directed the majority of the episodes, along with Bronwen Hughes and Justin Kurzel.
Shantaram Premieres on October 14 on Apple TV+ in India and worldwide.
