Film Production
Jeffrey Archer tips his hat to India’s enduring love for great stories
MUMBAI: When an Archer hits the screen, it’s bound to be cinematic. In a landmark move that marries British literary mastery with Indian storytelling flair, Applause Entertainment has acquired exclusive screen rights to six of Jeffrey Archer’s most popular novels, The Clifton Chronicles, Fourth Estate, First Among Equals, The Eleventh Commandment, Sons of Fortune, and Heads You Win. This marks Applause’s first foray into global fiction adaptations and sets the stage for a string of prestige projects that promise political intrigue, media dynasties, and multi-generational drama with an unmistakably Indian flavour.
In a candid and entertaining conversation, author Jeffrey Archer and Applause Entertainment’s managing director Sameer Nair gave a glimpse into the creative chemistry behind this literary-meets-OTT deal. “I’m sentimental about my Everest story,” Archer said, musing about Prisoner of Birth, a title he still hopes will see a screen adaptation someday. Reflecting on timeless narratives, he added, “Jane Austen, Higgins, Agatha Christie they go on. A good story lasts and lasts.”
This acquisition isn’t just about borrowing bestsellers. “We’re looking to take these stories to a much wider audience,” Nair said. “The adaptations will be reimagined in Hindi, possibly Tamil or Bengali, and crafted for young adult sensibilities without compromising on Archer’s signature pace and drama.” The projects will be helmed by a wide pool of Indian creators Applause has previously collaborated with. “We’re already in discussions, and within the next 3–6 months, you’ll hear announcements,” Nair assured.
The creative challenges, however, aren’t just about casting or rewriting. “Jeffrey and I see eye-to-eye more easily than our lawyers do,” Nair quipped. “But that’s true for everything in showbiz. The lawyers will hold us up more than anyone else.” Archer added, tongue firmly in cheek, “I’ll wait to see the results before I comment again!”
The plan isn’t to play only to Archer’s existing readership either. As Nair explained, “Reading requires literacy. Consuming audiovisual content doesn’t. The idea is to make these adaptations contemporary, bold, and cinematic to reach beyond readers, to those who haven’t read the books, and make them fall in love with the story all over again.”
Asked about the marketing vision, Nair kept it grounded: “We’ve got to make the shows first. Once we do that, we’ll see where they go.” The team hinted at partnerships with global streaming platforms and a high-quality visual treatment, given Archer’s dense plotting and character arcs.
The move also fits squarely within Applause’s content philosophy of adapting compelling, well-known IPs with local creative sensibilities. The studio has previously reimagined formats like Scam 1992 and Criminal Justice for Indian audiences.
For Archer, whose books have sold over 275 million copies globally, this collaboration marks another chapter in his screen journey. His previous titles like Kane and Abel have made it to TV but often, without his permission. “I hate it when people say, ‘I loved Kane and Abel on television,’” Archer lamented. “They just stole the story!”
As for storytelling itself? Both Archer and Nair agree, it’s universal. “There’s no such thing as Indian or foreign storytelling. A local story is only good if it’s universal,” Nair summed up. Archer added, “I read an Italian novel recently The Leopard. Didn’t care that it was Sicilian. It was a damn good story.”
And now, six damn good stories are headed to Indian screens with a fresh voice, but Archer’s trademark twists intact. Let the adaptations begin.
Film Production
Arka Mediaworks onboards 88 Pictures as animation studio partner on ‘The Eternal War – Part 1’
Arka Mediaworks announces that 88 Pictures, the acclaimed animation and visual storytelling studio known for its cutting-edge CGI and cinematic artistry, is on board as the animation partner for the highly anticipated Baahubali: The Eternal War, a groundbreaking two-part 3D animated feature film set in the globally beloved Baahubali universe.
Baahubali: The Eternal War represents a bold new chapter in the Baahubali saga envisioned for national and international audiences and crafted with the ambition of delivering one of India’s most ambitious and globally benchmarked animation projects to date.
88 Pictures will execute the animation production, bringing to life the film’s richly detailed worlds, epic battle sequences, and larger-than-life characters with its signature blend of artistic vision, performance-driven animation, and advanced production pipelines. Working closely with the film’s creative leadership and technical partners, the studio aims to set new benchmarks in animation quality, cinematic storytelling, and global scalability.
This animated epic follows the successful re-release of Baahubali: The Epic (the combined theatrical version of the original live-action films) on 31 October 2025 across India and the USA. During the film’s interval, legendary creator and director S.S. Rajamouli (Baahubali 1 & 2, RRR) stunned audiences with a surprise teaser for The Eternal War – Part 1. The video immediately went viral, garnering widespread national and international acclaim across LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube for its ambitious visual style and scale.
Produced by Arka Mediaworks and led by co-founder and CEO Shobu Yarlagadda – producer of the iconic Baahubali duology, The Eternal War brings together fantastic storytelling and cutting-edge animation.. The film is directed and written by acclaimed animation filmmaker Ishan Shukla (Schirkoa: In Lies We Trust, Star Wars: Visions – “The Bandits of Golak”) and screenplay by Scott Mosier (The Grinch). Mihira Visual Labs, the studio co-founded by Yarlagadda anchors the film’s animation, visual development, and execution.
The partnership with 88 Pictures brings significant pedigree to the project; the studio is well-regarded for its work on high-profile international titles including DreamWorks’ series Trollhunters, the HBO Max original series Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, Disney’s animated short An Almost Christmas Story to name a few.
Yarlagadda shared, “We are happy to onboard 88 Pictures as the animation studio partner for our prestigious and most expensive animated film from India. We believe that their expertise and capabilities will allow us to produce a first-of-its-kind, world-class animated feature film from India.”
88 Pictures founder & CEO Milind D. Shinde said, “Baahubali changed the way cinema is perceived and became a defining milestone that turned the tide for Indian live-action filmmaking. Expanding the franchise into an entirely new universe—at a never-seen, never-done scale—through an animated feature created in India for a global audience is set to redefine how the world views Indian animation. We are truly thrilled to be part of this landmark project and to bring it to life under the visionary direction of Ishan Shukla, guided by the experience and leadership of acclaimed producer Shobu Yarlagadda.”
Shukla expressed, “Eternal War requires a level of visual and emotional precision that can only come from teams who truly understand both craft and intent. Working with 88 Pictures, alongside Mihira Visual Labs, has been a deeply collaborative experience. This association brings together technical excellence and creative sensitivity, enabling us to translate an ambitious vision into a compelling cinematic reality.”
Baahubali: The Eternal War – Part 1 is scheduled for release in 2027
