After Shakespeare, Vishal Bhardwaj takes on Agatha Christie in new franchise

Having adapted Shakespeare for the Indian screen with Maqbool (2004), Omkara (2006) and Haider (2014), director Vishal Bhardwaj has set his sights on another British icon, Agatha Christie. The director will now partner with Agatha Christie Limited to create a cinematic franchise based on the adventures of a new detective duo based on Christie's stories. 

Christies' iconic detectives include Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot and Tommy and Tuppence. However, Bhardwaj is likely to create new characters modelled on these inspirations to better suit Indian tastes. The first film will introduce a young heroine, who is thrown into solving a murder and teams up with an unlikely companion to unravel the case. Future films will follow the duo as they continue to investigate multiple murder mysteries.

The script for the franchise is currently in development, and it is not yet known which of Christie's books the director will be adapting. 

Speaking about their first collaboration in India, James Prichard, the great-grandson of the iconic writer and chairman and CEO of Agatha Christie Limited, said he was excited at the prospect of developing a new film franchise in India. "I am delighted to be partnering with Vishal, who is a multitalented and visionary filmmaker with a terrific track record for adapting works to create memorable pieces of cinema. He has also demonstrated a real passion and understanding of my great-grandmother’s characters and stories and I very much look forward to seeing where this project takes us,” said Prichard.

Speaking of the project, Bhardwaj said Christie had a tremendous skill of defining emotional chaos, dysfunctional relationships, and the turmoil in her characters while engaging us in a riveting mystery. "It is an honour to create an Indian franchise of a pair of young investigators looking to take over the world with their intelligence and charm. ACL has been such amazing partners and we are all excited to be on this journey," he said.

The cast for the film has not yet been finalised. The project will be produced by Basi Akpabio and Leo Dezoysa, who will serve as executive producers for Agatha Christie Limited. The franchise is expected to go on the floors in 2021.