Charlie Higson to Co-Write ‘Curse of the Kohinoor’ Series (EXCLUSIVE)
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Charlie Higson, British writer and actor, known for his “Young Bond” novel series, has boarded “Curse of the Kohinoor,” a recently announced Anglo-Indian heist series, as its co-writer. He will join Farrukh Dhondy (“Mangal Pandey: The Rising”), screenwriter and former Channel 4 commissioning editor for multicultural programming, on the project.
The thriller recounts a plot to steal the Kohinoor diamond, centerpiece of the British Crown Jewels. Featuring many of the biggest names from the Indian entertainment industry, “Curse” intertwines the history of the iconic diamond with the story of an incredible robbery attempt.
The series will be directed by Colin Teague, director of the BAFTA-winning BBC series “Dr Who” and ITV’s “Beowulf.” “Curse” will be shot on location in India and the U.K. from March 2020. Executive producers are Padma Galla for Amara Raja Media & Entertainment, Rahul Aggarwal for Star Entertainment Worldwide, and Bobby Bedi for Contentflow Studios.
Charles Thompson, who has made numerous hit TV shows for major broadcasters around the world, has come on board as line producer. In the U.K., he created “Traffic Cops” for BBC One, which ran in primetime for more than a decade, and “Send in the Dogs” for ITV1. In the U.S. he was executive producer of the Fox show “Paradise Hotel.”
Amara Raja Media & Entertainment is the recently launched entertainment division, a spin-off from the Amara Raja industrial empire that made its fortune in car batteries, and which owns physical studios in South India. The new division is focused on producing major drama series for the international marketplace.
Higson’s “Young Bond” novel series has sold over a million copies in the U.K. and has been translated into 25 different languages. “The Enemy,” Higson’s seven-book zombie adventure series for teenagers, has also sold over a million copies. His TV work writing work includes “Saturday Live,” “Harry Enfield’s Television Programme,” “Randall and Hopkirk Deceased,” “Miss Marple,” sitcom “Swiss Toni” and the BAFTA winning sketch series “The Fast Show,” which he co-created, co-produced and starred in with Paul Whitehouse.
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