Oscar-nominated Indian Film Director Shekhar Kapur, who gained international recognition with the 1994 Bollywood film “Bandit Queen” which also went on to win the National Award for Best Feature Film, is going to make a film based on the 19th century Opium trade between British India and China.
The film will be written by Michael Hirst, who also scripted drama series like “The Tudors”, “Vikings” along with writing the script for Kapur’s Oscar nominated film “Elizabeth.”
Shekhar Kapur to Direct an epic series on 19th century Opium trade between Britain India and China, based on @GhoshAmitav’s IBIS trilogy, produced by @endemolshine, written by Michael Hirst, who scripted THE TUDORS, VIKINGS & @ShekharKapur’s Oscar nominated ELIZABETH. Brilliant! https://t.co/bbraZu0gvD
— KABIR BEDI (@iKabirBedi) December 6, 2019
Earlier Shekhar Kapur tweeted his view on the Opium trade.
Opium trade funded industrial revolution in the west. It was grown/packed in India. Food production in Bengal was uprooted as British forced farmers to convert vast tracts of land to poppy. And when the Chinese emperor objected, the British went to War! On grounds of free trade!
— Shekhar Kapur (@shekharkapur) December 5, 2019
