Endemol Shine India options Ghote books

Endemol Shine India has optioned HRF Keating’s Inspector Ghote series of detective novels for adaptation into a multi-part returnable drama.

Abhishek Rege

British crime writer Keating first introduced the character of Inspector Ghote, an officer in India’s Bombay CID, in his 1964 novel The Perfect Murder, before going on to write a further 24 books featuring the character.

Several of the books have been adapted for the screen in the past, including a 1988 film of The Perfect Murder and a BBC adaptation of Inspector Ghote Hunts the Peacock in 1969.

The new book-to-screen deal coincides with Severn House republishing each of the Inspector Ghote novels and the recent publication of the biography HRF Keating: A Life of Crime by the late author’s wife, actress Sheila Mitchell.

Abhishek Rege, CEO of Endemol Shine India, said: “We at Endemol Shine India look forward to bringing alive the inimitable world of Inspector Ghote first created by HRF Keating in the 1960s. Our attraction to the series, along with the prestige of reintroducing the legacy of HRF to a new audience, was the wide appeal and popularity of this lovable Indian Inspector.

“This universe celebrates not just a highly endearing and enduring character but also the nostalgia of a slice of our collective past, history and culture. The joy as producers and creators is to be able to create content that cuts across demographics and geographies because it is unique relatable and entertaining.”