ITVS, BBCS partner for Indian dramas

Gold Digger centres on a relationship between a woman and a younger man

ITV Studios (ITVS) and BBC Studios (BBCS) India have signed a production partnership deal to adapt ITV Studios scripted dramas in India.

BBCS India will adapt Gold Digger, Sticks & Stones, Trauma and 35 Days for the local market. It will also look at taking the dramas into the growing Tamil and Telugu markets.

Gold Digger focuses on a wealthy woman who falls in love with a much younger man and the impact this has on her already damaged family. It was originally produced by Mainstreet Pictures, part of ITVS, for BBC1 in 2019.

Sticks & Stones is a drama about the dark consequences of workplace bullying written by Mike Bartlett, who created Doctor Foster. It was produced by Tall Story Pictures, part of ITVS, for ITV in 2019.

Thriller Trauma was also created and written by Bartlett and is about a father grappling with losing his son and blaming the hospital trauma consultant. Tall Story Pictures also produced the series for ITV in 2017.

Finally, Welsh drama 35 Days unravels the period leading up to a death and who could be responsible for it. There have been five seasons since 2014, produced by ITVS outfit Boom Cymru for S4C.

BBCS India has previously adapted Criminal Justice, Out of Love (Doctor Foster) and is working on a local version of police drama Luther.

Augustus Dulgaro, exec VP of distribution for Asia Pacific at ITVS, said: “Working with BBCS India will only strengthen what we can both achieve in the region. These are really powerful stories, full of themes that matter to all of us: betrayal, love, family intrigue and loss. I’m very much looking forward to seeing our IP repurposed for South Asian audiences.”