Viu to adapt Israeli drama duo

The original Beauty & the Baker

Asian streamer Viu has picked up Indian remake rights to a pair of Israeli scripted comedy series, including a show that is also being adapted in the US.

Viu will remake Beauty & the Baker, which was also ordered by US broadcast network ABC last week, and The Stylist for its service.

Both series were originally commissioned by Keshet Broadcasting for Keshet 12 in Israel and are being distributed as both finished tape and formats by Keshet International (KI).

Beauty & the Baker will be adapted in local language Telugu by Annapurna Studios, while The Stylist will be remade in Hindi by Rose Audio Visuals, with Bollywood director Goldie Behl showrunning.

Salman Hussain, chief revenue officer at Viu parent Vuclip, said the partnership “gives us the liberty to bring two of the highest-viewed primetime shows in Israel to the Indian market. Along with bringing more entertainment for our audience, we are adding to the repertoire of offerings delivering unique concepts for the region.”

Gary Pudney, Keshet International’s general manager for Asia, added: “We are excited to be partnering with Viu for the very first time and bringing these two engaging rom-coms to Telugu- and Hindi-speaking audiences in India.

“The international success of Keshet series like Prisoners of War, Traffic Light, When Heroes Fly and Beauty & the Baker, which just got picked up by ABC in the States last week, shows how well Israeli storytelling continues to travel and captivate audiences around the world, whatever the platform.”

KI has secured a raft of Indian format deals over recent years, including a remake of Prisoners of War for Star TV, and Rising Star India, which premiered on Colors TV in 2017.