Shantaram: A Captivating Adaptation Across Global Landscapes
The bestselling novel is finally hitting the screens and globetrotting around the Asia-Pacific.
10 October 2022
Based on the bestselling 2003 novel by Gregory David Roberts and spanning vastly contrasted settings in Australia and India, Shantaram was a shoo-in for a transfer to the screen. A semi-autobiographical tale in the vein of 1970s blockbuster Papillon, it follows addict and robber Lin Ford from a life of crime to prison and then escapes to a new life in the poorest areas of Mumbai, where he partially reinvents himself while evading an international police hunt.
Before Apple TV’s adaptation, various actors, including Russell Crowe, Johnny Depp, and Joel Edgerton, were considered for lead roles, while directors like Peter Weir and Mira Nair were also in the mix. The 10-part series is led by Charlie Hunnam, known for Sons of Anarchy and Pacific Rim, alongside Antonia Desplat as Karla, Alexander Siddig as his nemesis Khader Khan, and Shubham Saraf as his friend Prabhu.
Even with Apple’s involvement, the series faced challenges. Original showrunner Eric Warren Singer transitioned to Steve Lightfoot due to creative differences. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic halted production for a year and necessitated a location change from India to Thailand. Nevertheless, the magic of TV ensured that these issues remained invisible on screen, with a patchwork of set-dressing that recreated an authentic 1980s India, bringing the story to vivid life.
Filming Locations in Australia
Filming in Australia was primarily based in Melbourne’s Docklands Studios, offering both studio and location shooting. Errol Street, with its Victorian architecture, was used for a dramatic scene, while Queensbury Street stood in for Mumbai, complete with market stalls and Indian buses, drawing upon the local Asian community for extras.
Another significant filming site is Pentridge Prison, located north of Melbourne. This facility, built in 1851 and closed in 1997, not only served as the jail for Ford in the source novel but also housed its author, Roberts, and was home to the infamous Ned Kelly. This authentic location added depth to the narrative before its imminent redevelopment.
Challenges Faced in Bhopal
The initial plan was to film Shantaram in Australia and India. However, by late 2019, the production shifted to Bhopal for scenes designed to depict Mumbai. Utilising areas that remained unchanged since the 1980s, such as the well-known Chowk Bazar, the production team also constructed a set to represent the shantytown where Ford initially settles. Unfortunately, COVID-19 paused filming in February 2020, complicating already challenging circumstances, including numerous health issues faced by Hunnam during shooting. He remarked on the experience that involved battling various illnesses while filming in harsh conditions.
Production Relocation to Bangkok
Subsequently, due to ongoing COVID restrictions in India, the team relocated to Thailand in mid-2021. Thailand has frequently served as a substitute location, depicting various Asian settings in global productions. For Shantaram, the crew reconstructed an area in Bangkok’s Chinatown to evoke the streets of 1980s Mumbai. This area has already been utilized for other productions, further demonstrating its versatility as a location.
Moreover, an hour outside Bangkok, the production team built a shantytown complete with a river. The authenticity of the setting offered a profound backdrop for the portrayal of Ford’s struggles among the downtrodden and criminal world. Actor Shubham Saraf noted the arduous conditions, specifically the extreme heat during the day and mosquito infestations at night, during their grueling shooting schedule of 13-hour days, six days a week.
Shantaram streams on Apple TV+ starting Friday, 14 October 2022.
