Apple TV+ series Shantaram seeks film incentives in India

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Apple TV+ series Shantaram seeking incentives in India
Coming to Apple TV+ soon.
Photo: St. Martin's Griffin

When India launches an incentive program to lure production companies to make movies in the country, Apple apparently wants in. According to a new report, upcoming Apple TV+ series Shantaram might become “one of the first major foreign productions to tap into the country’s impending film incentives scheme.”

India has yet to officially announce the scheme. The country reportedly will offer a 30% tax break on projects filmed in India, capped at $300,000 (20 million rupees) per production.

Much as Apple sought tax incentives for manufacturing its devices in India, Shantaram executive producer Richard Sharkey hopes the production will be eligible for the film program.

Apple TV+ series set in India

Shantaram tells the story of an Australian bank robber (played by Sons of Anarchy’s Charlie Hunnam) who becomes a gangster in the slums of Mumbai. The 10-episode series is based on a best-selling novel by Gregory David Roberts.

Australian movie director Justin Kurzel (Snowtown, Macbeth) will direct four of the 10 episodes, including the first and last two. Oscar-nominee Eric Warren Singer, who wrote the screenplays for American Hustle and the upcoming Top Gun sequel, wrote the script.

The shoot in India began just over a week ago and will continue until June. If Apple renews Shantaram for a second season , that could mean future filming in the country. (Cupertino already renewed several Apple TV+ shows.)

Growing its market in India

Apple has been trying to grow its market in India for some time. As Cupertino attempts to tap into the country’s massive consumer base, it continues to increase manufacturing there. Apple now makes multiple flagship iPhones in India.

It remains to be seen whether an Apple TV+ series set in the country can help grow Apple’s popularity in India. Presumably we’ll able to tell when Shantaram debuts sometime in 2020 or 2021.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

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