Amitav Ghosh's 'Ibis trilogy' deals with the trade of opium between India, Britain and China, and is a three-part book which is by far one of the most superlative pieces of English writing by an Indian. The magnum opus is now being adapted by the ace director Shekhar Kapur as a series and fans can't keep calm!
Taking to his Twitter, actor Kabir Bedi revealed the news for the audience. He said that the series would be written by the famous scriptwriter of the 'Vikings', Michael Hirst and directed by Shekhar.
Kabir revealed "Shekhar Kapur to Direct an epic series on 19th century Opium trade between Britain India and China, based on @GhoshAmitav’s IBIS trilogy, produced by @endemolshine, written by Michael Hirst, who scripted THE TUDORS, VIKINGS & @ShekharKapur’s Oscar nominated ELIZABETH. Brilliant!"
Earlier, Shekhar had informed us through his twitter about the opium trade saying it funded the industrial revolution in the West. He informed "Opium trade funded industrial revolution in the west. It was grown/packed in India. Food production in Bengal was uprooted as British forced farmers to convert vast tracts of land to poppy. And when the Chinese emperor objected, the British went to War! On grounds of free trade!"
'Ibis Trilogy' is a historical fiction by Amitav in which he has described about the trade in detail. Set in the first half of the nineteenth century, the three-part book deals with trade of opium between India and China which was run by he the British East India Company. It also mentions the trafficking of coolies to Mauritius.
