The audio-visual rights of Manu S Pillai’s non-fiction book The Ivory Throne: Chronicles of the House of Travancore have been optioned by Baahubali producer Arka Mediaworks, the book’s publishers, Harper Collins, announced on Monday.
Pillai’s 2015 book looks at the life and times of Sethu Lakshmi Bayi, the last queen of the House of Travancore. Apart from the painter Raja Ravi Varma and his wife, the book’s characters include English agents, wife-swapping court favourites and lecherous kings. The House of Travancore, founded in 1729, lasted till 1949.
“He tells a compelling and unique narrative of an Indian princely state that has rarely been explored or seen on screen before,” Baahubali producer Shobu Yarlagadda said in a press statement. “The stories, culture and traditions from a bygone era can be captivating and engaging to audiences, both in India and abroad.”
Arka Mediaworks’s Baahubali films, released in two parts in 2015 and 2017 respectively, together grossed over Rs 2,400 crore worldwide.
Excited to have optioned @UnamPillai's work #theIvoryThrone! We @arkamediaworks are so looking forward to adapting this to screen! Its retelling of a very fascinating period in Indian history! Here's hoping we can do justice to Manu's 5 years of hard work!https://t.co/D18StbkcOj
— Shobu Yarlagadda (@Shobu_) March 18, 2019