Highly anticipated new drama series, Shantaram, will premiere across the globe on October 14 on Apple TV+. 

Based on Gregory David Roberts’ best-selling novel, the 12-episode series was filmed across Melbourne and regional Victoria with support through the Victorian Screen Incentive and the Australian Government’s Location Incentive Program.

With an epic storyline spanning from Melbourne to Mumbai, Shantaram was based at Docklands Studios Melbourne during its 10 months of production, working with Victoria’s highly skilled and experienced HODs, crew and screen businesses with the series also filming in Thailand.

All of the Melbourne scenes, including key passages recreating Roberts’ jailbreak from Pentridge Prison, were filmed in Victoria. The state’s versatile and accessible locations also doubled for Mumbai in the 1980s.

Home to Australia’s largest Indian population, Victoria’s Indian community played a key role in the project with hundreds of extras employed on the production, which stars Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy, Pacific Rim). 

Based on the international best-selling novel by Gregory David Roberts, the highly anticipated drama series is a hopeful cinematic love story coupled with a thrilling epic adventure that follows one man’s journey to redemption through a country that changes his life. 

Shantaram was a global sensation when it was released in 2003. The book has been published in 39 languages and sold over 6 million copies worldwide.

The series is co-created, written and executive produced by Steve Lightfoot, who also serves as showrunner. Bharat Nalluri directs and executive produces. Andrea Barron, Nicole Clemens, Steve Golin, Justin Kurzel, also executive produce along with Eric Warren Singer, who co-created the series.  Shantaram is produced by Paramount Television Studios and Anonymous Content’s AC Studios.

Want to find out more about filming in Victoria?
Contact Joe Brinkmann,
Head of Incentives & Production Support at VicScreen
[email protected]