Acclaimed Indian filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj (Haider) has been tapped as showrunner and executive producer on Midnight’s Children, Netflix’s upcoming series based on Salman Rushdie’s seminal novel.

Bhardwaj’s work spans direction, screenwriting, production and music across genres in Hindi cinema. He has adapted several global pieces of literature for the screen, including Macbeth (Hindi film Maqbool), Othello (Omkara), Hamlet (Haider), and The Blue Umbrella. He is the recipient of seven prestigious National Film Awards in India. His adaptation of Hamlet, Haider (2014) won the People’s Choice award at the Rome Film Festival. He’s repped by UTA.

“The scope and scale of Midnight’s Children can only be translated by a creator with an expansive vision, depth of storytelling, and a nuanced knowledge of bringing characters to life,” said Simran Sethi, Director-Creative International Originals for Netflix. “We couldn’t have imagined anyone other than Vishal Bhardwaj as the showrunner on this series and are honored that he will steer the project.”

“The opportunity to translate one of the greatest works of literature in a medium that is accessible to millions of people around the world is incredible, and I’m delighted to partner with Netflix in bringing Midnight’s Children to life on screen,” said Bhardwaj. “I’m confident that taking this quintessentially Indian epic that transcends generations and genres, combined with the production values and creative freedom that Netflix offers, will contribute to an unforgettable series that is Indian at heart and global in reach.”