Vishesh Bhatt to produce web series on RK Laxman's book

Vishesh Bhatt has come aboard to produce a web series based on legendary cartoonist RK Laxman's book "Servants of India".

This will be the first time that the work by Laxman, who was known for his social commentary and satires, will be adapted for the digital platform.

RK IPR Management Pvt Ltd, a company founded by Laxman, has entrusted the rights of the book to Bhatt.

"RK Laxman had interesting stories to tell and his vulnerable characters enhanced his vision. I am so glad that his family believed in me and gave me the opportunity to make this series.

"I am really looking forward to working on this project and bringing his characters to life with contemporary twists," the filmmaker said in a statement.

The series would be a satirical drama on the casual class prejudices in India with the absurdity of situations that people have experienced.

The book has some unpublished material that will also be seen for the first time adapted in the series.

Laxman's "The Guide", for which the writer won the Sahitya Akademi Award, went on to become a Hindi cinema classic in the Dev Anand-Waheeda Rehman-starrer (1965).

His "Swami and Friends" and "The Vendor of Sweets" were turned into the 1986 series for Doodarshan, "Malgudi Days". "Mr Sampath", a novel, was made into a Hindi film of the same name with Padmini and Motilal and "The Financial Expert" was made into Kannada film, "Banker Margayya".