Anonymous Content and Paramount TV earlier this year won a monthlong bidding war for the rights to Roberts’ sprawling 2004 novel set in Australia and India about love, forgiveness, courage and redemption. A deal was also made for rights to Robert’s sequel novel The Mountain Shadow.

The companies have since brought aboard Oscar nominee Eric Warren Singer (American Hustle), who will write and executive produce, and Emmy-nominated TV writer-producer David Manson (Ozark, Bloodline, House of Cards) who will executive produce. Also executive producing the potential Shantaram series are Anonymous Content’s Nicole Clemens and Steve Golin, as well as Andrea Barron.

The book, published in 39 languages in 42 territories worldwide with 6 million copies sold, tells the story of Lin, a man on the run from an Australian prison looking to get lost in the teeming city of Bombay. Cut off from family and friends by distance and fate, he finds a new life in the slums, bars and underworld of India.  The novel is a thrilling and profound exploration of love, forgiveness, and courage on the long road to redemption.

“I’m honored and humbled in equal measure as a writer, and thrilled for the many readers who have hoped that Shantaram would become a vivid screen experience,” Roberts said at the time of Par TV and Anonymous’ deal for the book. “Television is the perfect medium for the novel.”

Apple is employing both straight-to-series orders and deals for projects it takes in to develop for straight-to-series consideration.