Landmark Rushdie novel set for Netflix treatment

The novel that established Salman Rushdie as the pre-eminent author of his generation, Midnight’s Children, will be the next high profile literary series adapted by Netflix.

Midnight’s Children, which tells the story of India’s birth as a nation through the eyes of a boy born on the stroke of midnight on independence day in 1947, will form the basis for a series set to appear towards the end of 2018.

“Midnight’s Children is one of the great novels of the world, and its themes are still relevant to the India of today,” said Erik Barmack, vice president of international originals for Netflix.

The novel won the Booker Prize in the 1981, and was subsequently twice named the greatest winner of that prize, in 1993 and 2008.

“The narrative continues to fascinate audiences decades after it was first published,” said Barmack. “We are incredibly excited to translate this pioneering work of fiction that parallels the birth of modern India, for a global audience. The rich experience and talent of Indian creators combined with the global reach of Netflix, have the potential for millions of more people around the world to rediscover this story.”

The new series will mark the second time the book has been adapted. In 2012 a feature was produced from Rushdie’s screenplay, directed by Deepa Mehta.