EXCLUSIVE: Richard Roxburgh (Moulin Rouge!) and Radhika Apte are set as series regulars opposite Charlie Hunnam in Apple’s sweeping international drama series Shantaram, based on Gregory David Roberts’ bestselling novel. It hails from Anonymous Content and Paramount Television.

St. Martin's Press/Apple

Written by Eric Warren Singer (American Hustle), Shantaram tells the story of Lin (Hunnam), 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.

Australian actor Roxburgh will play Detective Sergeant Marty Nightingalem who works for the Australian Federal Police and is part of a small, elite unit trained for the pursuit and capture of escaped convicts.

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Indian film and theater actress Apte will play Kavita, a driven Indian journalist looking for answers.

Justin Kurzel (Assassin’s Creed) is set to direct the first two episodes of the 10-episode series.

Singer and Kurzel executive produce with former Fear the Walking Dead showrunner Dave Erickson, Anonymous Content’s Steve Golin, as well as Nicole Clemens, Andrea Barron and Richard Sharkey.

The series is expected to start production in Australia and India in October with a $5 million tax incentive from the Australian government.

The book has been published in 39 languages in 42 territories worldwide with 6 million copies sold.

Roxburgh co-created, executive produced and played the title character in the award-winning Australian TV series Rake, which ran for five seasons and spawned a U.S. remake starring Greg Kinnear. He also was the male lead opposite Cate Blanchett in the Broadway productions of Uncle Vanya and The Present. Roxburgh, who will next be seen in the HBO/Sky miniseries Catherine the Great opposite Helen Mirren, is repped by Gersh, Anonymous Content and Shanahan Management.

Apte is repped by Curtis Brown and UTA.