Ronnie Screwvala’s RSVP Movies to back series based on Bhopal Gas Tragedy

Ronnie Screwvala's RSVP Movies and Ramesh Krishnamoorthy's Global One Studios are producing a series based on the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy. RSVP Movies took to Twitter to announce that it has optioned screen adaptation rights to Dominique Lapierre and Javier Moro's bestseller Five Past Midnight in Bhopal.

Here is the announcement

Celebrating the spirit of human endeavour against all odds with an epic, edge of the seat story that needs to be told! #FridaysWithRSVP #DominiqueLapierre @javiermoro123 @RonnieScrewvala @SanayaIZohrabi #RameshKrishnamoorthy pic.twitter.com/dTj8zE4c4H

— RSVP Movies (@RSVPMovies) December 4, 2020

According to a report by Variety, Screwvala said that Five Past Midnight in Bhopal is a "breath-taking story, compellingly told" and needs to be adapted for screen with the importance and scale as that of Chernobyl.

"A series that will keep you on the edge of your seat, touch your heart, provoke your anger and compassion. It will challenge the determination and implementation of international policy while also celebrating the spirit of human endeavor against all odds. There isn’t a better time for this story to be told,” Screwvala was quoted as saying.

He also said that RSVP has collaborated with executive producer Ramesh Krishnamoorthy are in talks with potential international showrunners, writers and directors.

Five Past Midnight in Bhopal: The Epic Story of the World’s Deadliest Industrial Disaster touches upon human endeavour against all odds including poverty, natural disaster and the evil of man.

The story talks about a little girl from Odisha named Padmini whose journey takes her from Mudilapa village to Bhopal. The fascinating read also talks about the company Union Carbide. It weaves hundreds of characters, eyewitness accounts, and adventures into one thrilling human tapestry.

It was on the night of 2 December 1984, chemical, methyl isocyanate (MIC) spilled out from Union Carbide India Limited’s (UCIL) pesticide factory and turned the city of Bhopal into a colossal gas chamber. The incident was India's major industrial disaster.

More than 15,000 people were killed and over 6,00,000 workers were affected. The gas leak also impacted trees and animals. People ran on streets, vomiting and dying with the city running out of cremation grounds.

(With inputs from Press Trust of India)