After Shooting in South Africa and India, CTV's New Dramedy THE INDIAN DETECTIVE Starring Russell Peters Wraps Production in Toronto

– Original four-part CTV Event Series from award-winning executive producer Frank Spotnitz (THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE, THE X-FILES) of Big Light Productions and Lance Samuels and Daniel Iron (MADIBA, THE BOOK OF NEGROES) of Blue Ice Pictures Produced in association with CTV –
– Featuring William Shatner (STAR TREK) alongside Russell Peters –
–  Bollywood star Anupam Kher (Silver Linings Playbook, Bend It Like Beckham), Christina Cole (Casino Royale, SUITS), and Mishqah Parthiephal (Snake Park) also confirmed as supporting cast –
– THE INDIAN DETECTIVE set to premiere as part of CTV's 2017/18 schedule –

To tweet this release: http://bmpr.ca/2oHlrpW

TORONTO, April 26, 2017 /CNW/ - CTV along with producing partners Big Light Productions and Blue Ice Pictures announced today that production has wrapped on THE INDIAN DETECTIVE, following international production in Cape Town, South Africa and Mumbai, India earlier this year. The four-part, one-hour, comedic drama, starring international comedy sensation Russell Peters in his first scripted TV series, is set to premiere as part of CTV's 2017/18 schedule.

THE INDIAN DETECTIVE follows Toronto cop Doug D'Mello (Peters) as he becomes embroiled in a murder case while visiting his father, Stanley (Anupam Kher), in Mumbai. The investigation leads Doug to uncover a dangerous conspiracy while dealing with his own ambivalence towards a country where despite his heritage, he is an outsider.

"Russell Peters is a comedic superstar," said Corrie Coe, Senior Vice-President, Original Programming, Bell Media. "Following a series of successful international shoots in Cape Town and Mumbai, Russell returns home as production wraps in Toronto. We are thrilled to be working with such an exceptionally talented group of cast and producers to bring this fish-out-of-water police drama, mixed with Russell's comedic voice, to life."

"I am thrilled to be working with the amazing Russell Peters and this incredible team," said Frank Spotnitz, Big Light Productions. "This is a show with a huge heart that looks at different cultures with the kind of wit and insight that audiences around the world have come to expect from Russell."

"It is an honour to have developed and produced this international series with such renowned collaborators as Russell Peters, Frank Spotnitz and director Sandy Johnson," said Executive Producers Lance Samuels and Daniel Iron of Blue Ice Pictures. "We are also thrilled to be making the show with our great partners at Bell Media. Beyond being a showcase for the inestimable talents and reach of Russell Peters, we are blessed with a wonderful international cast for this unique and wildly entertaining series."

"This production was truly representative of Russell's commitment to diversity and the embracing of all cultures and orientations," said Clayton Peters, Executive Producer, CPI Pictures. "I have never seen a crew and production team as reflective of those values as I have on THE INDIAN DETECTIVE." 

As THE INDIAN DETECTIVE, Peters is a charming, smart, ambitious Toronto cop of Indian heritage whose dreams of becoming a homicide detective are put on hold when he is unjustly suspended.

Additional cast members also confirmed today include Canadian icon William Shatner (STAR TREK), who wrapped filming in Cape Town earlier this year playing a billionaire property developer from Toronto who may have ties to the criminal underworld.

Additionally, award-winning actor and Bollywood veteran Anupam Kher (Silver Linings Playbook, Bend It Like Beckham) stars as Stanley D'Mello, Doug's father, a retired airline pilot who moved back to India after the death of his wife. He's a lovable rascal, trying to reconnect with his son in his golden years. Christina Cole (Casino Royale. SUITS) plays Constable Robyn Gerner, Doug's tough, beautiful all-Canadian partner. Mishqah Parthiepal (Snake Park) stars as Priya Sehgal, an earnest and dedicated lawyer, born into an upper-middle class family in Mumbai; Priya has chosen to dedicate herself to serving the legal needs of the poor of the Annapuri Slum.

Equal doses comedy and high-stakes drama, THE INDIAN DETECTIVE is executive produced by Golden Globe^®-winning and Emmy^®-nominated Frank Spotnitz (THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE, THE X-FILES) of Big Light Productions and Lance Samuels and Daniel Iron (MADIBA, THE BOOK OF NEGROES) of Blue Ice Pictures.

THE INDIAN DETECTIVE is a co-production between Big Light Productions, Blue Ice Pictures, Wonder Films, and Bell Media. The series was created, executive produced, and written for Russell Peters by Spotnitz and Smita Bhide (HUNTED, TRANSPORTER: THE SERIES). The series is directed by BAFTA award-winner Sandy Johnson (BENIDORM, JONATHAN CREEK) and produced by Trevor Hopkins (FORTITUDE, CUFFS). It is executive produced by Blue Ice Pictures' Daniel Iron and Lance Samuels (MADIBA, THE BOOK OF NEGROES), Wonder Films' Mark Burton (Water, Tallulah), Russell Peters (HIP-HOP EVOLUTION), CPI Pictures' Clayton Peters (Breakaway, RUSSELL PETERS VERSUS THE WORLD), and Paul Canterna. Co-executive producer is Sharon Remmer (THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE, MEDICI: MASTERS OF FLORENCE).

Production Executives for Bell Media are: Sarah Fowlie, who is Director, Original Programming, Comedy; Chris Kelley, Production Executive, Original Programming; and Corrie Coe, who is Senior Vice-President, Original Programming, Bell Media. Mike Cosentino is Senior Vice-President, Content and Programming, Bell Media. Randy Lennox is President, Bell Media. The project is financed by Blue Ice Pictures and the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa (IDC).

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About Big Light Productions
Award-winning American writer and producer Frank Spotnitz founded Big Light Productions in 2013 to create and oversee a diverse slate of international television series including drama, comedy, and documentaries, and has since become one of the fastest-growing independent production companies in Europe. The London and Paris-based production company's projects include the acclaimed drama series THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE; RANSOM; MEDICI: MASTERS OF FLORENCE with Richard Madden and Dustin Hoffman, which set viewing records on Rai1 in Italy; CROSSING LINES (Season 3), and TRANSPORTER: THE SERIES (Season 2) for the U.S., Canada, and international markets. Spotnitz's credits also include eight seasons of the hit series THE X-FILES and its two feature films, as well as HUNTED, STRIKE BACK, NIGHT STALKER, ROBBERY HOMICIDE DIVISION, THE LONE GUNMEN, HARSH REALM, and MILLENNIUM. For more information, visit www.biglight.com.

About Blue Ice Pictures
Blue Ice Pictures is an international film production, development, and finance company based in Toronto with offices in London and South Africa. The company acquired Foundry Films to bolster its Canadian division and bought Out of Africa Entertainment to establish a production base in South Africa. Blue Ice Pictures is responsible for more than 60 hours of international television including MADIBA, which is currently in production starring Laurence Fishburne, Orlando Jones, and David Harewood, the internationally acclaimed miniseries, THE BOOK OF NEGROES, starring Aunjanue Ellis, Cuba Gooding Jr., Louis Gossett Jr., SINGLE LADIES, and feature films including The Bang Bang Club, Cairo Time, Inescapable, Lucky, October Gale and the multi-award winning documentary, Watermark, by Jennifer Baichwal and Edward Burtynsky, as well as South Africa's highest grossing film of all time, Schuks Shabalala's Survival. 

About Wonder Films
Independent film Producer Mark Burton founded Wonder Films in 1995 to create and produce international independent film, and has made award-nominated, critically-praised features films all over the world. The company got its start helping to produce a number of Bollywood productions, working with international stars Shah Rukh Khan, Anil Kapoor, and Sri Devi. The company's acclaimed feature Water was nominated for the Academy Award^® for Best Foreign Film; The Terrorist was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Foreign Film; and Asoka, which was the first Hindi language film to be released through major U.S. theater circuits. Most recently, Burton executive produced The Young Messiah with Ocean Blue/1492 and the Sundance 2016 hit Talullah, starring Ellen Page and Allison Janney.

About Bell Media Original Programming
Bell Media has commissioned some of Canada's most-watched and most-acclaimed original programming, working with the best Canadian independent producers in the country. Hit series commissioned by CTV include ratings success stories SAVING HOPE, the record-breaking THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, MASTERCHEF CANADA, hit drama CARDINAL, and upcoming original series THE DISAPPEARANCE, THE INDIAN DETECTIVE, and Ilana Frank's new detective drama. Among the original series on Bell Media pay, specialty, and streaming platforms are Space's internationally acclaimed ORPHAN BLACK as well as KILLJOYS and DARK MATTER; Bravo's award-winning and most-watched original drama 19-2; CraveTV comedies LETTERKENNY and WHAT WOULD SAL DO?; Discovery's first-ever drama FRONTIER; Comedy's satirical news series THE BEAVERTON; and nine series and specials for food and lifestyle channel Gusto, including ONE WORLD KITCHEN and FISH THE DISH. Discovery is also home to Bell Media's hit factual franchise HIGHWAY THRU HELL, COLD WATER COWBOYS, and CANADA'S WORST DRIVER, among others. Bell Media is one of the first media companies in North America to commit to producing all new original scripted series in 4K.

About CTV
CTV is Canada's #1 private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV has been Canada's most-watched television network for the past 15 years in a row. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, digital, and Out-of-Home. Bell Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. More information about CTV can be found on the network's website at CTV.ca.

SOURCE CTV

Allie Page, CTV Networks, 416.384.4596 or [email protected]; Matthew Almeida, CTV Networks, 416.384.2629 or [email protected]