Filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker will direct Temple Raiders, a four-part docu-drama series on the theft and global trafficking of India's sacred temple artefacts, producers announced Wednesday.
The series is produced by Tudip Entertainment and Riverland Entertainment, in association with Ashutosh Gowariker Productions.
Raghav Khanna, known for his association with titles such as The Elephant Whisperers (2022), The Mumbai Mafia (2023) and The Hunt for Veerappan (2023), has written, created and will be the showrunner on the series.
The project marks Gowariker's first outing in the docu-drama format. He is known for making critically-acclaimed and commercially-successful films such as Lagaan (2001), Swades (2004) and Jodhaa Akbar (2008).
"I have been watching documentaries across different genres for several years now, and the documentary form has always intrigued me deeply. I have often thought about making one, but never quite found a subject that truly engaged me-something I felt a strong connection to and could do justice to," he said. When Raghav approached Gowariker with the concept of Temple Raiders, the filmmaker said he immediately agreed to it.
"It is a subject that has been quietly simmering for years-the theft of our idols from countless temples across the country, and the larger story behind it. I would like to present this as a four-episode docu-series, positioned in the space of an expository and participatory docu-drama, bringing together facts, personal engagement, and storytelling in a compelling way," Gowariker said.
The series will be mounted on a large scale, blending drama-driven storytelling with cinematic production values across different visual styles and art forms.
Raghav said the series aims to push the scale of the format.
"From the outset, the ambition was to create a series that expands documentary dramas on their scale, tension and emotional immersion. Temple Raiders is a layered and character-driven thriller where faith and greed collide,” he said. "Ashutosh sir has directed the series with empathy towards the story sensitivities while putting on the forefront the many gripping and fantastical elements associated with the series.”
Dipti Agrawal, Tushar Apshankar, Jaishree Khanna and Raghav serve as producers, with Priyanka Chaudhari as co-producer.