ITV calls on Mumbai sitcom

Full series for call-centre comedy

ITV1 is planning a full series of the Sanjeev Bhaskar sitcom Mumbai Calling.

A pilot episode of the comedy, set in an Indian call centre, aired in May last year, and the network is now scheduling a full run for a primetime slot in the autumn.

As well as starring in the show, Bhaskar co-wrote the pilot with comedy veterans Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, but the full series will be scripted by a 12-strong team.

The series is set in the fictional Teknobable call centre in Mumbai and it is being entirely on location in India, with a cast of local supporting actors and extras.

Producer Allan McKeown – the husband of Tracey Ullman – told broadcasting industry website 4rfv.co.uk: ‘We were able to work to a scale that would have been impossible in the UK.

‘We didn't forget that the most important element is the script and 12 writers contributed to the final scripts. We think the shows are funny, very funny.’

Published: 4 Mar 2008

Live comedy picks

We see you are using AdBlocker software. Chortle relies on advertisers to fund this website so it’s free for you, so we would ask that you disable it for this site. Our ads are non-intrusive and relevant. Help keep Chortle viable.