It's been a minute since we last saw Dev Patel on our screens in a new project, but that is soon to change. According to Deadline, Patel is set to headline a new show titled The Key Man as its lead and executive producer. The new project is in keeping with Patel's recent preference for indie productions as the show hails from Miramax Television which has recently shown strong interest in developing MENA content.
The Key Man will be based on real-life events and will chronicle the debacle of Pakistani businessman, Arif Naqvi, the founder of Dubai-based private equity firm Abraaj Group. Patel will play the charismatic and sensational Naqvi who successfully defrauded unsuspecting investors for years before his luck ran out. Armed with spectacular brilliance and infectious charisma, Naqvi tricked some of the world's top elites including billionaire businessmen, politicians, and religious clerics into fraudulent investments under the guise that their money would help solve global issues such as hunger and poverty. He became his own undoing after he was unable to fulfill many of the lofty promises made to his investors which included the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Naqvi has since received a prison sentence from the Dubai government and is awaiting extradition from the UK to the US to face further fraud charges.
While the official synopsis for the series is yet to be revealed, The Key Man could likely attempt to demystify Naqvi's fraudulent schemes. True life shows centered on disgraced public figures have continued to maintain an increasing appeal among TV lovers and having Patel's name attached to The Key Man could potentially add to the allure. The Slumdog Millionaire breakout star has been committed to setting himself apart in the ever-competitive industry that is Hollywood. Patel most recently took center stage as Gawain in the fantasy epic about the Arthurian legend, The Green Knight, a film that was widely considered to be one of the best of 2021. While he's been MIA for a while, Patel has been hard at work on Netflix's upcoming thriller, Monkey Man where he wears many hats as its star, writer, and producer in what will equally serve as his directorial debut. He will next be seen alongside Ralph Fiennes and Benedict Cumberbatch in the adventure comedy, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar.
'The Key Man' Is Adapted From a Best-Selling Novel
The Key Man is adapted from a best-selling novel of the same name from WSJ reporters Simon Clark and Will Louch. Miramax added the book to its extensive IP list after it snapped the rights with plans to adapt it into a limited series under the auspices of its Global Head of Television Marc Helwig. “Miramax IP is in its very DNA international facing and so there is a natural opportunity to mine the library for local to global shows,” Helwig said. He further added: “Miramax is a legacy company built on backing innovative, new voices, and we are recapturing that essence in television with our approach to working with many new and emerging voices in Europe and beyond.”
Patel will executive produce the limited series alongside Scott Delman and Florence Sloan. The Key Man is clearly in its early developmental stages, however, more details are to be expected as production picks up. In the meantime, you can check out Collider's interview with Patel and Joel Edgerton for The Green Knight below: