BBC Studios Kids & Family is developing a new live-action series called Anisha Accidental Detective with British-Indian actor Archie Panjabi (pictured).

Aimed at ages seven-plus, this 10-episode project tags along as its tween protagonist works to find her Uncle Tony, who disappears mere days before his big Bollywood-style wedding. 

The show is based on a series of bestselling books penned by Serena Patel and published by London’s Usborne. Seven titles have been released since 2020—and the lead book won the Sainsbury’s Children’s Book Award that year.

Billed as a comedy that blends in “the framework of classic detective dramas,” the project will also celebrate British Indian culture, says Panjabi, who is the first South Asian woman to win an Emmy. Her past work includes coming-of-age sports film Bend It Like Beckham and animated series including Postman Pat and Star Wars: The Bad Batch.

BBC Studios has also tapped kids/YA author Nikesh Shukla to pen the script for Anisha Accidental Detective. He wrote 2023 children’s book The Council of Good Friends (2023) and is currently working on a Spider-Man miniseries for Marvel Comics.

Image courtesy of Marine Smoyan