Vish Dhamija’s crime novels, which feature the strong-willed Mumbai Deputy Commissioner of Police Rita Ferreira, will be adapted as a web series by Abundantia Entertainment. The company, led by former Viacom Studios head Vikram Malhotra, has acquired the rights to the British-Indian author’s novels Bhendi Bazaar, Doosra and Lipstick.

“Abundantia plans to adapt the books into a multi-season, premium original digital series,” the press release said.

In the press note, Dhamija described Rita Ferreira as a “tough-as-nails, sharp-as-a-tack, Jim Beam drinking, female cop” who is “not your conventional investigator”. Bhendi Bazaar explores sex trafficking; in Doosra, Rita investigates the theft of diamonds; Lipstick sees Rita track down a serial killer who paints the lips of his victims crimson. “Out of all the characters I’ve ever penned, Rita Ferreira remains the most realistic, and closest to me,” Dhamija said.

Abundantia’s credits include the films Baby, Airlift, Toilet – Ek Prem Katha and Noor and the Amazon Prime Video original series Breathe. “From the first time that we read Vish’s books, we knew that we had to bring Rita Ferreira to life,” producer Vikram Malhotra said in the press release. “Flawed but fabulous, Rita is one-of-a-kind in a world full of clichés!”