Sajal Aly has been confirmed as the main lead for series adaptation of classic Urdu novel Umrao Jaan Ada.

Umrao Jaan Ada, a classic Urdu novel, will be made into a TV show, and Sajal Aly has been chosen as the main character.

Umrao Jaan Ada, written by Mirza Hadi Ruswa in 1899, is thought to be the first Urdu novel. The book is about the culture and society of the Indian subcontinent in the 19th century, especially the life of a courtesan and poet whose name is the same as the title.

Variety says that Hamid Hussain and Muhammad Yaqoob are the show’s producers. The show is presented and made by Action Consultancy, a South Asian celebrity management company based in Abu Dhabi.

In an interview with the outlet, producer Hamid Hussain said that the upcoming series will be “heavily based on the original Urdu version of the novel,” which is different from how the story was changed for the movies.

He also said, “The book has a lot of things that have never been shown in a movie or TV show.”

Along with the star of What’s Love Got to Do with It?, the series will also have another strong female lead, just like the book.

Umrao Jaan Ada is currently being made, and when it comes out, it will likely be on a major streaming platform.