LOS ANGELES, July 18:  Indian actor Freida Pinto is set to headline “Unaccustomed Earth”, a series adaptation of author Jhumpa Lahiri’s short story collection of the same title.

  The project was announced by streaming service Netflix in April and will feature eight episodes, according to entertainment news outlet Variety.

Pinto, known for starring in critically-acclaimed and award-winning movies such as “Slumdog Millionaire”, “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”, “You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger” and “Love Sonia”, will essay the role of Parul Chaudhury.

“Unaccustomed Earth” is described as an “epic, soapy, and culturally vibrant drama about a tight-knit Indian American community navigating love, desire, and belonging”.

“Rich with nuance, passion, and unforgettable characters, ‘Unaccustomed Earth’ invites you into the elite and insular Indian-American community of Cambridge, MA. When a star-crossed romance between a devoted wife and her long lost love comes to light, a scandalous affair is born and new battle lines are drawn in this intensely interconnected immigrant community,” the official logline read.

The series will be written by John Wells, best known for developing hit American show “Shameless” and directing movies such as “August: Osage County” and “Burnt”, in collaboration with Madhuri Shekar, who will serve as the showrunner.

Ritesh Batra, the director of “The Lunchbox” and “Photograph”, will helm and executive produce the first and second episodes.

Filmmaker Nisha Ganatra, who had originally optioned the book and developed the series, will also executive produce.

Lahiri will executive produce as well, along with Erica Saleh, Erin Jontow and Celia Costas. Her 2003 novel “The Namesake” was famously adapted into a 2006 film by Mira Nair, starring Kal Penn, Tabu, and Irrfan Khan.

“Unaccustomed Earth” will be produced by Warner Bros Television, where Wells is under an overall deal.  (PTI)