Temple Raiders: Ashutosh Gowariker and Raghav Khanna team up for an epic four-part docu-drama on India’s temple idol smuggling

Filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker is set to direct Temple Raiders, a premium drama-led documentary series that explores the global networks behind the theft and trafficking of India’s sacred temple artefacts. The ambitious project is produced by Tudip Entertainment and Riverland Entertainment, in association with Ashutosh Gowariker Productions, with Dipti Agrawal, Tushar Apshankar, Jaishree Khanna and Raghav Khanna serving as producers. Priyanka Chaudhari joins the project as co-producer alongside Ashutosh Gowariker.

Written, created and showrun by Khanna, Temple Raiders is positioned as a premium series that blends fact driven storytelling with cinematic scale. The show looks to spark larger conversations around India’s cultural history and heritage, presenting real events through a gripping, drama-driven lens.

The project also marks Gowariker’s entry into the docu-drama format. Known for directing large-scale historical films, he brings his signature visual scale and storytelling approach to a new non-fiction format aimed at engaging mainstream audiences. Mounted on a large scale, the series will incorporate different cinematic styles and art forms to create an immersive viewing experience.

For Khanna, the series continues his focus on taking Indian stories to global audiences through elevated documentary formats. With acclaimed projects such as The Elephant Whisperers, The Mumbai Mafia and The Hunt for Veerappan among the titles associated with his work.

Ashutosh Gowariker, Director, Editor; Co-Producer, : “I have been watching documentaries across different genres for several years now, and the documentary form has always intrigued me deeply. I have often thought about making one, but never quite found a subject that truly engaged me—something I felt a strong connection to and could do justice to. When Raghav Khanna approached me with the concept of Temple Raiders, my response was immediate. It is a subject that has been quietly simmering for years—the theft of our idols from countless temples across the country, and the larger story behind it. I would like to present this as a 4-episode docu-series, positioned in the space of an expository and participatory docu-drama, bringing together facts, personal engagement, and storytelling in a compelling way.

Raghav Khanna, Creator, Writer, Showrunner; Producer: “From the outset, the ambition was to create a series that expands documentary dramas on their scale, tension and emotional immersiveness. Temple Raiders is a layered and character-driven thriller where faith and greed collide. Ashutosh sir has directed the series with empathy towards the story sensitivities while putting on the forefront the many gripping and fantastical elements associated with the series.”

Tushar Apshankar, Producer, Tudip Entertainment “What stood out to us immediately was the power of Temple Raiders as both a story and a subject. It sits in a space that is deeply rooted in our cultural consciousness and has the potential to resonate widely, leaving a lasting impact on how these stories are experienced and remembered.”

Dipti Agrawal, Producer, Tudip Entertainment : “The scale and ambition of this project is what drew us to come on board as producers. At a time when audiences are seeking stories that feel both authentic and immersive, Temple Raiders brings real narratives to life with depth and scale, creating an experience that resonates well beyond the screen.”

Priyanka Chaudhari, Co-Producer : “There’s a clear shift happening in documentary storytelling today, with a growing focus on formats that are structured, scalable and global in their outlook. This docu-drama series is being mounted on a grand scale, reflecting the ambition to push the genre forward. It highlights how powerful documentary storytelling can be when important stories are backed by strong production value, clear intent and disciplined execution”