A Jewish producer is hoping his next film will be as successful as Slumdog Millionaire – with good reason.

Paul Raphael, the son of writer Frederic Raphael, who won an Oscar for his 1965 screenplay of Darling, has acquired the rights to the second novel by Vikas Swarup.

Mr Swarup's book Q&A, about a poor Indian boy's route to gameshow success, was adapted by Danny Boyle into an Academy Award-winning smash hit.

Mr Raphael had originally tried to option that book, but was too late. He was given a preview of Six Suspects, a dinner-party mystery set in Delhi, before it was published. His Starfields Productions company is now set to adapt the story for the big screen, in association with BBC Films.

The script will be written by Trainspotting screenwriter John Hodge.

Mr Raphael, 52, also produced the film Anita & Me, an adaptation of the novel by Meera Syal.

He has a string of awards under his belt, including the EIUC Human Rights Film Award at the 2007 Venice film Festival for the love story Under the Bombs.

"I was convinced I needed to grab it fast," said Mr Raphael of his latest project.