Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman will star in Lion, the drama based on the true story of Saroo Brierley, an Indian-born Australian who found his birth Mother 25 years after they were separated. Patel will play the lead with Kidman as his adoptive Mother.

Saroo was five when he fell asleep on a train bound for Calcutta. Alone, he was forced to live on the streets. He was adopted by an Australian couple, John and Sue Brierley and raised in Tasmania.

Patel, who starred in the hugely successful Slumdog Millionaire, is on a hot streak with roles in John Madden’s upcoming The Second Best Marigold Hotel; Daniel Espinosa’s Soviet-era thriller Child 44 with Tom Hardy and Noomi Rapace; The Road Within, Gren Wells’ remake of German hit Vincent Wants to Sea; and Neill Blomkamp’s robot action-thriller Chappie with Hugh Jackman, Sigourney Weaver and Sharlto Copley.

Lion will commence production in early 2015.

Sunstar’s Andrew Fraser and Shahen Mekertichian are Executive Producers on the film.