Some of the events in the film are inspired by events in the first three novels of the series. In Sharpe's Challenge and Sharpe's Peril, Sharpe and his comrade in arms, Patrick Harper, have been temporarily called out of retirement and asked to go to India.
Some of the scenes in the film are based on events from the first three novels. In Sharpe's Challenge and Sharpe's Peril, Sergeant Sharpe and his fellow soldier, Patrick Harper, have been briefly recalled from their retirement to go to India.