In many sequels, they fight against James Brooke, a white-skin adventurer, self-appointed as Rajah of Sarawak; they also move to India to smash down the Thugs, a notorious band of stranglers devoted to the goddess Kali.

Sandokan is the son of Kaigadan, the last Prince of Borneo, whose parents were killed by the East India Company in a bid to seize the throne.

He is described as tall, charming, very muscular, slender, and attractive, with cold, black eyes, a fierce and severe look, and a big turban on his head.

Carole André was cast as Lady Marianna Guillonk, Philippe Leroy played Sandokan's trusted friend and lieutenant Yanez De Gomera.

In 1977, Kabir Bedi reprised his role in the film La tigre è ancora viva: Sandokan alla riscossa!

The TV series theme song, "Sandokan", was composed by Oliver Onions (a pseudonym of the De Angelis brothers), and made the top 10 in many European countries, albeit mostly in the translated English version.

In the show, Sandokan (here an anthropomorphized tiger) is an usurped prince, who travels the seas as a pirate seeking to reclaim his rightful throne from the Rajah of Sarawak.

The swashbuckling story concerns the tale of the deposed prince turned pirate, Sandokan, as he battles the evil maharajah, who killed his parents.

In the midst of this local struggle, Sandokan falls in love with Mariana (here an anthropomorphized fox), who is the daughter of a European power, who has naval influence over the area.