"Akunin" (悪人) is a Japanese word that translates to "great bad man". In his novel "The Diamond Chariot", the author redefines an "akunin" as a great evil man who creates his own rules. Akunin has been critical of Vladimir Putin's domestic and foreign policies, including the annexation of Crimea in 2014. In 2012, Putin attributed Akunin's critical attitudes to his Georgian background. In the year of 2000, Akunin was nominated for the Smirnoff-Booker Prize. In September 2000, Akunin was named "Russian Writer of the Year" and won the "Antibooker" prize in 2000 for his Erast Fandorin novel "Coronation, or the last of the Romanovs". In 2003, the British Crime Writers' Association placed Akunin's novel "The Winter Queen" on the short list for the Dagger Award in Fiction. In 2004, he was a member of the jury at the 26th Moscow International Film Festival. Four Fandorin novels, "The Winter Queen", "The Turkish Gambit", "The State Counsellor", and "The Decorator", were made into big-budget Russian movies. An English remake of "The Winter Queen" was in production. It was set to start filming in 2007, but the leading actress, Milla Jovovich, became pregnant, and the production process was delayed to unknown date. Additionally, "Pelagia and the White Bulldog" was made into a TV mini-series in 2009, while "The Spy Novel" came out in a 2011 theatrical release as "The Spy". Note: ("The Jack of Spades" and "The Decorator" were published together in a single volume, "Special Assignments: The Further Adventures of Erast Fandorin" / Особые поручения.) As Akunin has indicated in interviews, the Sister Pelagia series is finished (only three books were ever planned) and so, in all likelihood, is the Nicholas Fandorin series. The Alexei Romanov/Sepp von Theofels series, planned for 10 novellas, was completed in 2011. The other two projects will continue. In particular, Akunin plans to write two more Erast Fandorin books, both collections of short stories and novellas, similar in structure to "The Jade Rosary" and taking place entirely during the 20th century.