James R | On 12, Jul 2020

“No one can be sure what the future will be.” That’s the sound of BBC One bringing Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy to the screen – and a new trailer gives us a first look at the drama.

The drama tells the story of spirited university student Lata (Tanya Maniktala), who is coming of age in North India in 1951 at the same time as the country is carving out its own identity as an independent nation and is about to go to the polls for its first democratic general election. It is a vast, panoramic tale charting the fortunes of four large families and exploring India and its rich and varied culture at a crucial point in its history.

Lata’s mother is determined to find her a husband – a suitable boy – but Lata, torn between family duty and the excitement of romance, embarks on her own, epic journey of love and self-discovery. Connected to Lata through their siblings’ marriage, the wayward Maan (Ishaan Khatter) is determined to enjoy life to the full whatever the consequences, much to the concern of his politician father. But could his infatuation with beautiful courtesan Saaeda Bai (Tabu) be one step too far?

Directed by Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding, The Namesake, Queen of Katwe), the six-part series is penned by Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice, War & Peace, Les Misérables) and led by Bollywood leading man Ishaan Khatter (Beyond the Clouds, Dhadak) and Indian screen legend Tabu (The Namesake, Life of Pi, Andhadhun), with rising star Tanya Maniktala in the central role of Lata.

The series will premiere on Sunday 26th July at 9pm on BBC One. Here’s the trailer:

 

BBC unveils cast for Mira Nair’s A Suitable Boy

14th August 2019

The BBC has announced the cast for its new adaptation of A Suitable Boy.

Directed by Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding, The Namesake, Queen of Katwe), the first screen adaptation of the novel is produced by Lookout Point. Scripted by Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice, War & Peace, Les Misérables), the six-episode drama is led by Bollywood leading man Ishaan Khatter (Beyond the Clouds, Dhadak) and Indian screen legend Tabu (The Namesake, Life of Pi, Andhadhun), with rising star Tanya Maniktala in the central role of Lata.

The drama tells the story of spirited university student Lata (Tanya Maniktala), who is coming of age in North India in 1951 at the same time as the country is carving out its own identity as an independent nation and is about to go to the polls for its first democratic general election. It is a vast, panoramic tale charting the fortunes of four large families and exploring India and its rich and varied culture at a crucial point in its history.

Lata’s mother is determined to find her a husband – a suitable boy – but Lata, torn between family duty and the excitement of romance, embarks on her own, epic journey of love and self-discovery.
Connected to Lata through their siblings’ marriage, the wayward Maan (Ishaan Khatter) is determined to enjoy life to the full whatever the consequences, much to the concern of his politician father. But could his infatuation with beautiful courtesan Saaeda Bai (Tabu) be one step too far?

Their stories play out during a tumultuous period for India and reflect the wider conflict between tradition and modernity at the time, as the election looms and the country decides its destiny.

The story will move between the intimate and the epic, the personal and the political, and the familiar and the extraordinary – all against the stunning backdrop of an India never before brought to life on screen.

Tabu says: “Coming together with Mira after The Namesake is a thing of great joy for me. And to collaborate with her and the BBC for Vikram Seth’s book is something I’m so looking forward to. Along with being a dedicated and engaging film maker Mira is also someone who is the most fun to work with.”

Davies says: “I am truly thrilled to be chosen by Vikram Seth to adapt his masterpiece A Suitable Boy for the screen. It’s a charming, almost Austenesque story, with a delightfully relatable heroine, set against the turbulent background of India in the years following Partition. It has been a total joy to work on, and I hope that audiences will love it as much as I do.”

Nair adds: “Vikram tells the story of a free India and our people with wit, clarity and love – I am deeply honoured to be the one bringing this intimate, epic tale of an unseen India to the world. Today, A Suitable Boy is timelier than ever. With a mix of legendary and cutting-edge actors from the subcontinent, shooting entirely on location in palaces, villages and streets across northern India, we will keep the history and dream of an alternate India alive.”

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