India, the 1950s. The recently independent country is gearing up for its first national election. Lata Mehra is in love, but with an unsuitable man as far as her family is concerned. Her mother sets out to find her a groom. Also restless and chafing against parental authority is Maan Kapoor, whose object of desire is the courtesan Saeeda Bai.
Mira Nair’s mini-series A Suitable Boy, adapted from Vikram Seth’s acclaimed novel of the same name, will be premiered on Netflix on October 23. Seth is among the executive producers of the BBC Studios-steered show. Veteran British television writer Andrew Davies has condensed Seth’s 1,349-page novel into six episodes.
A Suitable Boy has already been broadcast on British television in July and August. The series will be shown on Netflix on October 23 in several territories across the world, including India.
Nair’s frequent collaborators have worked on A Suitable Boy, including cinematographer Declan Quinn, production designer Stephanie Carroll and costume designer Arjun Bhasin. Casting directors Dilip Shankar, Nandini Shrikent and Karan Mally have lined up a huge cast of actors for a sprawling narrative with numerous characters.
First-time actor Tanya Maniktala plays Lata Mehra, while her suitors are played by Danesh Razvi, Mikhail Sen and Namit Das. Tabu portrays the courtesan Saeeda Bai, who enchants Maan Kapoor (Ishaan Khatter). Here is a look at who else populates the universe of A Suitable Boy.
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Book versus series: ‘A Suitable Boy’ and the journey from 1,349 pages to six episodes