Daily Recco, December 28: A Suitable Boy is a suitable watch
Mira Nair brings faces to the characters Vikram Seth beautifully wove in A Suitable Boy.
Remember Lata Mehra, Maan Kapoor, Saeeda Bai, Rupa Mehra, and the entire clan from Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy? Well, Mira Nair brings them to life and adds a face to the names in the web series of the same name that is currently streaming on Netflix.
The six-episode period drama has been adapted by Andrew Davies and directed by Mira Nair. Each episode is etched to perfection and is concise, yet in keeping with the novel. The depiction of characters, who struggle— along with the newly partitioned, independent country — to find their identities amidst the chaos, is fascinating. Each of the characters (and the country) are striving to find their place in the larger canvas of society and the world.
While Lata (Tanya Maniktala) and Maan (Ishaan Khatter) rebel against their parents and society, Saeeda Bai (Tabu) depicts the courtesan who, despite her forbidden love for Maan, has to concede to the society’s norms to be able to earn a living. Their relationship is frowned upon by all, mostly the Kapoor patriarch — Mahesh (essayed by Ram Kapoor). Not that the lovebirds care about any gossip. The on-screen chemistry between Ishaan and Tabu is magnetic.
Andrew Davis is a well-known name for his adaptations of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens and George Eliot’s novels. He does full justice in staying true to Vikram Seth’s narration. Mira Nair's brilliant direction and each of the cast members outshining themselves makes this series a must-watch. However, if we were given the most difficult job to pick one out of the best, our vote goes to Ishaan Khatter. Four-films-old, he is winning the world with his charismatic portrayal of the spoilt young man. The series was originally made for BBC television and produced on a budget of £16 million; one of the most expensive BBC series ever made. Netflix now holds the exclusive distributor rights for all global territories.
Do watch the sumptuous spread by Mira Nair on Netflix. There is nothing more suitable than this.