A Suitable Boy cast from new BBC One drama revealed

A Suitable Boy is the new drama coming to BBC One – when does it start and who’s on the cast?

A Suitable Boy is based on the novel of the same name by Vikram Seth, first published in 1993. It has been adapted for the screen by Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice, War & Peace, Les Misérables) and will be directed by Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding, The Namesake, Queen of Katwe).

A teaser from the BBC reads: “A Suitable Boy tells the story of spirited university student Lata; 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.”

A Suitable Boy start date

A Suitable Boy will start on BBC One on Sunday, July 26 at 9PM.

The series has six episodes which will air weekly on Sunday nights.

As well as being available on BBC One you’ll be able to watch the series online via BBC iPlayer.

A Suitable Boy cast

Filming on location in India, the cast of the six-part BBC One drama is led by Bollywood leading man Ishaan Khatter (Beyond the Clouds, Dhadak) as Maan Kapoor and Indian screen legend Tabu (The Namesake, Life of Pi, Andhadhun) as Saeeda Bai alongside rising star Tanya Maniktala in the central role of Lata.

Further casting includes:

Mahira Kakkar as Rupa Mehra
Danesh Razvi as Kabir Durrani
Rasika Dugal as Savita Mehra Kapoor
Gagandeep Singh Riar as Pran Kapoor

Ram Kapoor as Mahesh Kapoor
Mikhail Sen as Amit Chatterji
Namit Das as Haresh Khanna
Gagan Dev Riar as Pran Kapoor

Vivek Gomber as Arun Mehra
Vivaan Shah as Varun Mehra
Shahana Goswami as Meenakshi Chatterji Mehra
Danesh Razvi as Kabir Durrani

Joyeeta Dutta as Tasneem
Sharvari Deshpande as Malati

 

A Suitable Boy spoilers

A Suitable Boy is set in 1951.

In a newly independent India, passionate literature student Lata Mehra is looking towards her own future.

Her mother Rupa has successfully arranged the marriage of her eldest daughter Savita to Pran Kapoor, a university lecturer. Now Rupa has her sights set on her spirited younger daughter but Lata wants to make her own way in the world. She isn’t interested in romance but her resolve is challenged when she starts to fall for a mysterious fellow student, Kabir Durrani.

Pran’s brother is the charming but directionless Maan Kapoor, who becomes bewitched by the singer and courtesan, Saeeda Bai. Maan is a worry to his father, the progressive Revenue Minister Mahesh Kapoor, who can’t let anything unbalance his political career at a crucial moment.

As religious tensions mount between Muslims and Hindus in the wake of Partition, India’s first national democratic election approaches.

A Suitable Boy airs on BBC One on Sunday, July 26 at 9PM.

The series has six episodes.