A Suitable Boy

[GCAcademic]

Just seen that this starts on 26 July on the Beeb.

I love, love, love the book. I read it during lockdown and wanted to start reading it again as soon as I finished it. Am hovering between excitement and apprehension in case the TV series is a let down.

Anyone else looking forward to this?

Here you are, wiki does it! Scroll down to 'Characters...'.

Forgot to put link:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Suitable_Boy#Characters_in_A_Suitable_Boy

Aw. I don't know how I'd forgotten from the book, exactly how kind Haresh is, and Lata seeing that distinctly.

Enjoying this very much, I think the producers have done well.

Wikipedia link is helpful but it would be more so if it included some visual descriptions eg 'the one with the dodgy moustache', 'the one who moons around after the singer'

jessstan2 - thanks!

Great link - but as squashyhat has said almost need the picture book version with little images beside.

I must make an effort to concertrate on the dialogue and not get distracted by arches, flocks of birds, colours - almost wish for smellorama, but maybe not out in the country behind the shed!

@ImaWomAnnotaWomEn

Aw. I don't know how I'd forgotten from the book, exactly how kind Haresh is, and Lata seeing that distinctly.

Enjoying this very much, I think the producers have done well.

Yes, Haresh is a gem.

Who is the one that was in Lata's bedroom and wanting to know if she was a 'lipstick girl'? (meaning willing to have sex before marriage, I guess??)

Her uncle, I think?

ah thanks. It was all a bit confusing! That's a bit grim.

I have long had the book on my tbr pile and the praise for it on here means I might hold back on watching the rest of the series until I've read it. I'm up to episode 2.
I love the scenery and characters. Main dislike is that I struggle with the singing, I had a headache beforehand and it really grated. The "jazz" even worse.

It should be an absolute rule on this thread that no one can in any way say anything against Tabu!

Poor ignorant me had never heard of her before this, now I am number one fan, including her singing!

They are certainly rushing through the plot. Its A shame at times as the festival bit with Bhaskar is so atmospheric in the book and the child himself has been so lovingly described over the previous 90 gazillion pages that you feel really invested in it. A lot of the social comment has been squished too. The smelly factory bit is very different in the book but I think they have Haresh right . I imagined the lascivious uncle very differently. Again, that is more developed in the book.

On the whole , my biggest criticism is Lata's mother who just seems an Indian mother stereotype : she is much more complex in the novel and should she not have a ridiculously sweet tooth?

@Grumblyberries if you go on the BBC website they have a family tree for all the families with pictures and names it's great for seeing who is related to who, I'm finding all the characters confusing as well

Thanks Boredsilly - that family tree is great as it has pictures!

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/28Lj87L3C9QtD3NbQ44bydq/the-families

Enjoyed tonight's episode and I'm relieved about Bhaskar.

Next week looks exciting. Who are we rooting for? I think after tonight's episode, I'd like Lara to end up with Hareesh.

Enjoying it but it does get confusing.

Thank you for the family tree info. What confused me last night was that Bhaskar was calling Maan 'maamu' which is the term for your mother's brother and I was sure that Maan is Pran's brother. Can anyone who has read the book clarify what Bhaskar calls Maan.

Also, when Pran's wife was in labour, didn't someone suggest that it was her first child. Is Bhaskar not her son?

Bhaskar is the son of Maan and Pran's sister Veena and her husband Kedarnath Tandon. they didn't make it into the TV adaptation sadly, Veena is one of my favourite characters in the book.

I also miss Diprankar, another Chatterjee brother but I understand that it would just be too many characters.

Thank you Igneococcus, that explains everything. I am starting to enjoy the series much more now, I think sering all the characters at the beginning was quite overwhelming.

I read the book about 16 years ago and I forgot a lot but luckily my daughter started reading it when the series started and finished yesterday morning, so I ask her now for anything I forgot.

I'm really enjoying this! It has nothing like the depth of the book, for sure, but it's still an enjoyable, lighter weight entertainment.

Thank god for the family tree with pictures, though. I'd completely forgotten who everyone was.

I was going to praise the casting to the heavens, too! Lata is superb! (For some reason, she looks really familiar, though IMDB offers no help why.) And Firoz... mmm, you can have all your lovely Kabirs and Maans... I'm going to kidnap Firoz and keep him in my pocket...

But Amit! How can you do this to me! This is not my beloved Amit! In my head, he's willowy and narrow-faced: sharp in all ways. Who is this kindly but squabby-faced imposter?

Oh, I think the guy playing Amit is really good looking!

He has his merits. But he ain't Amit.

I haven't read the book but Lata seems to be very well cast, she conveys real charm and intelligence. I also love Maan's acting. But I can't warm to Lata's mum, she comes across as very immature and petulant.