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A Suitable Boy

181 replies

GCAcademic · 12/07/2020 21:23

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?

OP posts:
Piggywaspushed · 17/08/2020 20:45

So, one thing that is puzzling me: in the adaptation who are they saying Bhaskar belongs to?

xsquared · 17/08/2020 23:17

Bought the book which I have take on holiday to read. I don't think I'll finish it before next week though!

stumbledin · 17/08/2020 23:18

Bhaskar Tandon, son of Veena and Kedarnath
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Suitable_Boy

The woman playing Lata - Tanya Maniktala - has not had an acting part before, and was working as a copy writer!
www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2020-08-09/tanya-maniktala-a-suitable-boy-big-rt-interview/

I am enjoying this more, but still struggle to remember who everyone is or rather who is related to who.

Am surprised there are only two more episodes.

I wonder why they made it such a short series, as the story is quite complex. Or at least seeing the very different lives and aspirations of the families thye deserved more time to expand on their lives.

And the politics.

I find Maan incredibly irritating and astonished my new goddess Tabu would have anything to do with him!

jessstan2 · 18/08/2020 01:01

@thatone

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.
She is a bit petulant but basically a kind hearted woman and can be quite funny.

I agree about Lata, she is lovely.

When Lata's sister had her baby, in the book her husband (Praan) was also in hospital with asthma complications. I remember thinking while she was in labour that any minute he was going to be taken in but the producers obviously decided to leave that out.

Igneococcus · 18/08/2020 06:13

Mrs Kapoor (who I love, both in the book and the adaptation) calls Bhaskar her grandson but Veena is never mentioned. I don't know whose child he is meant to be without Veena in the story. Veena and her family have to flee from Lahore during the partition, this part is also completely absent.

Piggywaspushed · 18/08/2020 07:20

Yes, I know he is son of Veena but Veena (as someone mentioned before , they are a lovely family in the book!) isn't in it. As you said he calls Mrs Kapoor grandma so they aren't pretending he is a late born child. I thought we were supposed to assume he was somehow Pran's but that doesn't make sense!

Piggywaspushed · 18/08/2020 07:22

They left out al the drama of that birth. I preferred Sunday's episode but I am frustrated by the underplaying of Pran, to the extent you keep thinking, why is he even in it... which you never do in the book.

Igneococcus · 18/08/2020 07:40

I adore book Pran.

I first thought they had changed Bhaskar to being a late child of Mr and Mrs Kapoor but that doesn't make sense with her calling him grandchild and Bhaskar calling Maan uncle. I wonder if they filmed more and a scene explaining Bhaskar's parentage didn't make it to the final cut.

Piggywaspushed · 18/08/2020 07:44

I do, too, or whether he is meant to have been sent from Lahore for his safety? It may have been briefly mentioned Ep 1 perhaps?

Igneococcus · 18/08/2020 07:51

If it was mentioned, I didn't notice it.

Clawdy · 23/08/2020 22:17

That was a shock. Why did Maan think Firoz was after his lover, when he knew Firoz was in love with Tasneem?

Piggywaspushed · 23/08/2020 22:18

Did he? He thought the other chap was.

I am sure those letters are more fully explained in the book!

Piggywaspushed · 23/08/2020 22:19

Poor Firoz Sad

xsquared · 23/08/2020 22:22

Poor Firoz and Tasneem! So tragic.

I can't tell who Lata will choose in the end. Not really keen on Amit though.

Piggywaspushed · 23/08/2020 22:26

They have certainly made Amit appear a bit insincere in the adaptation.

xsquared · 23/08/2020 22:48

Amit seems as vain and flippant as his sisters.

theAntsareMyFriends · 24/08/2020 00:00

Just started this and enjoying it. I hope after some tooing and froing she marries the boy she met at uni.

Also regarding Bahskar. His parents are mentioned in the first episode to the official who got pushed in the pond at Holi. They are in Pakistan trying to reclaim their lost possessions.

CaptainMyCaptain · 24/08/2020 06:53

I read the book nearly 20 years ago and thought she made the wrong choice then.

Igneococcus · 24/08/2020 07:15

Thanks theantsaremyfriends. I missed that in the first episode.

Final episode tonight, not next Sunday.

Clawdy · 24/08/2020 08:06

But I still don't understand the Tasneem story. Both Firoz and the other guy were in love with her? The letters were from the other guy? Why would Maan think Firoz was seeing his own lover, and stab him? And why did none of those women help poor Firoz?

Piggywaspushed · 24/08/2020 08:13

The trouble is clawdy this is a really really long bit in the book ( the saucy letters take up lots of pages). My memory is hazy (I had actually forgotten about Firoz's stabbing!) but it is far more drawn out in the book. I do think this is a weakness of the adaptation : too much show not tell.
Firoz is left because of the consequences for the women of a crime in Saeeda's house. The nasty manipulative men in her life should really feature more to explain how she is controlled by her profession and the way she is imprisoned in her life.

The programme actually makes (I think because she is a megastar in India) Saeeda Bai seem a much more important plot strand than she is. It is very important but no more so than any other strand.

stumbledin · 24/08/2020 14:35

Yes - Saeeda Bai - listed as Tabu in credits, who I have been totally capitvated by. Why she has anything to do with that petulant Maan.

And I was really disappointed with what seems like a contrived plot twist (I wish they didn't give away what happens with those trailors for the next episode). But yes Maan being as self absorbed in his own feelings and a bit drunk, would make a mistake like that even though Firoz was not just a best friend but possible lover.

I think why none of the women helped Firoz and encouraged Maan to leave was their situation is precarious and would not want any authorities coming to the house. Better to make it look like whatever had happened had happened out in the street.

The letters from the former tutor never go to Tasneem after her sister told him to leave the house. And in fact intercepting them was a good cover for the fact the Tasneem was apparently so easily able to start meeting up and communicating with Firoz.

I had sort of worked out she was the daughter not the sister but cant think we were given any idea, or maybe we did and I missed it, that Saeeda Bai had ever had anything to do with the Nawab (who bought her the house?).

And they way they all treat Haresh Khanna is really horrible.

But I do think they have tried to cram too much into to few episodes (6 is quite a short run). Not only is there all the family dynamics but the politics.

jessstan2 · 24/08/2020 18:00

@CaptainMyCaptain

I read the book nearly 20 years ago and thought she made the wrong choice then.
She had very sound reasons for doing so, I don't think it was the wrong choice.

Last's night's episode was terribly tragic.

CaptainMyCaptain · 24/08/2020 19:04

I was disappointed 20 years ago but now I understand why she made that choice.

HairyToity · 24/08/2020 22:06

Okay. I'm 37 and I feel I should understand why she chose Haresh over Kabir but I don't. Kabir is so scrumptious, and he really does love her.

I can only assume it is because Haresh isn't possessive in any way.