A Suitable Boy is a radio serial by John Dryden, based on the novel by Vikram Seth. It was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in March 2002, in five 60 minute installments in the Classic Serial programming slot[1].
Plot[]
Epic tale set in 1950's India. Mrs. Rupa Mehra tries to find her daughter a suitable husband.
Cast[]
- Mahabanoo Mody-Kotwal
- Ayesha Dharker
- Farid Currim
- Ayeesha Menon
- Kunaal Roy Kapoor
- Noshirwad Jehangir
- Meher Jehangir
- Joy Sengupta
- Pushan Kripalani
- Rajit Kapoor
- Radhika Da Cunha
- Devika Shahane
- Ila Arun
- Lovleen Mishra
- Purab Kohli
- Noel Godin
- Firdausi Jussawalla
- Molina Singh
- Quasar Thakore Padamsee
- Music by Raiomond Mirza, Sacha Puttnam, and Nick Russell-Pavier
- Directed by John Dryden
Production History[]
Recorded on location in Pune and Mumbai, India.
"The recordings were made as the actors physically acted out the story in its rooms and courtyards. The sound is not only their movement and voices, therefore, but also the fabric and contents of the house, its garden, surrounding inhabitants and countryside, all brilliantly captured by the sound designer Nick Russell-Pavier." - John Dryden[2]
Critical Reception[]
A Suitable Boy won Spoken Word Awards for Best Production and Best Drama, and was also short-listed, in the audio category, for the Book of the Year Awards.
“The drama highlight of the year…this sumptuous production, wonderfully atmospheric, written with pace and performed, by an all-Indian cast, quite superbly. The novel may be vast but I was convinced by this version right from the start. Magnificent drama.” - Radio Times
“…A Suitable Boy sounds as much like India as it’s possible to get without actually going there…” - Time Out
“…It has just as much colour, atmosphere and excitement as the highly acclaimed Indian film Monsoon Wedding. Lata is the equivalent of Elizabeth Bennet – cool, ironic, independent without, all passion within. I’m almost in love with her myself.” - Sue Arnold, The Observer
“…This was absolutely involving radio from then opening minutes…” - The Guardian[3]