E-Paper
Mira Nair zooms in on Lucknow for A Suitable Boy
HEADY MIX
HEADY MIX
American-Indian filmmaker Mira Nair’s next is set to go on floor in the state capital from September 7. Based on Vikram Seth’s award-winning novel ‘A Suitable Boy’, the BBC1 six-part series will be shot for around three month in the city and partly in Kanpur.
The series, an adaption of the 1349-page novel set in the ’50s, stars Tabu, Ishan Khatter and newcomer Tanya Maniktala. But the main protagonist, according to sources, is the cultural essence of Lucknow, which the ‘Monsoon Wedding’ filmmaker wants to capture. And to get it right, a number of prominent Lucknowites, besides the professional actors, have been cast in the series.
“Seth’s book is set in a fictional city of Brahmpur but the physical description is clearly of Lucknow. Meira wants to stay close to the essence of the book,” says a source.
Faces from Lucknow, who represents the cosmopolitan, multi-culture diversity of the city, have been cast in small roles. Many well-known Lucknowites from non-filmi background will be seen in the series, but due to a non-disclosure agreement they are not willing to come on record.
The shooting will begin at the academic wing of the King George’s Medical University, which will be showcased as Brahmpur University as written in the book.
“In the book, the writer has portrayed the India the British left behind. The environment is of new refugees from Pakistan, foreigners, Parsis, Ango-Indian community, locals and spirit of Brahmpur, which is actually Awadh. The maker wants to immortalize the Ganga-Jamuni culture which is slowly fading away,” says the source.
The novel revolves around four families --Mehras, Kapoors, Khans and Chatterjis. As the title suggests, it’s the mother’s quest to find a suitable boy for her 19-year-old daughter Lata. Tabu plays Saeeda Bai, a courtesan and musician while Ishaan plays her obsessed client.
The series for now has been scheduled to be shot till November end but the shoot may spill over to December, says the source. It will be shot at King Georges Medical Univesity, La Martiniere College, Mahmudabad Palace, Salempur House and a lot of heritage houses on Joppling Road and Nakkhas. For a few days, it will be shot in Kanpur too.
Mira and the production-direction team have been visiting the city for the past two years. The art team and other departments have been working here at various location for the last few months to ‘age the locations’, as the period is of 60-70 year ago, says another source.
BBC press office has already announced the leading cast of the BBC1 series, which has been adapted by Andrew Davies, known for adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, Les Miserables and War & Peace. Indian production house Jar Pictures is also involved in the making of the series.
