A Suitable Boy (TV Series 2020) Poster

(2020)

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6/10
Did not do justice to the novel!
marziabilwani3 September 2020
Having read the novel a few months ago, I was quite excited about this series.I watched the first episode as soon as it was released.

However, from the very first episode I felt everything was quite rushed. How could they possibly do justice to a 1300+ pages long novel in 6 episodes? While the show starred some talented actors such as Tabu and Ishaan Khatter, the actors just couldn't turn the show around. It lacked a lot of character development and a large chunk of the history which was mentioned in the book was simply removed. At the end of the day, I felt this was simply a matchmaking drama. It could have been so much more!
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6/10
So disappointing - everything that was great in the novel is missing
murtlecottage26 September 2020
Sad to say that this was so, so disappointing - everything that was great in the novel is missing. Hard to know who or what to blame the most - the choice of screenwriter, the poor direction, the wooden dialogue, the random changes between English and HIndi/Urdu, the miscasting of Mrs Mehra and especially Lata - Tanya Maniktala was definitely not a 'suitable girl' for the part! The only saving graces were the presence of Tabu and the music of Shujaat Khan. I don't think that anyone will be inspired to read Vikram Seth's novel after watching this BBC dramatisation, so would advise not wasting your time watching this but instead invest your time reading the novel.
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5/10
An unsuitable adaptation
paul2001sw-125 September 2020
When I started to read Vikram Seth's monster novel, 'A Suitable Boy', I found it hard going: had Seth really written 1400 pages about the attempts of a young woman to find a husband? But the story inside this framing ultimately expanded into an astonishingly broad, subtle, superbly written and cunningly plotted epic. This television adaptation can't quite bring the Seth's full vision to life, and feels much more like I first feared the book would be: an essentially simple story about finding the right partner. We do still see a lot of India; but at times it feels that it's merely providing background colour, while the characters are simplified and presented straight up as the people you gradually come to know over the book's many chapters. It's always hard judging a new version of something you already love fairly, but I couldn't engage with this series. Read the original instead: it's a literary masterpiece.
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6/10
Average - made for the Western audience.
Amyth4713 November 2020
My Rating : 6/10

Great selection of actors, music and settings however it's too bland - too gimmicky and cringe most of the time.

The book is one of the greatest ever - this doesn't do justice to its scale and opulence.

OK for a one-time viewing.
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9/10
An antidote to most films or series
iancrimble15 August 2020
I am incredulous at some of the reviews thus far. Just a reminder to some: this is not a 2020, Americo-European, slick, CGI-laden action film. It is sublimely Indian story, set in 1947, in an ancient almost timeless nation, populated by people who are from a totally different culture. To my mind, having watched three episodes, this series captures all of these. The slowness of the pace, even the slowness of the camera work, reinforces all this. The acting? I found it to be so refreshing, and those reviewers who talk about amateur acting obviously haven't met the originals of the people portrayed in this series (I have: I was born in the 40's and my mother was born in Bangalore three decades earlier: in my life I have know and dealt with just about all of the wonderful 'types' portrayed here). I revelled in the characters with all their quirkiness and idiosyncrasies, and I found them an antidote to the often-crass over-acting that is churned out today. By the way, to those who think that some of the delivery is wooden, here's an insight: people in the 40s did speak much more precisely and grammatically than most do today, and to my somewhat agèd ears the voices in this series are totally authentic for the period. The camera work is divine, as is the music, and combined together they take you out of your drab day-to-day life to a very different world. Not always a nice world, and I am sure that there are some who will be offended by the portrayal of bigotry and intolerance the are woven into the story, but they are undeniable historical truths which are central to the plot. Overall, to those of you locked down in these troubled times, draw the curtains, sit back and lose yourself in this luxurious and beautifully-rendered drama.
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7/10
It Ends Beautifully
markchanmusic6 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
A Suitable Boy, Netflix - BBC "Friendship & Family Matter" Finally, I watched the series, and finished the full 6 episodes.

Over a year after it first came out on Netflix!

Anachronism moi?

But I loved the book so much!

And I do want to feel that we can step outside time and the crowd pressure of what is popular at any one given moment... and watch it at a time of one's choosing... So, what did I think / feel?

Many things were changed from Vikram Seth's tome, some upset me, some were necessary, but how otherwise to condense 1,400 pages into a 6 episode Netflix mini series?

Yes, a large amount of it was a stereotyped image of India, it didn't break new ground nor rest happily grounded on Indian soil... which I found baffling in this day and age.

It was many things and many things were lost. But it was enjoyable all the same. The cast were good, well fit to their roles and walked a fine line between entertainment and exaggeration, which in hindsight seems necessary in these times.

ONE thing, one Scene, stood out, magical and human, as near to cliche as one has to walk to be magical and human.... and I've replayed it at least 10 times already. Moved and in tears, watching and rewatching... For those who've finished the series, I'm sure you know which one scene:- (for those who haven't yet watched and do intend to, Read no further.. *Spoiler alert*) In the final 6th episode, at court to decide the fate of Maan Kapoor, his friend Firoz Ali Khan stands and gives his Changed account of what happened that fateful night... when Maan, drunk and in the grip of insane jealousy stabs him, nearly fatally, in the house of Saeeda Begum... Firoz, standing in the witness box, says, instead: "I saw her there with my friend Maan Kapoor. He was holding a fruit knife.

"I went towards him, I stumbled and fell on the knife.

"I stumbled and fell on the knife. It was an accident.

"I was ill and confused when I spoke to the police.

"Now I am better, I remember things much more clearly..." "'Do you realise that the accused has confessed to the crime??' " asks the prosecution.. Firoz replies "He was quite drunk at the time.. I suppose he thought he had done it"

Goodness, how powerful, simple, real and important.

"Friendship matters" It is for these things that one learns to ignore changes and omissions and pandering to shorter attention spans.

I am glad that this was rendered SO so SO Beautifully.... There is much to be learned in every age.

And much we must continue to treasure.... #ASuitableBoy.
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1/10
Not connected to reality
virus12330 August 2020
How can a guy kiss a girl inside a temple in the 80's while others just walk by without batting an eye?

Even in 2020 if you were to start kissing a girl inside a temple, in front of everyone, you would most likely be thrown out of the temple. There would be a huge character assassination for the female and worse, the cops would also be involved in it.

Honestly, who has come up with this series? Can't they actually learn a thing or two about what India actually looks like instead of coming up with such a series?
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8/10
A promising slow burner
cyberboyraj198928 July 2020
People giving it a lower rating might be the ones who are used to gripping tales these days from the very first episode as gone are the days of good slow burn soap operas. To really appreciate this, one needs to be familiar with Vikram Seth's writing, which itself takes time to dwell in you with its fine details to all the characters and the period they are set in and secondly, not many people are familiar with Mira Nair's work. She has a beautiful eye for details in her direction and the way she narrates her story is always with a kind of tenderness and her characters take their own time to amalgamate. I understand, at first, it's a bit unusual to see many familiar faces having lengthy conversations in english, especially the actors whom we have only seen in 'Hindi' speaking cinema/series till now. But I do believe the ensemble is doing justice to their roles and with time we will become more attached to them. I for one will be rooting for the show.
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Shockingly bad
Reviewer19865 October 2020
Highly disappointing and very poorly made adaptation of what seems like a terrible story. Acting, direction, editing, scriptwriting and screen play were all outstandingly bad.
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6/10
Austen transposed
crawfordiain27 August 2020
An Indian twist to the Austen /Hardy formula of one girl/3 suitors (Pride and Prejudice, Far from the madding crowd, under the greenwood tree). Sumptuous production and Lata is delightful. As per usual with Andrew Davies, some anachronistic phrases creep in ('I can't get enough of her').
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1/10
OMG
adrian_caldwell3 August 2020
If Vikram Seth's novel is like an epic journey through time across a continent at a pivotal political time portraying the relationships between families and subtle observational wit and humour complemented by serious human frailties...then this BBC is like being bludgeoned over the head by a baseball bat. Not just dumbed down for mass appeal but knocked unconscious by a giant pantomime dame wielding said club. Make some time, read the book and pretend this £16 million amateur dramatics exercise never happened
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10/10
Nice
reyanshpal-7129219 November 2020
Ishaan did wonder job tabbu is flawless...... ........ ....
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6/10
Beautiful in parts
udita_mittal28 October 2020
Disclaimer - I have read the novel many times and am a huge fan. As excited as I was about the series, it was never going to live up to the the source for me.

First the positives, no expense appears to have been spared in production. The costumes, locations, cast and music is top notch. I was listing after saeeda bai's shararas! Tabu was excellent, and Ishan Khattar a revelation. Tanya Maniktala grew on me and Danesh (as the hottie Kabir) was perfectly cast. The supporting cast was excellent! The music was lovely, and the 1,300 page story well adapted.

The negatives - the dialogue in English was so jarring. Every time one of the characters slipped into Hindi/Urdu or Bangla my heart sang out. I understand that the series was written for an English audience but how could they get it so wrong. The odd and inconsistent accents, the very very weird language. Urgh!!! Some of the acting was also very off putting. The actor playing Rupa Mehra was shrill and OTT as was Kulbhushan Kharbanda in his minuscule role (and I won't even mention the actor who played his wife). It was so out of sync with the understated performances of the rest of the cast.
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1/10
Disappointed
Ankit-Kumar-Gami24 October 2020
This series is just a shame on the book. Makers made what their main audience i.e (Brits) want to see. Just go and read the book and you will feel the difference.
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I couldn't sit through ep 2
cafeosh10 December 2020
As an Indian myself from the starting the dialogues made me cringe so bad! They sounded like they were direct translation from hindi? Some of the actors seemed so awkward at the dialouge delivery and it would have been better if the show was in Hindi. What was the point of throwing one or two random hindi dialouges here and there.

The acting was mediocre the female protagonist Lata lacked emotions and appeared very unconvincing to me.

I haven't read the book so I cant compare but yes the plot atleast whatever I watched had potential if only the director handled it properly. I legit cracked up because the dialouges were so poorly written.
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7/10
Lush tv adaptation of Vikram Seth's novel set during India's new found freedom in the 1950's.
cgvsluis8 November 2021
We are four episodes in and I am loving this beautiful tv adaptation of the novel of the same name by Vikram Seth. The lush sets and 1950's costumes add a stunning backdrop to the story of a young East Indian girl's search for self and a husband amongst her friends, family and India's new found independence. Seth's characters are brought to vivid life and rounded out with both sights and the sound of music.

I am very happy with this production and can't wait to see more.
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8/10
A charming and heartwarming tale of values and family bonding
msunando12 November 2020
A Suitable Boy is an adaptation of Vikram Seth's eponymous novel brought to life through an ensemble cast, some heartwarming performances and a fairytale directional effort by Mira Nair and Shimit Amin. Set in the 1950's post partition India, A Suitable Boy is a heady concoction of a number of social and personal affairs, most of which remain relevant even today.

The story's mainstay is the subject of the parental control over a girl's future and her arranged marriage, taken to a ridiculous level by the single minded determination of an indulgent mother. In the case of our heroine Lata, her choice of the suitable boy during the modern day "swayamvar" is deemed legitimate so long as she will toe the line drawn by her guardian, and although all is well that ends well, the question about the uncertainty of the future remains. However, the central theme apart, A Suitable Boy also has a meaningful coverage of several other social issues like politics, power, competition, interfaith relationships, the rich and poor divide, rebellious youth and its potential effects, deep family bonding, feudal issues and communal harmony. The directors' ability to intertwine these issues with the central theme keeps the narrative breezy, interesting, diverse even when it plunges from being lighthearted to parlous.

The casting is indeed a coup and possibly the jewel in the crown of this rather larger than life, glossy series with magnificent production values. Tanya Maniktala is charming and effervescent in the central role of Lata, and Mahira Kakkar defines the role of her mother to the precision of excellence in the domain of intolerable indulgence. Our hearts go out to the earnest performances of Ishaan Khattar, Danesh Razvi, Shubham Saraf, Shahana Goswami, Vivaan Shah, Vijay Varma and young Yusuf Akhtar (as the adorable Bhaskar Tandon, the prodigious child). The standout execution of their respective role comes from the ever dependable Tabu as the ageing courtesan in a tumultuous phase of life, Ram Kapoor and Aamir Bashir who redefine friendship and communal harmony and finally, Namit Das, the chosen one, exuding confidence, strength of character, devotion, selflessness and an amiable personality that borders on OCD. Don't miss A Suitable Boy, there's a lot to discover in it, and you may even associate with some of the proceedings in this period drama.
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7/10
Beautiful!!
donpro-8202327 October 2020
What I loved and appreciate is the emotional connection between the character.Tanya maniktala with those beautiful eyes and a warm smile, she brought that sense of charisma in her performance. We see the difference of love in the perspective of every person and also how society sees them with.The dedication shown by each male character is commendable. Which is really missing these days. Being a part of Gen-X I can differentiate between the lifestyle.

"Love is shown in its purest form"
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1/10
A look at India through Antique Stigmatized Western looking glass
AbhiSh4ke24 October 2020
First just let me make this clear Hindus do not hate muslims in India please do not make a opinion based on these highly Stigmatized shows. A Hindu girl falling for a Muslim lad faces opposition from traditional family, A younger Rich hindu sion falling far a beautiful muslim courtesan faces opposition from patriach of family, A fat hindu maharaja building a temple right next to a mosque (utter and pure fiction), Uptight right wing politicians it's the usual Hinduphobic OTT troupe that has become common of late. Now as we are done with that "No one speaks in India like that, No one" that's maybe how the British imagine Indians speaking we do not speak like that. Second the show which could've shown a beautiful, secular, liberal India (which it was) instead spends majority of its time pointing and laughing at Indian culture and it's highly exaggerated shortcomings. Acting of lead is good some other well know names like Tabu and Ram Kapoor are only saving grace of this murder of Vikram's work. Mira Nair has a very negative impression of India and especially hindu culture and it shows very much. If you want to watch something that will add to stigmatized image of India in west then it's for you. If you are intrested in reality and not some hate fiction miss this. That's 6 hours of my life I'll never get back.
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10/10
Do not read the 1 stars
nitoswal12 November 2020
A creative beauty to watch. The soothing music, the acting, the powerful emotions. Utterly beautiful to watch.
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7/10
Expecting it to be good...
khaliddu1 August 2020
Have finished watching the first episode. Liked it so far. Expecting the coming episodes to be better!

Taabu is always great in any unconventional role!
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1/10
Wrong in many ways
eeerenu28 October 2020
I was very excited to watch the series because of the hype created around but I was really desopointed inspite of trying hard to like it and understand it's motive. Kissing of lata and Kabir at public places without being moral policed by people around is something not digestive. There was no motive of this story only.they just tried to show India in 1950's with so many storyline at the same time without any motive and the makers failed miserably in this. What was the need to show the afair of lata's sister in law as this story line headed no where,what was the need to show the misconduct of lata's mousaji when she didn't even talk about it ,what was the need to show lata's brother being fake and not liking being Desi when this story line also headed no where. Lata chose Kabir in the starting and it showed how strong she was in listening to her heart but at last she chose haresh inspite of the fact that she loved kabir. Lata didn't even take any action against his mousaji inspite of knowing that her cousin was a suffering in the house she just asked to take her with them but nothing happened and she did nothing.i think lata is a confused character .The story tried to justify that parents forcing their children to marry the person of their choice is right.And above all acting is really bad
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9/10
Surprisingly good
tjaswal22 April 2021
I am a bit shocked to see the poor overall rating of this show. I think a lot of people are rating based on their expectations of having read the book. Some have no clue - thinking that the show is set in the 80s!

Anyway, to someone not coloured by the 1000 page book, this is a truly enjoyable albeit slow watch. The pace of storytelling is gentle, yet engaging. You are rooting for the protagonist at all times, hoping she will make the right decision. The other strands of the plot are well fleshed out, and the acting is great, once you get over most of the characters speaking to each other in English. I am truly impressed with Ishan Khattar and Ram Kapoor, who have lived in the skin of their characters and have inhabited them well. Tabu of course is brilliant as usual.

Definitely a must watch - if you are for period dramas. Gives you a glimpse of the lives of upper class Indians just after independence.
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7/10
Beautiful beautiful sets
elianewillmott24 August 2020
Beautiful sets which are extremely accurately portrayed
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1/10
Embarrassingly dreadful - Messrs Nair and Davies plumb the depths
armstrongd_uk31 August 2020
I had not read the book, but a number of people I know have done so with pleasure, and together with the big names of Davies and Nair at the helm, this encouraged me to watch this serial with great expectations.

From the start the settings were beautiful, but this travesty was spoiled by the wooden dialogue and amateurish, indeed at times childish, acting by many of the cast. Exaggerated and unconvincing facial expressions at so many times - this was disappointing and uncomfortable to watch, totally lacking in subtlety. Generally hard to care about what happened to any of the characters (even Tabu, whose roles I have usually adored).

Could this really have been directed by the same hand which gave us the Reluctant Fundamentalist and the Namesake?

Seth's monumental work cries out for a memorable, beautifully crafted film version - this is most definitely not it!
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