Mira Nair's A Suitable Boy to begin filming on September 7

L-R Vikram Seth, Ishaan Khatter, Mira Nair, Tabu, Tanya Maniktala, Andrew Davies

Filming commences on Saturday (September 7) on Lookout Point's epic adaptation of Vikram Seth's A Suitable Boy for BBC One. The six-part series will be directed by internationally acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding, The Namesake, Queen of Katwe) and has been adapted for screen for the first time by award-winning writer Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice, War & Peace, Les Misérables).

All three creative powerhouses behind the show - Nair, Seth, and Davies - gathered in Mumbai recently to start rehearsals and read through scripts alongside cast and the three leads: Bollywood leading man Ishaan Khatter (Beyond the Clouds, Dhadak), Indian screen legend Tabu (The Namesake, Life of Pi, Andhadhun) and rising star Tanya Maniktala who will play the central role of Lata. All pictured together here.

Mira Nair says, "The talent in the room sizzled: Vikram Seth, author of the masterpiece that I have loved since the day it was written, Andrew Davies, the great craftsman of distillation of epic stories into screenplays, cutting-edge actors, first-timers and legends from across the subcontinent, all coming together to make a human, funny, political, sexy chronicle of India."

A Suitable Boy tells the story of spirited university student Lata (Tanya Maniktala); coming of age in North India in 1951 at the same time as the country is carving out its own identity as an independent nation and is about to go to the polls for its first democratic general election. Produced by Lookout Point, the UK-based TV production company behind War and Peace, Les Misérables, and Gentleman Jack, this adaptation will be shot on locations across India, and is set to feature an all Indian cast.

A Suitable Boy is commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Director of Content, BBC and Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama. Executive Producers are Andrew Davies, Mira Nair and Vikram Seth; Faith Penhale, Laura Lankester and Will Johnston for Lookout Point; Lydia Dean Pilcher and Aradhana Seth (who also produce); and Mona Qureshi for the BBC. The series will be distributed by BBC Studios and will air next year on BBC One.

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