For many dedicated readers, the book, which is set in the 1950s and includes various interreligious friendships and relationships, has remained popular due to its relatable family dramas and its portrayal of what it means to be a secular, independent citizen. After multiple unsuccessful attempts, the cherished novel has finally been adapted into a luxurious new six-part series, helmed by Oscar-nominated director Mira Nair. Premiering on BBC One in July, the show was praised in Britain as the network's first prime-time drama shot on location in India with a predominantly Indian cast. In India, the response was mixed: members of the ruling Hindu nationalist party called for a boycott due to its portrayal of interfaith romance, and police launched an investigation into Netflix, the show's distributor. The series made a quieter debut in the United States on Acorn TV, without any calls for boycott. Nair, who was raised in India but now lives in New York, humorously refers to the show as "The Crown in Brown" due to its grand story and production. However, beyond its grandeur, the project holds personal and political significance for her. She expressed her desire to create a reflection of a more idealistic time, such as the secular and optimistic 1950s when her parents got married. The novel "A Suitable Boy" was written against the backdrop of rising Hindu nationalist politics in India after violent clashes in 1992. The story is set in the aftermath of the 1947 partition of India by the British, which led to the creation of Pakistan. His approach was to write a dramatic comedy of manners, focusing on a mother's efforts at Indian matchmaking and expanding it into a complex story involving four upper-class families, forbidden love, religious harmony, and post-Partition politics. This novel became a definitive portrayal of India's early years. Despite previous failed attempts at adaptation, the author selected Welsh screenwriter Andrew Davies to adapt the book, following his success with a BBC adaptation of Tolstoy's "War and Peace" in 2016. Seth's sister, Aradhana Seth, was entrusted with overseeing the adaptation process to maintain its integrity. The BBC greenlit the series in 2017, with director Mira Nair joining the project the following year. The "Suitable" adaptation, while sharing similarities with "The Crown" in terms of drama and scope, did not have the same large budget as the House of Windsor drama. To afford the desired locations and period details, the production was cut from eight episodes to six and streamlined the complex narrative of the book. Aradhana Seth advised viewers to approach the adaptation with an open mind, leaving the book aside. The TV version focuses on two main characters, Lata and Maan, as they navigate coming of age in India during the 1952 post-independence elections. Maan becomes involved in his father's election campaign, gaining insight into caste and religion politics, while Lata tries to find her own path despite her mother's insistence on finding her a suitable Hindu boy. Maniktala expressed that Lata has a lot of energy and is eager to explore the world as she is a recent university graduate. She lives in a bubble where she believes everything will be great. Filming was finished in India in December and Nair took a break from editing in London to visit New York in March. However, she became stuck in New York when international borders closed due to the coronavirus. In a video interview, Nair showed how she edited the show with her team across the world using multiple screens. The music for the show was composed remotely, with a full orchestra in Budapest, Hungary, and composers Alex Heffes and sitarist Anoushka Shankar in Los Angeles and London. When the show premiered in Britain, it received praise from mainstream press for its representation on the BBC. However, South Asian critics were less impressed, criticizing the English dialogue and accents, as well as questioning why an 84-year-old Welsh writer was adapting this iconic story about modern India and a young woman's romantic awakening. As social media criticism grew, Vikram Seth defended his choice of Davies, stating that "race should have nothing to do with it" in The Telegraph. Davies himself explained that it was a balance between finding someone very Indian or very experienced in adapting long books to write the adaptation. His previous TV adaptations include "Bleak House" and "Pride and Prejudice." Nair, who grew up in a secular Hindu family, felt defensive about his writing territory and wanted to include more political themes from the novel in the screenplay. She aimed to shift the focus from marriage to the making of India, and integrated spoken Hindi and Urdu into the script as much as possible. When asked about balancing her Indian perspective with British television standards, she laughed. "It was a delightful struggle, I must say." Nair is no stranger to this challenge. Having experience in the often tough battles for more authentic and artistic portrayals of South Asians in Western media, she has created numerous acclaimed films about India and its diaspora. According to Amardeep Singh, a professor at Lehigh University and author of "The Films of Mira Nair: Diaspora Vérité," Nair tends to focus on social issues rooted in everyday life. "A Suitable Boy," her latest project, continues this trend by exploring modern India, similar to her previous works like "Monsoon Wedding" and "Salaam Bombay!". The series was shot on location in real cities, capturing both their grandeur and decay while striving for a midcentury Indian minimalism aesthetic. For example, a mansion in Lucknow was transformed into the lavish home of Saeeda Bai, a Muslim singer and courtesan, representing the fading aristocratic Islamic court culture and literary sensuality of the era. Tabu, one of India's most acclaimed actors, portrays the character of Saeeda in the film. Saeeda's poetry, singing, and beauty captivate Maan, the son of a prominent Hindu politician. Tabu mentioned that director Mira Nair is very particular about portraying women on screen, and Saeeda Bai is depicted as ethereal and unattainable in society. Maan, played by Khatter, emphasized the relevance of interfaith love stories in a diverse country like India. Khatter, who comes from an interreligious background himself, believes these stories are important to tell. The filming of the movie coincided with protests erupting in India over a law that excludes Muslim migrants from obtaining Indian citizenship. Sadaf Jafar, known for her role as Bibbo in the show, took part in the protests and was arrested and mistreated by the police. Despite warnings from friends, Nair launched a public campaign to help Jafar, drawing inspiration from Faiz Ahmed Faiz's words. The positive message of unity in "A Suitable Boy" may seem outdated, but Maniktala, who plays Lata, found it still relevant, especially when reflecting on her own family's experiences during the 1947 partition. "I understand the significance of pain and the lessons it teaches," she stated. "I believe that the empathy people once had is decreasing, and we must not forget our roots. It is crucial to remember our past." (Source: New York Times News Service, 2020)