Even as he disagrees with the novel's resolution, Namit Das on bringing the hero alive on screen in Mira Nair's A Suitable Boy
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; April 14, 2020)

When you sit through nearly 1,500 pages of Vikram Seth's A Suitable Boy, you expect a fairy tale ending. But Seth doesn't give his readers the pleasure — in a surprising climax, an unlikely suitor by the name of Haresh Khanna marries the feisty protagonist, Lata Mehra, even as the readers root for her union with her college sweetheart, Kabir Durrani. In an interview, the author had famously stated that he himself questioned his heroine's decision to marry Haresh.

As Mira Nair brings the book to life as a BBC series by the same name, we ask Namit Das, who plays Haresh, if he struggled to imbibe the character that suffers from an inherent disadvantage. "I questioned [the climax] myself when I first read the book in 2015. After 1,500 pages, you feel a bit cheated with the ending," he quips.

Of course, he is assured that Nair, with her mastery over the craft, will be able to sell the unconventional couple with conviction. The auteur has another advantage — she shares a deep bond with Seth, whose creation Haresh was inspired by his father, Prem Seth. "Vikram is one of the producers on the show, and we spent a considerable amount of time on set with him. As I went through the process of filmmaking, I realised that Haresh is modelled on Vikram's father. One has to understand that the unusual romance between Leila Seth and her husband Prem is mirrored in the book through the union of Lata and Harish. Even in Leila Seth's autobiography On Balance, there's a chapter that draws similarities between Haresh and Vikram's father. Mira is close to Vikram and his family, so all the characters have been designed with a personal touch."

The prep wasn't easy for Das, who had to transform into a paan-chewing shoemaker from a bygone era. "I learnt the art of shoemaking, in theory. I would sit with a cobbler on the cobbled street near [Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj] Terminus in Mumbai and practise mending shoes. Mira was also sure that she wanted us to be comfortable in the clothes that we would be wearing at shoot. [Since the book depicts the '50s] I got high-waist pants at home and used to sleep in them. I did this so that when at shoot, I had a lived-in experience and it didn't look like I was trying them on for the first time."

Even as Nair has brought together a powerful ensemble cast that includes Tabu, Ishaan Khatter and Vijay Varma, it is inevitable that some characters from the literary world haven't made the transition to screen. "Andrew Davies [writer] and Mira have managed to keep the essence of the novel intact," states the actor, adding that the director is "brilliant at adaptations". "The Namesake [2006] is a masterpiece. She beautifully blends the Indian culture with the understanding of the Western world. Her focus is always on characters who take the story ahead, which is why her ensemble films work perfectly."

The actors are scheduled to begin shooting for the international director’s adaptation of Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy next month; Tanya Maniktala plays protagonist Lata; the project goes on the floors next month
Hiren Kotwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 12, 2019)

Earlier this year, it was reported that Ishaan Khatter had opted to be a part of Vishal Bhardwaj’s next, based on Salman Rushdie’s Booker Prize-winning novel Midnight’s Children, over Mira Nair’s screen adaptation of Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy. Then Mirror was the first to inform that the young actor and the auteur had parted ways, albeit amicably, over creative differences. Now, Ishaan is back in Mira’s project, written by Andrew Davies (of Pride and Prejudice, War & Peace, Les Misérables fame).

For someone who began his acting innings with Iranian legend Majid Majidi’s Beyond The Clouds, making his Bollywood debut with Karan Johar’s Dhadak, Ishaan’s next move is keenly anticipated. “I hope I can satisfy Mira’s vision and give the global audience the character they deserve in Maan Kapoor (his character),” he says.

Ishaan will be joined by another powerhouse performer, Tabu. “Having worked with Mira previously in The Namesake, I am looking forward to another creatively challenged experience,” exults the National Award-winning actress. Interestingly, Ishaan’s brother Shahid Kapoor has worked with Tabu in Haider (2014), Vishal’s adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

The novel tells the story of a spirited university student Lata (played by Tanya Maniktala, earlier seen in the TV series Flames), coming of age in North India in 1951, at the time when the country is going to the polls for its first democratic general elections. While her mother is determined to find her a husband, Lata embarks on her own journey of love and self-discovery. Connected to her through their siblings’ marriage, the wayward Maan Kapoor (played by Ishaan) is determined to enjoy life to the fullest whatever be the consequences, much to the concern of his politician father. He is infatuated by the beautiful courtesan Saaeda Bai (played by Tabu) and the trio’s stories play out during a tumultuous period in India’s history, reflect the wider conflict between tradition and modernity.

Mira points out that Vikram tells the story of a free India and our people with wit, clarity and love. “I’m deeply honoured to be the one bringing this intimate, epic tale of an unseen India to the world,” she asserts, adding the novel is more relevant today. “We’ll keep the history and dream of an alternate India alive,” promises the director of The Reluctant Fundamentalist and Queen Of Katwe.

Newbie Tanya is in a daze and admits it all “still surreal” to work with Mira. “I’m still understanding Lata and the complexities of her reality. I hope I can deliver. But, for now, I’m focusing on enjoying the process and just taking it one day at a time,” she smiles.

The shoot will begin next month. The team will be filming entirely on location, in palaces, streets and villages across northern India, in places like Lucknow and Maheshwar.