Is Mira Nair’s A Suitable Boy worth watching?

A suitable boy, a BBC Television drama, directed by Mira Nair released in august 2020 weaves various narratives against the historical backdrop of post partition India. It’s based on Vikrem Seth’s original novel with the same title. In its course, the series covers various micro and macro questions that the contemporary India is still exploring. The series begin with Lata (the main protagonist), preparing for her sister’s wedding to a mediocre university professor. In the wedding, Lata’s mother makes it clear to Lata that she is next in line and will marry “a suitable boy” of her mother’s choice. Rupa (Lata’s mother) has become a widow recently and her matchmaking anxieties stem from this notion. She believes that her responsibilities will be fulfilled after she marries her children off to good families. Thus, the pressure on a 19 year old Lata intensifies. In Rupa, the audience sees a typical Indian mother figure, worrying about the honor of the family, obsessively attached with the emotional bond to the now dead patriarch of the family and constantly exhibiting pretentious behavior around distant relatives. Through her character, the religious clash between Muslims and Hindus is exhibited. She refuses to even think about Kabir as a suitable match for Lata because he is a Muslim. She dismisses Lata’s feelings and passion for Kabir and only thinks about “log kya kahen gy”. This sits aptly against the conditions of post-colonial India, left by Britishers that followed a communal hatred under the façade of secularism.

Although the initial narrative seems that of Lata, where her mother finds a suitable boy for her from among a university student Kabir, an ostentatious poet Amit and a practical shoemaker Haresh. However, this is parallel to Maan’s narrative, an impetuous young boy of a local politician, who struggles to find a purpose in his life. Both these narratives move parallel to the backdrop of post partition India struggling to create a distinct identity for itself. With the elections coming up and the rising Hindu- Muslim riots, the series shows the turbulent historical periods in the history of India. The ambiguity arises when the binaries among the relationships between Hindus and Muslims is presented throughout the series. On political scales, the tensions increase as the elections are nearing. In contrast to that, on a personal level, both Maan and his Muslim friend Firoz, as well as Maheesh Kapoor and Nawab Saab’s political and personal alliance seems to portray a humanistic insight. Maheesh and Nawab has a vision of peace and unity. They plan to work for a secular India that will provide the lower class and the minorities with their due rights. However as the events unfold the audience realizes that they fail to do so.

The Hindu Muslim clash becomes prominent after the demolition of the Babri Mosque. The riots reach their peak, murdering countless innocent Muslims as well as Hindus. In a Muharram procession, Firoz’s life is threatened by some Hindu radicals but Maan saves his life endangering his own. These little snippets of mutual love and admiration for each other, Maan and Firoz indicate a possibility of a prosperous and peaceful India. As it is seen in the last episode, Firoz, despite escaping death by a chance, protects Maan in his confession to the judge. This indicates the writer’s subtle attempt to portray his beliefs as well as hope. In addition to that, it also signifies the strength of a friendship over that of communal hatred.

As stated previously, the series explores various elements set in 1950’s India. The struggle and divide was not only between religious parties but social classes. The image of rural India was explored through Rasheed and his father. The inequity faced by the working class of the village coaxes them to consider Maan as a hero, when he takes a stand for them. Rasheed, Maan and Waris represents the new generation of India, the post-independence nation, among which Rasheed refuses to inherit the land as well as superiority of his father. Maan on the other hand is reckless however, through his love and passion for Saeeda Bai and then Urdu, decides to alter the situation of lower class of India. Waris is shown as an opportunist, because himself belonging to a minority group and the lower class who has easy access to both the upper class dealings of the Nawabs as well as knows the struggles of working class, decides to run for elections. This proves benefitting for him as he secures his seat. However through this event, it became clear that the split between Hindus and Muslims will continue to grow.

The theme of class difference runs in the background in first 4 episodes. Except for the fact that Maheesh Kapoor struggles to get his bill passed. The bill was supposedly in favor of the working class that enabled them to inherit the lands they work on. It altered the long inheritance system of landowners and Rajas. Furthermore, the character of Saeeda Bai is representative of the oppression faced by the lower class. She being a Muslim courtesan was triply marginalized. As a woman she had to sustain herself and her daughter through singing. However, she had to face the society because of her notorious relationships with political elites. As the series matures, the audience comes to know about the truth behind her daughter who was born out of wedlock with the Nawab Saab. It leaves both Firoz and the Saeeda’s daughter in a distorted state. As she was sexually harassed and left alone to sustain herself and her illegitimate daughter, tarnishing her self-respect, however the Nawab’s reputation remains untouched. It not only protrudes the circumstances of a lower class but a woman struggling to make a living.

The idea of love has been extensively explored in the series through various characters. On one hand, Maan whose passion and love for Saeeda is so intense that he decides to alter his condition. He not only goes to a village to learn Urdu but also struggles to work his relationship with his parents. He fights everyone to protect Saeeda’s reputation and doesn’t care about her status. His love is shown as the true love however this burning passion of his becomes a stimulus for the climax of the series. Comparatively, Rasheed’s love for Saeeda’s daughter becomes self-destructive for Rasheed. He burns himself in the fire of his love. He loses sanity in separation. Unlike Maan, he refuses to alleviate his condition to be able to make himself worthy of Saeeda’s daughter thus dies of pain. Third main protagonist whose love story has been explored is that of Lata. In her passion for Kabir decides to run away from her family. However it can be considered as an impulsive act born out of immaturity. While considering Lata’s decision to marry Haresh, the audience should also consider the pressure of her mother and her family.

Lastly, Amit’s family is representative of the corrupt elite of post-independence India. One of his sisters is cheating on her husband and is always after money. The second one spends her time leisurely with her German husband, admiring his opera performances. Amit on the other hand has the favor of spending his time as a poet. However, all three of them are snobbish and unaffected by the outside politics, arranging extravagant parties. In their awe, Arun also becomes snobbish and pretentious. Despite the fact that he never visited England, tries to abase Haresh. Due to his tilted accent and mediocre appearance, they all make fun of him. Haresh is representative of the middle working class of India who is actually doing something for the people of India. As he says, “when I came back to India I realized India needed shoes”. The metaphor of shoes is important as it depicts the soul standing commodity of a person. Providing shoes is symbolic of providing a good base to the Indian people thus setting a foundation. Lata choosing Haresh, a middle class working man, depicts the inclination of Seth towards the capabilities of middle class of India after independence.

The strong hold and impact of colonialism shines through the events related to Varun Mehra, Lata’s brother. He is pressurized to prepare for civil services exams and to abandon his passion for music. The generational regularities are quite visible in his relationship with his brother Arun and mother Rupa. Both of them dismisses his talent and passion for singing and force him to make something extraordinary out of his life. The post- colonial impact is visible in the fact that to be labeled as successful, Varun has to secure a position working under the government. After he acquires his position as a civil servant, all of the aunties and girls roam around him in Lata’s wedding. It proves the fact that only respectable and worthy job is that of serving under the government. It actually stems from the policies that were in place during British Raj. The civil servants were considered educated and in power. Thus this mentally dictated in coming generations even after independence.

Conclusively, A Suitable Boy is a multilayered season giving insight into the personal and political during the 1950s India. It not only delves deeper into the growing fascism of Hindu Rajas and communal hatred between Hindus and Muslims, but also explores personal struggles of the characters. It lets the characters evolve and learn from their life experiences and venture into a better future. The indication is that of a better tomorrow for India despite its tumultuous start. It speaks of religious tolerance, love and peace not withdrawing its roots from a realist ground. Thus, the thematic profoundness allows the audience to focus on humane experiences amidst historical turbulences.