Acorn TV's 'A Suitable Boy' is Lush and Full of Insight About India's Past

When India became independent in 1947, it was partitioned into two countries. India was free, but the land and the people were divided forever. (A Suitable Boy)

Kabir: May I walk with you?
Lata: Sure, India is a free country.

Based on Vikram Seth’s monumental 1993 novel, the BBC’s dramatization of A Suitable Boy arrives in the U.S. on AcornTV this month, with two episodes dropping on December 7, followed by weekly releases of the remaining four, through January 4. The series is directed by renowned activist and filmmaker Mira Nair, whose credits include The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2012), Vanity Fair (2004), and Monsoon Wedding (2001), and its huge cast includes both Bollywood stars and notable newcomers. It was filmed entirely in India, and it’s gorgeous to watch, although its swooning romanticism is tempered by examination of some serious political issues which still reverberate today.

Set in India in the fictional town of Brahmpur, the story takes place in 1951, only four years after partition and independence. In every episode, the opening titles remind us of the violence and bloodshed that came with the creation of two new nations and the fragility that now exists between them. The eruption of violence between Hindu and Muslim factions is always a possibility, even in a quiet university town. The British cultural legacy is strong—characters reach for tea and biscuits under stress, cricket is still the major sport, but things are changing, particularly in the lives of the four families the series follows (you may find this guide helpful).