A Suitable Boy: Fans prefer new BBC drama to novel - do you agree?
A Suitable Boy on BBC has been charming viewers on a Sunday evening for the past three weeks. The drama, which tells the story of Lata Mehra (Tanya Maniktala) on her quest to find love, has been adapted for TV from the 1993 best-selling novel of the same name by Vikram Seth.
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WATCH: A Suitable Boy - official trailer
Given the book received high praise from critics and fans alike at the time of publishing, it's perhaps unsurprising that many watchers at home can't help but draw comparisons to the novel. And it seems that the programme has proved just as, if not more, well-received.
MORE: Will there be a series two of A Suitable Boy?
The drama is an adaptation of Vikram Seth's novel
Taking to social media on Sunday evening, many tweeted their reviews during the third episode in the series. One person tweeted: "So I am (re)reading #ASuitableBoy and think the series is doing a very good job within (regrettable) constraints. Sure, no very long asides on the zamindar system, shoe making, music etc., but the detail is hinted at, the tone is right & the dialogue spot-on - some of it verbatim."
Another commented: "Having read the book about seven times and then watching this as a series adaptation, #ASuitableBoy is worth the watch. Skipped a lot of parts from the book, but the thing worth commendable is the Indian Classical background score which brings everything together beautifully." A third tweeted: "A beautiful book and so far seemingly a beautiful adaptation. And Tanya Manitkala is so graceful. #ASuitableBoy."
Are you watching the BBC series?
Another viewer even admitted to skipping parts of the novel – which is one of the longest books written in the English language – but found the BBC's adaptation emotionally moving. "#ASuitableBoy Beautifully filmed. I do remember skipping the long tannery chapter in the book though. But the little boy in the crowd - awful." The show tells the story of passionate literature student Lata Mehra as she embarks on a quest to find love. Her mother is keen to find her a 'suitable boy' to marry, but on Lata's journey, she finds more than love as she discovers herself, independence and freedom.
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