Filmmaker Mira Nair to begin shoot for adaptation of Vikram Seth's best-selling novel 'A Suitable Boy' in September

By Ahana Nagar

on May 28, 2019

Venice Golden Lion-winning filmmaker Mira Nair, who was in Cannes this year as the mentor of the Institut Francais' La Fabrique programme, is all set to begin filming her long-in-gestation adaptation of Vikram Seth's best-selling novel A Suitable Boy in September in Delhi and other locations across northern India.

"I'm already deep into the project, which is a BBC series of six one-hour episodes. The casting is 80 percent done," Mira said in an interview. However, she has yet to take the final call on who will play Lata, the young woman at the heart of the sprawling story. "I've been looking for an actress to play Lata for six months now. A major movie star wants to do it. I would love to have her on board. But I am also looking at a couple of unknown possibilities. I cannot, therefore, declare a name because it is still cooking," said the filmmaker.

With the fabulous @MiraPagliNair who is @Festival_Cannes as a mentor at La Fabrique Cinema. We chatted about her first trip to Cannes with Salaam Bombay, her upcoming project (A Suitable Boy) & her smashing footwear! Coming soon on @hotstartweets pic.twitter.com/9nqHJj5Gs3

— Anupama Chopra (@anupamachopra) May 16, 2019

Mira's connection with A Suitable Boy goes back to 1994, the year the book was published. "I simply love the book. I tried to get the rights when it was written," she said. "But it was too big and too hard to adapt at that point. So, I created my own microcosmic response to the huge epic by making my own intimate Monsoon Wedding. It is great to be going back to it."

A large part of the ensemble cast for A Suitable Boy is already in place and among the names Mira mentions are Tabu, Shefali Shah, Vivek Gomber, Rasika Dugal and Vivaan Shah. She is also close to signing up Naseeruddin Shah in a key role.

Mira also revealed, "We would love to premiere A Suitable Boy in a major film festival. In fact, we'd like to bring it to Cannes. We'll be finished in time for the festival in 2020. But if not Cannes, then Venice."