Indian Summers

18 August 2014

(1 x 90, 9 x 60)
TX: Winter

Indian Summers tells the rich and explosive story of the decline of the British Empire and the birth of modern India, from both sides of the experience. 

It’s the summer of 1932 and India dreams of Independence, but the British are clinging to power. In the foothills of the Himalayas stands Simla; a little England where every summer the British power-brokers of this nation are posted to govern during the summer months. At the heart of Simla’s society is Cynthia, played by Julie Walters (Harry Potter, Mo, The Hollow Crown), 60s, widowed, doyenne of the Royal Club and a force to be reckoned with, her influence spreads throughout the community. 

Henry Lloyd Hughes (The Inbetweeners, Harry Potter, Madame Bovary) is Ralph Whelan, 30, coolly ambitious, a coming man and Private Secretary to the Viceroy of India, played by Patrick Malahide (Game of Thrones.) Ralph's sister, Alice, played by Jemima West (The Borgias, The Mortal Instruments : City of Bones), returns to Simla alone with her child and finds herself drawn to Aafrin, played by Nikesh Patel (Bedlam, Honour), early 20s, Junior Clerk in the Viceroy’s office. Lillette Dubey (Monsoon Wedding) and Roshan Seth (A Passage to India, Gandhi) star as Aafrin’s parents, Roshana and Darius, whilst Ayesha Kala (Shameless) plays his sister, Sooni. 

The cast of characters also includes Douglas, played by Craig Parkinson (Line of Duty, Misfits), who runs a missionary school, and his wife Sarah, played by Fiona Glascott (Episodes), who yearns for the comforts of home. Alexander Cobb (Mr Selfridge, Call the Midwife) is Ian McLeod, the young and naïve Scottish tea plantation heir, while the mysterious Anglo Indian woman Leena is played by Amber Rose Reevah (What Remains). As Indian Summers begins, the stories of promises, secrets, politics, power, sex and love play out as the British Raj begins to falter and a nation opens its eyes to the possibilities of freedom.

Executive Producers: Charlie Pattinson, Elaine Pyke, Simon Curtis and Rebecca Eaton for MASTERPIECE on PBS. Indira Varma is co-Executive Producer with Producer, Dan McCulloch.

Prod Co: New Pictures