Series cast summary: | |||
Olivia Grant | ... |
Madeleine Mathers
/ ...
(20 episodes, 2015-2016)
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Ash Nair | ... |
Bhupinder
(19 episodes, 2015-2016)
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Henry Lloyd-Hughes | ... |
Ralph Whelan
(18 episodes, 2015-2016)
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Nikesh Patel | ... |
Aafrin Dalal
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(18 episodes, 2015-2016)
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Jemima West | ... |
Alice Whelan
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(18 episodes, 2015-2016)
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Julie Walters | ... |
Cynthia Coffin
/ ...
(18 episodes, 2015-2016)
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Fiona Glascott | ... |
Sarah Raworth
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(18 episodes, 2015-2016)
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Aysha Kala | ... |
Sooni Dalal
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(18 episodes, 2015-2016)
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Lillete Dubey | ... |
Roshana Dalal
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(17 episodes, 2015-2016)
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Ashna Rabheru | ... |
Shamshad Dalal
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(18 episodes, 2015-2016)
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Roshan Seth | ... |
Darius Dalal
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(18 episodes, 2015-2016)
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Alexander Cobb | ... |
Ian McLeod
(15 episodes, 2015-2016)
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Craig Parkinson | ... |
Dougie Raworth
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(14 episodes, 2015-2016)
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Lisa Kay | ... |
Stella Barham
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(14 episodes, 2015-2016)
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Rick Warden | ... |
Ronnie Keane
(13 episodes, 2015-2016)
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Amber Rose Revah | ... |
Leena Prasad
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(13 episodes, 2015-2016)
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Indi Nadarajah | ... |
Kaiser
(12 episodes, 2015-2016)
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Chloé Webster | ... |
Daphne
(11 episodes, 2015-2016)
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Shachin Sailesh Kumar | ... |
Adam
(10 episodes, 2015)
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Dillon Mitra | ... |
Adam
(10 episodes, 2016)
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Edward Hogg | ... |
Eugene Mathers
(9 episodes, 2015)
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Alyy Khan | ... |
Ramu Sood
(9 episodes, 2015)
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Ellora Torchia | ... |
Sita
(9 episodes, 2015)
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Guy Williams | ... |
Superintendent Rowntree
/ ...
(10 episodes, 2015-2016)
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Set against the sweeping grandeur of the Himalayas and tea plantations of Northern India, the drama 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. But at the heart of the story lie the implications and ramifications of the tangled web of passions, rivalries and clashes that define the lives of those brought together in this summer which will change everything. It's the summer of 1932. 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. Written by Channel4
I set out to watch this show with great anticipation, as it was set in my hometown of SIMLA ( erstwhile summer capital of India under the British rule). To my great disappointment, it hardly evokes any excitement or nostalgia. The plot is engaging and the makers have taken great care in representing all strands of history ( both British and Indian version), yet from a perspective of an Indian, this show ends up as yet another stereotypical drama about the glorious days of British Raj ! What hurts the most is the setting itself- the producers didn't even bother to look at actual town of Simla. As the stereotype goes, India is a tropical country, so a town situated in foothills of Himalayas appears to be a tropical rain forest ! The native tongues used by the Indian cast predominantly belongs to southern parts of India, rather than the hills in the north. The reason the British made Simla their summer capital was its stark resemblance to the British climate and geography. All in all, watch it for its plot, set against a historical backdrop, but beware as it perpetuates the stereotype of India. I would much rather pick a Merchant Ivory production !