Episodes
| Episode | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 20100726 | 20150525 (BBC7) 20150526 (BBC7) | Poet, journalist and dancer, Tishani Doshi, has a Welsh mother and a Gujurati father. This twin inheritance is at the heart of her comic, lyrical and tenderly written first novel about four generations of the Patel-Joneses, who live in a little house with orange and black gates next door to the Punjab Women's Association in Madras. It's an epic story full of vividly drawn characters, whose private lives are played out against the backdrop of the public events of the twentieth century, as the family wrestles with what it means to call somewhere home. This first episode begins in August 1968 when Babo, eldest son of Prem Kumar, becomes the first member of the Patel family to leave Madras and fly to London to further his education. On the night before the flight his father has a terrible premonition of trouble, in the form of a dream in which all his family is lost. Babo's mother, meanwhile, has more practical worries on her mind and gives strict instructions to her son about his obligations as a vegan and a follower of the Jain religion. Babo must resist the temptations of meat, alcohol and, most importantly, women. How shocked his parents would be, then, to see their son, four months later, drinking Peppermint Schnapps, eating poached eggs and making love to Sian Jones, a cream-skinned girl from Wales, with whom Babo falls head over heels in love with, from the moment he sees the twirl of red ribbon in her hair. The reader is Indira Varma, who appeared recently in the 6 part BBC drama Luther. Indira's previous television and film roles include Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love in 1997, and Bride and Prejudice in 2004. In 2006 she played Suzie Costello in Torchwood. Produced by Kate McAll. It's 1968. The tale of four generations of Patel-Joneses. |
| 02 | 20100727 | 20150526 (BBC7) 20150527 (BBC7) | Tishani Doshi's comic yet tender story of four generations of the Patel-Joneses, inspired by her own Welsh-Gujurati background. Babo has left his family behind in Madras to go to London to further his studies. Despite being a vegan and a teetotaller, he has eaten meat and drunk Peppermint Schnapps - worse than both of these things though, in his mother's eyes, he's fallen in love - with a Welsh girl. At home in Madras, in the house with orange and black gates, and still unaware of this news, Trishala worries about her son all those thousands of miles away in England. Meanwhile, in London, Babo and Sian's secret relationship grows stronger and more passionate every day. Then, on a trip out, they bump into some old friends of Babo's parents who decide that it's time for the Patels learn about their son's deception. A telegram is sent. The reader is Indira Varma who appeared recently in the 6 part BBC drama Luther. In 2006 she played Suzie Costello Torchwood. Produced by Kate McAll. Babo's passionate love for Sian blossoms - and then his parents find out. |
| 03 | 20100728 | 20150527 (BBC7) 20150528 (BBC7) | Tishani Doshi's comic yet tender story of four generations of the Patel-Joneses, inspired by her own Welsh-Gujarati background. For a long time Sian dreamed of leaving the village in North Wales where she was born, and where she, her parents and all her aunties all live in the same street. So she went to London and promptly fell in love with a man from India. Now she has to tell her parents that she's off to Madras, to marry a man she has known for only six months. The reader is Indira Varma. Indira appeared recently in the 6 part BBC drama Luther. In 2006 she played Suzie Costello in Torchwood. Produced by Kate McAll. Sian tells her parents that she's leaving Wales to go to Madras and marry an Indian man. Readings from modern classics, new works by leading writers and world literature |
| 04 | 20100729 | 20150528 (BBC7) 20150529 (BBC7) | Tishani Doshi's comic yet tender story of four generations of the Patel-Joneses, inspired by her own Welsh-Gujurati background. Sian and Babo fly to North Wales to meet Sian's family. The young man from Madras will never forget his first impressions of the village of Nercwys and its matchbox houses. But now that they are married, where will they live - Wales, London or Madras? Sian tells Babo that she's come to a decision. The reader is Indira Varma. Indira appeared recently in the 6 part BBC drama Luther. In 2006 she played Suzie Costello in Torchwood. Producer: Kate McAll. Sian and Babo fly to North Wales for Christmas. Sian decides where she wants to live. Readings from modern classics, new works by leading writers and world literature |
| 05 | 20100730 | 20150529 (BBC7) 20150530 (BBC7) | Tishani Doshi's comic yet tender story of four generations of the Patel-Joneses, inspired by her own Welsh-Gujarati background. Babo and Sian are living happily in their own house, with orange and black gates, next door to the Punjab Women's Association. Now they have two small daughters, Mayuri and Bean. When Bean is taken to Grandmother Ba's house for her naming ceremony, Ba warns the young parents that they'd better stop there because Bean will keep their hands full, at which the tiny baby laughs, her first proper laugh. By the time she's six, she's regularly seeing ghosts. Then Sian gets a phone call - it's bad news from Wales. The reader is Indira Varma. Indira appeared recently in the 6 part BBC drama Luther. In 2006 she played Suzie Costello in Torchwood. Producer: Kate McAll. In Madras, Babo and Sian now have two daughters. Then Sian hears bad news from Wales. |
| 06 | 20100802 | 20150601 (BBC7) 20150602 (BBC7) | Poet, journalist and dancer Tishani Doshi has a Welsh mother and a Gujarati father, and this twin inheritance is at the heart of her funny, lyrical and tenderly written first novel about four generations of the Patel-Joneses. On a perfectly ordinary day in September 1981, while the children are dressing up and playing at being Lady Di, Sian gets word from Wales - her father has died. When she goes back to Tan y Rhos for the funeral, Sian begins to realise just how much she has left behind. The reader is Indira Varma. Indira appeared recently in the 6 part BBC drama Luther. She previously played Suzie Costello in Torchwood. Producer: Kate McAll. Sian goes back to Wales for her father's funeral and realises how much she misses home. Readings from modern classics, new works by leading writers and world literature |
| 07 | 20100803 | 20150602 (BBC7) 20150603 (BBC7) | Poet, journalist and dancer Tishani Doshi has a Welsh mother and a Gujarati father, and this twin inheritance is at the heart of her funny, lyrical and tenderly written first novel about four generations of the Patel-Joneses. On the morning of the 31st of October 1984, the same day that Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is assassinated, Babo's mother, Trishala, is taken ill with a severe pain in the breast. The reader is Indira Varma. Indira appeared recently in the 6 part BBC drama Luther. In 2006 she played Suzie Costello in Torchwood. Producer: Kate McAll. On the day of Indira Gandhi's assassination, Babo's mother, Trishala, is taken ill. Readings from modern classics, new works by leading writers and world literature |
| 08 | 20100804 | 20150603 (BBC7) 20150604 (BBC7) | Poet, journalist and dancer Tishani Doshi has a Welsh mother and a Gujurati father, and this twin inheritance is at the heart of her funny, lyrical and tenderly written first novel about four generations of the Patel-Joneses. It's 1989. Babo and Sian's daughters are growing up fast. Bean is sweet sixteen and in love, though her parents are completely unaware of it. All that, however, is about to change. The reader is Indira Varma. Indira appeared recently in the 6 part BBC drama Luther. In 2006 she played Suzie Costello in Torchwood. Producer: Kate McAll Producer: Kate McAll. By 1989 Babo's youngest daughter, Bean, is sweet sixteen and madly in love. Readings from modern classics, new works by leading writers and world literature |
| 09 | 20100805 | 20150604 (BBC7) 20150605 (BBC7) | Poet, journalist and dancer Tishani Doshi has a Welsh mother and a Gujurati father, and this twin inheritance is at the heart of her funny, lyrical and tenderly written first novel about four generations of the Patel-Joneses. Now that her older sister Mayuri is married, only Bean remains at home. But that won't be for long as Bean has plans of her own, plans that will cause Sian to weep until she can weep no more, and Babo to wonder what to do with the space that children leave behind. The reader is Indira Varma. Indira appeared recently in the 6 part BBC drama Luther. She also played Suzie Costello in Torchwood. Producer: Kate McAll. With Mayuri married, only Bean remains at home - but not for long. Readings from modern classics, new works by leading writers and world literature |
| 10 LAST | 20100806 | 20150605 (BBC7) 20150606 (BBC7) | Poet, journalist and dancer Tishani Doshi has a Welsh mother and a Gujurati father, and this twin inheritance is at the heart of her funny, lyrical and tenderly written first novel about four generations of the Patel-Joneses. Babo and Sian's youngest daughter, Bean, has been having an affair with Javier for two years now. She's been waiting all that time for him to leave his wife and three children. Then Javier is involved in a car crash, which changes everything. Back in Anjar, Grandmother Ba's life is coming to an end but first she must be sure that Bean is safe. The reader is Indira Varma. Indira appeared recently in the 6 part BBC drama Luther. She also played Suzie Costello in Torchwood. Producer: Kate McAll. Bean's love affair with Javier reaches crisis point. Readings from modern classics, new works by leading writers and world literature |