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Lata is central to A Suitable Boy, with the character being courted by three potential suitors in agreement with her father for an arranged marriage. Despite being told want to do by her parents, the young university student dreams of making her own choices in life in a post-independent, post-apartheid India in the 1950s. Tanya, 22, is an upcoming star in the television and film industry, with the BBC adaptation of Vikram Seth’s novel being one of her first major roles. However, things didn’t go completely according to plan on set on the six-part drama as a body double had to step in following an unprecedented accident.
Speaking with the press, including Express.co.uk, director Mira Nair, explained how the leading actress was replaced following a behind-the-scenes disaster.
Recalling filming screenwriter Andrew Davies adaptation, she said: “I learned how to work with doubles in the same camera, in the same scene for the first time in my 34-year career.
“For a brief moment, Tanya had sprained her ankle and could act beautifully but could not stand up and could not walk.
“This was a challenge I had not yet experienced for a heroin who is virtually in every scene,” the visionary remarked.
“So, luckily, the second assistant director had the same body structure as Tanya,” she continued, revealing who stepped into Lata’s role.
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However, Nair explained viewers might not necessarily know when Tanya was swapped out for her body double.
“If you know my camera, it’s usually a camera that will fluidly capture something but it will not endlessly cut – it will be a wide frame.
“So, I would love to see people pick out what that scene could be. Lara’s sitting there and then move around and go to the other side of the bed. Something very simple.
“Look for the scene, and I’m not going to give it away, but there are basically two Lata’s and you’ll never know.
“There was no really big cheating going on, it was one shot without any cuts,” the director added.
It would be daunting for anybody to play this role
Tanya Maniktala
Despite the injury and of speaking about taking on the character of Lata in one her first major roles, Tanya said she was “overwhelmed” by the prospect.
“But I had to remind myself that Mira Nair, a legend, believed in me and so could I and I should believe in myself.
“I mean, it would be daunting for anybody to be playing this role, so, I took it in my stride. People don’t have many expectations of me as of now.
“So let’s just put my best foot forward and take it as it comes,” the actress added, before explaining what it was like to be told she got the part.
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Tanya recalled: “I was surreal. It’s still surreal to be a part of this – to have been through all of that [filming]. I’m just grateful for this opportunity.”
With the drama set in a time which was the start of a new era in India, director Mira explained why she wanted to capture the context as well as the story being played out on screen.
“I insisted that we shoot entirely on location in Lucknow. Where else? We didn’t have a big budget, but it’s the everyday sounds, like the birds and vending calls of India, that make up this layered universe,” she began.
“This is a story about a nation just coming into freedom. India was discovering itself in the burning embers of freedom after our country had been divided by partition.”
Mira added: “Not only is A Suitable Boy about the characters finding themselves but the country too amidst a cauldron of politics.”
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Alongside Lata’s story of finding love, Seth’s original works also features a sub-plot for the main character’s brother-in-law.
Playing the role of Maan Kapoor is Bollywood star Ishaan Khatter, 24, who said of playing the character: “It really is an extraordinary character.
“When I gave my first audition for the part, I was only given one scene to read and that scene itself was was was so compelling that I was intrigued to find out more about this guy, and why he behaves the way he does and who he is.
“So, Mann, right off the bat, was one of the most interesting characters I’ve had the pleasure of reading for,” he added.
Viewers will watch as he too tries to find true love in a time of political change in India.
A Suitable Boy begins tonight at 9pm on BBC One.
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