Leading UK drama studio Lookout Point has partnered with Netflix on its epic adaptation of Vikram Seth’s best-selling novel, which will be airing later this month in the UK on BBC One.

Netflix will be the exclusive home of A Suitable Boy for all global territories, except Canada, the United States and China. In the UK and Ireland, A Suitable Boy will be available on Netflix 12 months after its release on BBC One. The deal was brokered by Lookout Point with BBC Studios.

Adapted by Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice, War & Peace, Les Misérables), and directed by internationally acclaimed film director Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding, The Namesake, Queen of Katwe), this is the first screen adaptation of Seth’s critically acclaimed and global hit novel A Suitable Boy.

The cast of the six-part drama, shot entirely on location in India, is led by Bollywood leading man Ishaan Khatter (Beyond the Clouds, Dhadak) and Indian screen legend Tabu (The Namesake, Life of Pi, Andhadhun) alongside rising star Tanya Maniktala in the central role of Lata.

A Suitable Boy tells the story of spirited university student Lata (Tanya Maniktala) as she comes of age in North India in 1951, at the same time as the country is carving out its own identity as an independent nation and is about to go to the polls for its first democratic general election.

Damian Keogh, Managing Director of Lookout Point, said: “We’re hugely excited to be partnering with Netflix to bring A Suitable Boy to international audiences, hot on the heels of its UK debut on BBC One. This epic tale speaks of human truths of life, love and family amid a country in rapid transition – themes and experiences as relevant today as when they were written.”

Caroline Stone, Director of Independent Drama at BBC Studios said: “The demand for quality British drama is higher than ever globally so we are thrilled to be partnering with Netflix on this wonderful series to bring audiences around the world Vikram Seth’s literary classic reimagined with such colour and vigour. The talent on and off screen for A Suitable Boy are exceptional and have helped to make this a series of which we are very proud.”

Executive Producers are Andrew Davies, Mira Nair and Vikram Seth; Faith Penhale, Laura Lankester and Will Johnston for Lookout Point; Lydia Dean Pilcher and Aradhana Seth (who also produce); and Mona Qureshi and Ayela Butt for the BBC. BBC Studios distributes the series internationally.

Lookout Point, which is wholly owned by BBC Studios, is one of the UK’s leading producers of television drama, known for delivering highly authored series with scale, ambition, and global impact. Their 2019 Bafta nominated show Gentleman Jack, created by Sally Wainwright for BBC One and HBO, has been recommissioned for a second series and recently won the RTS Award for Best Drama Series. 2019 also saw their epic adaptation of Les Misérables from Andrew Davies, starring Dominic West, David Oyelowo and Lily Collins, for the BBC. Alongside their latest production A Suitable Boy, directed by renowned film-maker Mira Nair, and the hugely acclaimed 2016 production of Tolstoy’s masterpiece War & Peace, this completes a trilogy of world classics from Andrew Davies. Earlier this year Lookout Point produced Series 5 of Sally Wainwright’s award-winning and much loved series Last Tango in Halifax, also for the BBC, starring Anne Reid MBE and Sir Derek Jacobi.