‘It's pure love'

Ishaan Khatter and Tabu on the TV romance that has viewers hookedÉ

- Rebecca Fletcher

Bollywood’s rising star Ishaan Khatter makes no apology for the scandal he’s causing as Maan Kapoor, the romantic hero of BBC1’s sumptuous Sunday-night period drama, A Suitable Boy.

‘He’s a miscreant, a rebel without a cause and a nonconformist who follows his passions – which lands him in a lot of trouble,’ grins Ishaan, whose character, as fans of the Dynasty-style family saga set in 1950s post-partition India will know, has fallen for an exotic courtesan twice his age, Saeeda Bai (played by Bollywood screen legend Tabu).

Against a backdrop of simmering Hindu-Muslim tensions, their tale of forbidden love has viewers hooked. The question is, can their romance survive the class and religious divides still threatening a newly independent India?

Here, Ishaan, 24, the son of Indian actors Rajesh Khattar and Neelima Azeem, and Tabu, 49, tell TV Times what it’s like playing the star-crossed lovers at the heart of Vikram Seth’s acclaimed novel…

The love affair between Maan, a politician’s son, and Saeeda is utterly intoxicating! What do you like most about your characters?

ISHAAN: He’s very colourful, complex yet free-spirited and very reactive – explosive, really! It was a great opportunity to be able to play him.

TABU: I love the fact that Saeeda has come to terms with her life. She’s a courtesan and she’s been born into this tradition where she has to entertain people with her music, her body, her beauty and charm. But she doesn’t want it for her sister, Tasneem [Joyeeta Dutta]. She knows women can lead a more respectable life.