Shantaram

The book was my Bible in prison and I read it from cover to cover the 4 years I was there. It was given to me by an Australian of all people who himself was writing a book about his life in prison and used to hand his manuscript to his brother during his visits every month. The line I was a revolutionary who lost his ideals in heroin, a philosopher who lost his integrity in crime, and a poet who lost his soul in a maximum security prison" defined my situation to a tee and I cried inwardly everytime I read it, still do. I also went to Pakistan later on and had a similar course as his in Bombay but enough about me.

So ofcourse I was apprehensive when I first heard last month that the series is about to launch, I was afraid that they wouldn't do it justice but was also excited because I had always wanted a series based on it.

My first thought was that Charlie Hunamm didn't fit the description at all because Gregory Davids wasn't so conventially handsome and the person who I think would most do his look and mannerisms justice was someone like a Steve Buscemi (but I think he is a bit too old), aperson who would currently perfectly fit the bill would have been that guy who plays Daemon in the House of the Dragon. However the other characters (ecpecially Prabhu, Levy, Madam Zhou, Levy are very well cast and played.

I havent read the book in a whike but U was pleased whem I remembered many things as they happened and they seem to be qiote faithful to the booj so far.

Hunnam is ok, not too good, not too bad but again his looks really take you out of it every now and then, escpially with him being shirtless every other minute.

Prabhus character is hilarious, willy yet innocent, earnest and sometimes heart breaking in his own way and the actor playing him portrays it perfectly.

I didnt think the actress for Karla fit but shes growing on me.

Madam Zhous is played very well by the actress and eludes the imposing and somewhat frightening aura that she has.

The actor playing Khader bhai I know from previous movies where he usually typecast as the Arab guy and doesn't really seems to be clicking for me as the Afghani guy in Bombay especially with his accent and pronounciation of local words.

I will update this as the story moves along cuz there is a lot still to come and I will reserve my final rating and review for when the season is over.

Came to write a glowing review for what is a superb adaptation of Greg David Roberts' novels. Not sure I need to as thankfully I'm not alone in thinking this was one of the best shows of the year. I've not always been Hunnam's biggest fan but he absolutely nails it, leading a wonderful ensemble of actors, all at the top of their game. Shubhab Saraf in particular gives a stellar performance as the street-sharp and immensely loveable Prabhu. A story of redemption and love set against a background of corruption, divides and the hardships they entail, the narrative races along immersing us in a strange new world that is foreign to all of us bar those who have visited India. I absolutely loved this show, with a passion.

So what's my gripe? Well here it is... Last night I watched the final episode of season one, an absolute cliff-hanger that sets up the second season beautifully without leaving the viewer feeling short-changed. 'To be continued' flashed up on the screen and needless to say I immediately checked for the scheduled release date, only to find Apple had already cancelled the show, before the final episode even screened. Their algorithm says 'no' apparently. Sod the subscribers, sod their enjoyment, sod building a loyal fanbase or attracting new subscriptions, if this doesn't work for the corporates filling the ad slots, then the game is up. Hike the prices again and **** the viewers. A wonderful way to engender good faith, no doubt! If there's one company that could afford to take a risk, then you'd think it would be Apple, a firm absolutely awash with cash, so here it is, my sad little one-man stand... No more Apple TV for me, no more iPhones and iPads, strictly Windows lappies moving forwards, Spotify over iTunes, Android over all of your proprietary BS. The group have revealed their true colours in recent years and their grasping nature with it. I'm out, for the very little I suspect that will ever mean to Apple. Corporates will be the death of creativity, mark my words :/

I have to say I have never read or even heard of the books for Shantaram so I wasn't sure what to expect but being a Charlie Hunnam fan I thought I'd give it a try. So far so good. Hunnam does an excellent job as the lead here and the rest of the cast all do a good job too. Some people are complaining about his accent but I don't see any problems with it and if that's the reason you don't like the show then that's your problem. I've read that it stays pretty close to the source material so that should please some of the book lovers. It also portrays 1980's Bombay very well and the attention to detail is amazing. Overall the acting and storytelling is what makes this a good show. Hunnam is such an underrated actor, he's been great in just about everything he's been in. I'm glad that he's become the star he deserves to be.

Shantaram is quite well done with the atmosphere of Mumbai (Bombay) in the nineteen eighties portrayed accurately. The story is a more exciting rendition than the book, but still holds its own. Much of the scenery matches what I remember of the city. Even the giant open air laundry where Lin hides. The only thing missing is the traffic which even then was much heavier and gave the city its distinctive diesel smell.

Charlie Hunnam does a decent job of portraying an escaped Aussie convict. However I think the secondary characters add more. The denizens of the lowlife bar carry it off with real aplomb. The Mahashtri speaking locals with their casual insults about Westerners is very true to life.

I found the first ten minutes covering the arrival in Mumbai a little travelogue with shots of locals smiling and colourful market scenes. The border scene was tense but not true to life. Indians and Indian descendants are filtered to a thorough customs check whilst Westerners are usually fast track out the airport. Ditto the police stops. In that era a tourist would just pay a small "fine". But hey, it's fiction.

The story, once it gets going, is very watchable. A decent level of subterfuge and hidden agendas. Good all round acting.

(UPDATE. I thought this was brilliant. Just found out today that the absolute thick, moronic numbskull muppets at Apple have cancelled the second season stupid stupid of Apple!)

(2nd update: I still cannot believe that this has not been reinstated due to complaints and uproar from the audience!!! The reviews are generally great and the story was left hanging)

(Update 2 ½: Apple+ you are complete morons. I am losing faith in you entirely!!!)

Review: I started watching this (and have now seen all of the first 4 currently available episodes) at the recommendation of a friend who partly read some of the book many years ago. In fact I have now got the book to read once I have finished this tv show.

The story is based on factual events, and the acting and cinematography is very very good. It starts well and eases you in to the story, you FEEL the angst and the conflict of the main character, The filming and style makes you feel as if you are there as a fly on the wall watching this journey.

I am genuinely surprised how good this is and how it makes me feel while watching it.... I felt the raw anger or frustration, I felt touched by the lives of the people the main character Lin interacted with.

I am a big fan if Charlie Hunnam since the days of Sons of Anarchy, but wasn't sure how he would pull of this new character and accent. He does well.

I can't wait for each episode and will read the book once I have finished this show as my experience is that regardless of how good a film or TV show is, the books are usually better.

I recommend anyone to watch this show, you will know within 2 episodes if you like it or not.