Indian Summers

Some months ago, I binge watched all of S1 over a weekend. Real life was effectively cancelled until the closing credits of the final episode. It was a glorious, immersive experience.

This is a genuine 'Jewel' of a show. Sure, it has some laboured historical anachronisms and the usage of tropical Penang as a filming location means Simla has been woefully miscast. But these misgivings aside, as a filmic experience Indian Summers is magnificent.

Cinematography is exquisite, the vibrant colours simply dance off the screen and the production values are top notch. The setting is lush and evocative. The plot is riveting, inter-laced with the politics of the time, (with dark resonances for us today). This is definitely a post-colonial reading of the last days of the Raj, but there is certainly some balance afforded by the marvellously textured and excellently acted characterisations. For example, Ralph Whelan is a charming sociopath, but there is nuance and intrigue in his character that makes him compelling throughout.

Overall, I can safely say that this is one of the best, original TV productions I have seen for some years. I can't wait for the second series!

Love this show as my family came from India. My dad has frequently told me about the many dances he attended and the opulent lifestyle that the family led while living in India. My Great Grandfather was known as 'Car Pop' due to the amount of cars he had back in the early 1900's in India. I have so many photos of dinners, cars and camping trips, trains and military in India. The show helps me understand how life may have been for both the British and the Indians. Though it may not all be factual ,it is still a great show to watch. I thoroughly enjoy the story line, cast and settings. Cant wait to see the next series of Indian Summers. The Indian actors are all great.

Just watched the first episode on Channel 4, the pilot was 1 hr 45 min long but wasn't boring at all though some of it was a bit predictable but it's only the first episode and still got 9 more to go. The first episode was about Ralph Whelan and the rest of the Indian Civil Service begin the annual move to Simla where Cynthia Coffin prepares the exclusive white British Club for the summer season. Overall it was a great experience and especially performance by Jemima West, Julie Walters, Henry Lloyd-Hughes and Nikesh Patel were flawless and true to their character. The sets looks great and hope the audience enjoys it and the producers manage to make the remaining 30 episodes.

When I saw the trailer for Indian Summers, I couldn't wait till the series began. For some reason I was positive that this was going to be a class apart.

The settings are picturesque, reinventing Shimla's green glories. The English men and women are dressed in the most befitted way. The story, although gripping, is a little slow paced for a 10-part series.

I enjoy watching the series, but with a grudge. I strongly feel the authenticity of Indian culture in northern India have been heavily compromised. I could be wrong, I am not a historian or an expert of the past. However, from what I see, the Indian folk shown in the series are no where close to what people of Shimla look and dress like. The dressing and physique of the people is heavily bent towards South India. Even if there were multiple cultures thriving in Shimla at the time, considering it's summer capital status, something doesn't seem to fit in.

I found it delightful, suspenseful, and full of drama. I thoroughly enjoyed the historical backdrop Characters were so well defined, I wanted more from the Whelans and Dalals . I so wish it had gone on for 3 more seasons