Gurinder Chadha had a great start to the year with her film Blinded Into The Light‘s incredible premiere at Sundance Film Festival 2019. She’s followed it up with the release of the six-part series Beecham House for ITV commissioned in March 2018, which premiered on 23 June 2019. And it is coming to Netflix India on 22 July 2019.
Set on the cusp of the 19th century in Delhi when the 1000-year-old Mughal rule is over and the British vie with the Maharajas to claim India as their own, the drama depicts the fortunes of the owner, his family and his staff of Beecham House, an imposing mansion surrounded by acres of exotic woods and pristine lawns.
Former soldier John Beecham has acquired the house to start a new life for his family and a business as a trader. He arrives with an ‘olive-skinned‘ son named August and two Indian nursemaids, which adds to speculation and gossip amongst the servants that he may be the boy’s father. And one of them, Chanchal, may be his mother? But there’s more. When Chandrika (Pallavi Sharda) arrives and quickly shown to luxurious guest quarters she immediately insists on seeing August. Could she be his real mother?
Tom Bateman of Vanity Fair fame takes on the role of John Beecham, Shriya Pilgaonkar who played Sweety in Mirzapur plays Chanchal, and Downton Abbey alumni Lesley Nicol plays John’s mother Henrietta. Other major cast members include Gregory Fitoussi, Adil Ray, Marc Warren, Pallavi Sharda, Viveik Kalra, Kanika Kapur, Dakota Blue Richards, Leo Suter and Bessie Carter.
Written by Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham, Viceroy’s House, Bhaji On The Beach), Paul Mayeda Berges (Viceroy’s House, The Mistress of Spices, Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging), Shahrukh Husain (In Custody) and Victor Levin (Destination Wedding, Mad Men, Mad About You), it is produced by Caroline Levy.
The series has mostly received negative reviews but if you are craving a period drama, Beecham House releases on 22 July 2019 on Netflix India.