A Suitable Boy

You, too, will marry a boy I choose.

I am hoping to marry and start a family very soon.

What do you think of Lata? I like her very much.

Enough to marry her?

Perhaps.

I am thinking of leaving the Congress Party.

Come to my constituency, you might bring your son.

Maan?

You won't be going back to her again.

I'm taking you back to the countryside.

The sister, Tasneem.

Have we met before?

Who's that boy? Kabir Durrani?

My family is not like yours.

You're right, Lata. Your family is nothing like mine.

Good shot, sir!

The university team is batting for the win.

The Old Boys look rather ragged.

Two wickets remaining,

and Kabir Durrani is on course for a mighty hundred!

You're both looking very pretty today.

Turn round! Watch the ball! It's all right it's never going...

Oh, my God!

Excruciating fumble at deep mid-wicket.

The Old Brahmpurians have been caught napping again.

Shush.

The University Boys need 11 runs to win, with two wickets in hand.

Howzat! An appeal, and Umpire Kapoor says...

...it is. It is.

Oh, poor University Boys.

That's an over! Exciting.

11 to win with one wicket standing.

Not a problem, Professor Kapoor.

Catch it!

He's hit high!

And it's a six!

Good shot. Thanks.

It's all in the hands of Malvolio!

University Boys need five runs for victory. Don't let him affect you.

Can Kabir Durrani save his team?

He's hit it high again!

Really, really this should be a catch!

He's done it! Oh, my God!

Oh!

The Old Brahmpurians have it!

Malvolio unlucky again!

I can't believe Maan is man of the match.

Fluke of a catch.

Nicely done! Nicely done!

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!

OK. All right, all right.

Lata, look!

This parcel came two hours ago from Calcutta!

Open it at once! I want to see what it is!

It is addressed to me, Ma, not to you.

All right! I'll open it!

It's Amit's book of poetry!

He promised he would send it, but I wasn't sure he would.

The Fever Bird, Amit Chatterji.

They make such beautiful things in England.

Give me chance, I haven't read it myself.

Ma!

"Late, I admit, but better late than not."

"A gift to one who need not spare its flaws."

"This book comes to you from a verbal sot."

"A babu bard, a bachelor of laws."

L-A-T-A.

Lata.

Do you know how happy you make me?

But now you are going to leave me again.

Tell me to stay and I will.

No, you must go, your father needs you.

I'll be here when you return.

Tell me, what's bothering you?

Many things.

Your friend the socialist, for one.

Rasheed?

I knew he liked her,

but he has a wife.

That makes it worse. I'll go see him in his village.

I'm sure I can persuade my father to pass that way.

You would do that for me?

Promise me,

no more fasting for my health.

Your own health is not all that good.

I'm fasting for your votes.

Oh. Bas, bas, bas.

Chalo, chalo, you're going to make us late for everything!

I have analysed the population of Salimpur

by religion and caste. Look at my charts here.

Chances are very good for you, Nanu!

Thank you, Bhaskar. Bye!

Brr!

Brrr!

Bye, genius!

"Dearest Lata, I hope you are very well.

"I am in excellent health myself,

"and my career is prospering at Praha.

"It was a great pleasure to meet your brother and sister-in-law

"at their home, and I am hoping that I can return the invitation

"by giving your family a Christmas luncheon at the Prahapore club."

What this country needs is a controlled dictatorship.

Not what these silly politicians are doing.

Careful, Arun, my father is a politician.

Oh.

Well, I didn't, er...

Give me baby Uma. Wait, wait.

Savita di! Hello!

Come to me...

My dear family,

we have all been invited by a certain Mr Khanna

for Christmas lunch at the Czech Cobblers Club.

Yes, but before that, we have a dinner party at Chez Chatterji -

and Amit has been so longing to see you again, Luts!

Welcome home, Uma!

Welcome, Rupaji!

And this is where you do your writing?

Mm, most of it.

And the fever bird in your poem was singing just outside this window?

In the amaltas tree. Look.

"Shake slightly on the moonlit grass."

Thank you for writing a poetic dedication specially for me.

You have a nice smile.

It's a pity I can't see it.

Oh, no. It would be wasted on you.

But what should I do? I am no good for anything.

No, no. No, don't join the Indian Administrative Service -

you'll end up a version of your older brother.

How did you do in your interview? Terribly.

Savita sends her regrets, she has her hands full with baby Uma.

No matter, one day I shall visit Uma

and take her out for her first walk to the Victoria Memorial!

Our pleasure.

This is what you call a luchi.

My luchi!

How's Krishnan bearing up, Kuku, with the news of you marrying Hans?

Krishnan is taking it very well.

He will always have a place in my heart.

Of course.

Who is Krishnan?

One of your predecessors.

Don't worry, Kuku's heart is full of specially reserved places.

No, it's not. No, it's not.

You are completely heartless, and you are upsetting Hans.

He has a very pure soul.

Take no notice of my frivolous children, Hans.

We are not frivolous about important things, Baba.

No? What is more frivolous than qualifying as a barrister

and then not practising the law?

Hm?

What do you think, Mrs Mehra?

I do think that a man should have a proper job.

Ah, Mrs Mehra, if you don't consider poetry a proper job then

I am doomed to disappoint you.

Of course, it's not for me to tell you what to do.

Now, there I agree with you entirely.

Amit! Shh.

Now I think we should be going.

I promised to show you the Botanical Gardens sometime.

Come see with me, the banyan tree, should you happen to be free?

I would love to. I don't think I'm doing anything

the day after tomorrow.

Prahapore! Ma?

She is going to Prahapore with the whole family! Oh, yes.

Haresh has organised a gala lunch for us

and you are thinking of gallivanting off to the Botanical Gardens?

I forgot, Ma. "Forgot"! You will forget your own name next!

Come, Lata.

Maan. Maan!

For God's sake, Maan!

Drive straight. Sorry.

So many of the women in these villages are in purdah.

Yes, they are.

When I was with Rasheed, I wasn't even allowed in the house.

What we need is a really powerful woman speaker.

That would show them what progress is like.

It would have been nice

if your mother could have come and campaigned with us.

I can hardly imagine Ma holding fort on a podium!

No, but she's from the family,

I need to be seen as a family man.

Here he is, the man of the moment!

We will show the bastards what is what, yah?

I hope you're not offended by my rough manners,

Minister sahib, you know I am here to serve and be useful.

Your son is very famous in Rudhia now, as a wise counsellor!

How are you, sir?

How was the journey? Tolerable, thank you. Welcome!

Arrey Maan Mian, aiye, aiye, aiye, tashreef laiye.

Excellent to have you here.

This estate is a national treasure.

But will the privy purse maintain it?

It's not my own house that I am so concerned about,

but the people who depend on me. Mm.

Welcome to feudal life!

I could get used to this.

Why ask me to stand as your candidate

when you could stand here yourself?

I am not a politician, Kapoor sahib.

I can't go round the villages asking people for their votes.