Bettie's Books

bookshelves: spring-2014, india, mystery-thriller, published-2013, radio-4, play-dramatisation

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b043wvxj

BBC Description: A thriller set in India from the author of "Slumdog Millionaire".

Sapna Sinha works as a sales assistant in a TV showroom in New Delhi. Being the only breadwinner in the family she works long hours to provide for her widowed mother and younger sister. But then a man walks into her life with an extraordinary proposition: pass seven tests and he will make her the CEO of his global empire. Sapna is suspicious. Dramatised from Vikas Swarup's best-selling novel "The Accidental Apprentice".

Episode 1: The proposition: a sales assistant is offered a chance to change her life.

Episode 2: The Choice: As Sapna struggles to support her widowed mother and sister, she decides to go ahead and sign a contract which will subject her to a series of "life tests". What the tests are and when they will come, she does not know.

Episode 3: The Wedding: Sent to a village outside Delhi to install electrical appliances, TV sales assistant, Sapna Sinha, discovers a wedding about to take place - and that the young bride is being married against her will. What Sapna decides to do about it will be a matter of life and death. Could this be one of the seven tests that she has signed up for?

Episode 4: The Ring: Bollywood actress Priya Capoor arrives at the showroom to promote a new range of TV's. But when her diamond ring goes missing, the suspicion falls on Sapna.

Episode 5: The Candy Van: A van appears in Sapna's neighbourhood, luring children away with sweets, to work in factories. Sapna intervenes, but in so doing sets off a chain of events that lead her into the path of danger.

Episode 6: Pop Star No 1: When Sapna's sister, Neha enters India's top musical talent show "Pop Star No 1", she attracts the attention of blind music producer, Raoji. But not in the way she would have hoped. Sapna must come to her rescue.

Episode 7: The Protest: Increasing rent prices, send Sapna's elderly neighbour, Nirmila Ben on a crusade against corruption. But when no one notices her protest and her frail health begins to fail, Sapna must find a way to save her.

Episode 8: Acid Rain: Having passed six of the "life tests", Sapna is within reach of changing her life forever - but not in the way she had anticipated. As the consequences of her Faustian pact become apparent, she realizes there is no escape.

Episode 9: The Visitor: In jail for murder, Sapna is trying to make sense of the past few months. But there is hope in an unexpected visit from someone she has helped in the past.

Episode 10: The Noose: Sapna must revisit her past to make sense of her present. But nothing can prepare her what she finds there.

Writers:
Vikas Swarup is an Indian diplomat and a best-selling novelist. His first novel "Q & A" was made into the Oscar winning film "Slumdog Millionaire" as well as Sony Award winning radio drama serial for BBC Radio.

Ayeesha Menon dramatized Vikas Swarup's other novels SIX SUSPECTS and Q & A, which won a Sony Award for Best Drama. She also wrote for Radio 4 THE MUMBAI CHUZZLEWITS, UNDERCOVER MUMBAI, THE CAIRO TRILOGY and MY NAME IS RED. Her stage play PEREIRA'S BAKERY AT 76 CHAPEL ROAD, which was developed with the Royal Court Theatre, was recently staged by the Curve Theatre, Leicester.

John Dryden wrote the original three-part dramas series SEVERED THREADS, THE RELUCTANT SPY and PANDEMIC, which won the Writer's Guild Award for best radio drama script. His dramatisation of BLEAK HOUSE won a Sony Award for Best Drama. Other dramatisations include A SUITABLE BOY, A HANDMAID'S TALE and FATHERLAND one of the most repeated dramas on R4 Extra.

Production:
Sound Design - Steve Bond
Editing Assistant - Varun Bangera
Script Editor - Mike Walker
Assistant Producer - Toral Shah
Music - Sacha Putnam
Producer - Nadir Khan
Director - John Dryden
A Goldhawk Production for BBC Radio 4.

Gullibile gal makes a surprisingly plucky comeback. Excellent listening.

2* Q & A
3* Six Suspects
4* The Accidental Apprentice