The Buddha of Suburbia (1993– )

Karim's mother is English and his father is Indian. Therefore Karim has some problems with life in British society which is becoming more and more racist and intolerant; he experiences this... See full summary »

Stars:

Susan Fleetwood, Naveen Andrews, David Bamber

1 win & 6 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Susan Fleetwood	...	Eva Kay (4 episodes, 1993)

Storyline

Karim's mother is English and his father is Indian. Therefore Karim has some problems with life in British society which is becoming more and more racist and intolerant; he experiences this especially when he wants to find himself a way of becoming an actor.

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Plot Keywords:

actor | reference to margaret thatcher | 1970s | england | adultery | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 November 1993 (UK)

Also Known As:

Esikaupunkien Buddha

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

222 min 65 min (4 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in 100 Greatest Sexy Moments (2003)

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Soundtracks

"The Buddha of Suburbia"
(Main Theme)
Performed by David Bowie
Courtesy of BMG International

User Reviews

Excellent adaptation of Kureishi's novel

Naveen Andrews, probably best known to American audiences as the Indian bomb expert in "The English Patient," plays Karim, a young London high schooler in the 1970's. Karim is caught between loyalties to his mother and his father, who are going through a messy split. Susan Fleetwood is notable as the father's mistress, whose son might or might not be the hottest thing to hit the music scene since Bowie.

The amazing thing about "Buddha..." is the depth of characterization. The secondary characters, and there are at least fifteen, all have their own struggles and histories. Karim floats through his world, trying to be everything to each character -- a friend, a confidant, a lover, a good son, a loyal nephew -- and finds that he can't satisfy everyone. Pay close attention to each story, such as the arranged marriage between Jamila and Changez. It's a comedy of errors orchestrated by her traditional parents that's wonderfully out-of-place for the characters who see themselves liberated members of the "me" generation.

Though this is a mini-series rather than a film, the production values are pretty good. It would be a good idea to rent it for two nights, since it's long. And since it was made for TV anyway, the small screen is just right. (It was shown on a big screen at the San Francisco Gay & Lesbain film festival.)