total tv - meera syal

There is so much more toMeera Syal than playinginterfering granny Sushilain The Kumars AtNo 42-

not that she isn't brilliant at that.She is also a talented writer. Herfirst novel, Anita And Me, was abestseller and was made intoa film. Now her second novel,Lifelsn'tAll Ha Ha HeeHee,has been adapted (by Meeraherself and Abi Morgan who wrotethe award-winning Sex Traffic) intoa three-part series for BBCl.

It tells the story of threechildhood friends, Tania (LailaRouass. Footballers'Wives),CbiIa :\yesha Darker, Star Wars11)-=- ~ ~Ieera).

definitelytakenthese- ~ 'OlDendown very---':.. -"-'''':s the 'gob

-- !:2' ...".efther--- :::-d>e

-~ ~:,"- - -~-- -

~ ~ -'i! '-6."""'M..--~_..~-"":~...~.1"Jr-=--. ~ t:t ~ -~.. ;p"

4

!

YOUR TOTAL TV GUIDE STARTSHERE- ,,~.,,~ L -31'...'~ ..

stale. Then there's innocent Chila,who is about to marry Deepak (AceBhatti). the man of her dreams. ButDeepak has a long list of exes-including Tania.

At the moment, the women'sfriendship is still strong, but all thatis about to change when Tania isasked to make a documentaryabout her commw1ity and uses herfriends' lives - and secrets - as the

subject matter.Sowhat inspired the story?

'There were two stories in anAsian newspaper,' explainsMeera. 'One said: ''Asianwomentop the UKgraduate league."Then right next to it was:''Asianwomen top in suicide andself-harming league." It reallyshocked me that as a bunch ofpeople we are capable of reachingdizzy heights and achieving somuch, but equally capable ofdestroying ourselves.'

.-\lthough the story is!a:.a It. c.Jdng at times, it also has;:moen1S of pure comedy.

: :bink that's what life is like,'~ ~.:een..'You'reconstantly going

between the two.Yourfriends couldbe telling you about the most awfulthing that happened to them, andthen in the middle of it crack someself-effacing joke, and you'rethinking, "God,I shouldn't belaughing but it's so fwmy.'''

Meera credits the director ofthe drama,Andy de Emmony(Canterbwy Tales),with capturing

the right balance. 'He keeps thecomedy, yet lets all the darkness in.'

How did she cope with real-lifehusband Sanjeev playing heron-screen spouse?

'Atthe time we did this we didn'teven live together,' she says. 'So wewere actually going home toseparate houses - which was

probably helpful!'

- --

.....