The Indian Doctor is set in 1963, and showcases the life of Dr. Prem Sharma (Sanjeev Bhaskar) in a rough and tumble Welsh town. As eir and eir significant other settle down, they begin to learn that the idyllic life promised to them is not quite as perfect as they hoped. In the show’s five episode first series, a manager (Richard Sharpe, played by Mark Williams) becomes very interested in a diary that the last doctor left. As the series spins on, Richard’s blatant disregard for the health of the local miners comes to light. Sharma’s desire to bring an x-ray machine into the village goes up against Richard’s desire to keep the city’s health quiet.
The conclusion of the series will have viewers sitting on the edges of their seats – will Sharma be able to get the miners’ plight to light, or will Richard’s desire for the highest possible revenue win out in the end? The final showdown takes place at a celebratory party for the city, so everyone is there. The show does well in capturing the spirit of the rural U.K. of the sixties; there does not seem to be any noticeable break in the immersion created by the show. The cast and crew are a large part of that; they are able to slide into a period 50 years before their own and make an utterly convincing show.
Make sure to check out the second series of The Indian Doctor, which ended airing last month. Here’s to hoping that BFS can pick up distribution here. Check out their website for additional listings about the shows and movies that they will be releasing in 2012 and beyond.
Rating: 9.1/10
The Indian Doctor: Series One (DVD) / 2012 BFS Entertainment / 225 Minutes / http://www.bfsent.com