The Indian Doctor

Setting

The first five-part series was broadcast from Monday 15 November to Friday 19 November 2010. Sanjeev Bhaskar stars as Dr. Prem Sharma, the Indian doctor of the title who moves with his wife Kamini Sharma (Ayesha Dharker) to the small Welsh mining village of Trefelin.

The series is based on a true story of culture clash. On a BBC blog site, Sanjeev Bhaskar describes preparing for the role by talking with relatives who lived during the 1960s, but also by having discussions with a doctor, Prem Subberwal, who emigrated from India with his wife Kamini to work as an NHS doctor in a Welsh village. Subberwal explained that one of the major difficulties he had was in understanding and being understood, not because of the English language, but due to the Welsh accent and various colloquialisms that the people used which the Indian, having learned a more formally structured version of English, could not follow.

Series 1

The principal storyline revolves around the outwardly jolly colliery manager Richard Sharpe, and the dark secret that he has deliberately ignored safety warnings to develop productivity in his attempts to further his own career. Evidence to this effect exists in the previous doctor's diaries, and the new Indian doctor becomes determined to reveal the truth. Subsidiary storylines revolve around the doctor's relationship with Megan Evans, the blossoming love affair between Tom Evans and Gina Nicolli, the theft of charitable funds by Owen Griffiths, and the truancy (and associated troubles) of Dan Griffiths.

Series 2

Now, a year after his arrival, Prem faces a new adversary, evangelist preacher Herbert Todd. When an outbreak of smallpox threatens to bring catastrophe to the village, Prem finds himself fighting prejudice and incompetence and locked in a confrontation with the intransigent Todd for the hearts and minds of the villagers. Also, Prem and his wife Kamini nervously await the arrival of his dreaded mother-in-law, Pushpa. With India gripped by the chaos of a smallpox epidemic, Pushpa is taking the opportunity for a long-overdue inspection of her daughter's new life – and the son-in-law of whom she doesn't approve.

Series 3

It is now 1966, three years after Prem and Kamini's arrival, and they have become very much a part of the Trefelin community. But their lives and those of everyone in the village are about to change when its high-flying 'prodigal sons' return to bring a first real taste of the swinging '60s.

A shiny American sports car zooms into the sleepy Valleys village of Trefelin, carrying with it Basil and Robert Thomas, sons of the old local mine owner. The high-achieving brothers are greeted with joy by everyone from Sian the shopkeeper to the miners in the pub. But for others, like the Indian doctor Prem Sharma, his wife Kamini and newlyweds Emlyn and Megan, the brothers' return spells confusion and frustration as their dreams are dashed and they face the prospect of becoming outcasts once again.

Characters

The Other main characters in the series included:

Series 2 (2012)

Liam Keelan, Controller of BBC Daytime, announced on 25 March 2011 (via the BBC TV blog) that The Indian Doctor had been re-commissioned for a second series. Keelan gave no specifics, but stated that many of the viewers' favourite characters would be returning, and that series two was likely to be broadcast early in 2012. Series 2 began at 2:15pm on 27 February 2012.

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Series 3 (2013)

BBC One commissioned a third season, which was transmitted in the autumn of 2013. This series featured 5x45 min episodes that aired during BBC Daytime and 3x60 min episodes for BBC Wales.