>Upcoming BBC show, ‘Black Narcissus’, is a limited TV series, only three episodes long. Readers will be surprised to know that the series has a surprising connect with ancient Indian horror tales. Black Narcissus has been adapted from the best-selling novel of the same name, written by Rumer Godden.
The story is set in the backdrop of the tiny Indian town of Mopu in the Himalayas. An ancient Indian palace called ‘House Of Women’ has spooky tales connected with it. The palace, situated on a remote clifftop, has dark secrets buried in it, secrets that awaken haunting effects on whoever lives there.
In 1934, a young nun, Sister Clodagh (Gemma Arterton, Clash of the Titans, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time) endeavours to establish a mission of the Sisters of St. Faith in Mopu. General Toda Rai (Kulvinder Ghir) donates the palace of Mopu to the nuns with the hope that the Sisters of St Faith will rid the ‘House of Women’ of unhappy memories connected to his late sister, Srimati Rai (Gianni Gonsalves).
But Toda Rai’s agent Mr Dean (Alessandro Nivola) warns Sister Clodagh about the spooky happenings of the palace, which of course she ignores. As they set up base in the palace, they fall prey to illness, depression, and forbidden desire. The spooky environment of the palace affects everyone, but has a particularly disturbing effect on Sister Ruth (Aisling Franciosi). When young General Dilip Rai (Chaneil Kular) enters the narrative, it becomes apparent that a terrible tragedy of the past will repeat itself with terrifying consequences. History – the dark secrets buried within the palace walls – is doomed to repeat itself in the spooky ‘House Of Women’.
Besides the two primary characters mentioned above, a host of Indian origin actors play pivotal roles in Black Narcissus. There is Nila Aalia as Angu Ayah, Dipika Kunwar as ‘Kanchi’, and Soumil Malla as Joseph Anthony. Black Narcissus has been adapted by Amanda Coe and directed by Charlotte Bruus Christensen.
The series will premiere on FX and Hulu on 23rd and 24th November, this year, and on BBC One in December. Since it is a Hulu/FX show, we can expect Black Narcissus to arrive on Disney Plus Hotstar in India.
Have a look at the trailer of Black Narcissus below, and enjoy the Indian connect!
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