National Theatre Live: Behind the Beautiful Forevers

India is surging with global ambition. But beyond the luxury hotels surrounding Mumbai airport lies a makeshift slum, full of people with plans of their own. Zehrunisa and her son Abdul aim to recycle enough rubbish to fund a proper house. Sunil, twelve and stunted, wants to eat until he’s as tall as Kalu the thief. Asha seeks to steal government anti-poverty funds to turn herself into a ‘first-class person’, while her daughter Manju intends to become the slum’s first female graduate. But their schemes are fragile; global recession threatens the garbage trade, and another slum-dweller is about to make an accusation that will destroy herself and shatter the neighbourhood.

Cast

Meera Syal Zehrunisa Husain Vincent Ebrahim

Sartaj Garewal Mahadeo Waghekar

Muzz Khan

Ranjit Krishnamma Raja Kamble

Stephanie Street Asha Waghekar

Hiran Abeysekera Sunil Sharma Esh Alladi Esh Alladi: Guard at Dongri, Defender Nathalie Armin Pal Aron

Tia-Lana Chinapyel

Mariam Haque

Metadata from the source database.