The Uma Rao Mysteries: Three Full-Cast BBC Radio Crime Dramas

Three original murder mysteries featuring Bangalore detective Uma Rao

Actor, writer and director Mahesh Dattani is the first playwright in English to be awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award by India’s National Academy of Letters. Included here are all three of his plays featuring Uma Rao – PhD student, daughter-in-law of Bangalore's deputy commissioner of police, and wife of the superintendent. Priyanga Burford (neé Elan), stars as the intrepid sleuth, with full casts including Shiv Grewal, Saeed Jaffrey, Ajay Chhabra, Amerjit Deu and Nitin Chandra Ganatra.

Seven Circles Around the Fire – For her university thesis, Uma is conducting research into the Hijra community (third gender people who are invited to sing, dance and give blessings at weddings and births, but marginalized from mainstream society). But her inquiries uncover a case of corruption, murder and a terrible miscarriage of justice...

The Swami and Winston – When an English aristocrat is found murdered outside a Hindu temple, the only clues are a mischievous dog and a Burberry raincoat. Why was Lady Montefiore visiting an ashram, and who could have wanted to kill her? As Uma delves into her death, she comes into contact with religious fanaticism at its most dangerous...

Uma and the Fairy Queen – Attending a performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Uma is embroiled in another murder investigation when the actor playing Oberon, Michael Forsyth, is kidnapped, reappears just in time to go on, and is then found shot dead after the show. Suspicion falls on his wife, but Uma is convinced that the solution to the mystery lies in the play itself...

Seven Circles around the Fire Uma Rao – Priyanga Elan Suresh Rao – Rehan Sheikh Constable Muniswami – Shiv Grewal Jumpa – Saeed Jaffrey Anarkili – Rikki Beadle-Blair Saleem – Amerjit Deu Mr Shirma – Nitin Chandra Ganatra Suba Shirma – Ajay Chhabra Produced and directed by Jeremy Mortimer First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 9 January 1999

The Swami and Winston Uma Rao – Priyanga Elan Constable – Shiv Grewal Charles – Andrew Wincott Suresh – Ajay Chhabra Swami – Saeed Jaffrey Sitaram – Paul Bhattarcharjee Lady Montefiore – Richenda Carey Driver – Amerjit Deu Farmer – Nitin Chandra Ghanatra Produced and directed by Jeremy Mortimer Music by Eero Hameenniemi First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 3 June 2000

Uma and the Fairy Queen Uma Rao – Priyanga Elan Suresh – Ajay Chhabra Nila – Souad Faress Feroz – Akbar Kurtha Malik – Kaleem Janjua Liam – Gerard McDermott Michael – Stephen Critchlow Produced and directed by Marc Beeby First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 16 August 2003

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© 2024 BBC Digital Audio (Lydbog): 9781529958430

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Lydbog: 5. december 2024