‘Unaccustomed Earth’ Starts Filming — When Does Netflix Adaptation Premiere?
Production has officially begun on Unaccustomed Earth, Netflix‘s upcoming adaptation of Jhumpa Lahiri’s award-winning collection of short stories. The eight-episode drama series is being adapted by 3 Body Problem writer Madhuri Shekar, who is also serving as showrunner and executive producer.
Freida Pinto and Siddharth lead the cast as the show’s primary love interests whose long-buried romance threatens to upend not only their lives, but the elite Indian American community around them.
Described by Netflix as “rich with passion and unforgettable characters,” Unaccustomed Earth follows a tight-knit immigrant community in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as they navigate love, desire, and identity.
With a confirmed cast and filming underway, here’s everything we know so far about Netflix’s latest book adaptation.
What is Unaccustomed Earth about?
Based on a collection of short stories written by Jhumpa Lahiri, Unaccustomed Earth follows a wealthy Indian-American community in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where a hidden romance resurfaces. When Parul Chaudhury (Pinto), a devoted wife and mother, reconnects with her long-lost love, Amit Mukherjee (Siddharth), the affair that follows rocks the foundations of the close-knit community, testing their relationships, values, and traditions.
Who is in the Unaccustomed Earth cast?
Pinto and Siddharth lead the show’s cast as love interests Parul Chaudhury and Amit Mukherjee, respectively.
The Netflix series will also feature Indraneil Sengupta as Jai Chaudhury, Sarayu Blue as Ruma, Parveen Kaur as Nina Singh, Adi Roy as Kaushik, Iyla Sundarsingh Mckaig as Hema, Justin Bartha as Adam Weiss, Jayant Kripalani as Pranab Mukherjee, Swayam Bhatia as Sudha Menon, and Palomi Ghosh as Anjali Menon.
Wealthy, beautiful, and sophisticated, Parul is the kind of woman who lights up a room and can’t help but be the center of attention. She grew up in India and moved to America to go to Harvard. She has played the role of the perfect wife and mother for 16 years, but when she’s diagnosed with breast cancer, she uproots her whole family under the guise of getting the best medical care. Really, it’s because she wants to reconnect with the love of her life, the one she never got over.
Amit is a warmhearted Bengali-American man, born and raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts, who wears his emotions openly and gives of himself freely, sometimes to his own detriment. The friend everyone turns to in a crisis, he’s dependable in moments of need, but struggles to find stability in work or love. Just as his latest relationship begins to feel promising, his carefully balanced world unravels with the unexpected return of his long-lost love.
Affable husband of Ruma, Adam (Bartha), is a sci-fi author and a proud stay-at-home dad to Hema. He loves his family, and despite his artistic dreaminess, can often be the grounding voice of reason to his high-powered wife and emotional 16-year-old daughter.
Ruma (Blue) is a self-assured and ambitious Bengali American mother who is the steadfast breadwinner of her family. An accomplished attorney with uncompromising standards, she balances the chaos of a household full of dreamers and artists with unshakable practicality. Her warm smile masks the quiet strain of carrying more than her share, a truth few ever notice.
Who is adapting Unaccustomed Earth?
Written by Shekar, the show is executive produced by John Wells, Lahiri, Nisha Ganatra, Erica Saleh, Erin Jontow, and Celia Costas. The creative team also includes Shekar as showrunner and executive producer, and Ritesh Batra will work as executive producer and director for the first two episodes.
When does Unaccustomed Earth premiere?
The release date hasn’t been announced yet, with the show only recently beginning production. Once completed, it will be available to watch on Netflix.
How many Unaccustomed Earth episodes will there be?
The series will feature eight episodes.
Unaccustomed Earth, Series Premiere, TBA, Netflix
