Culture & Living
Looking for cinema based on literature? These television series and films will help you transition from screen to book
If the ongoing pandemic has taught us anything, it's that OTT platforms deserve recognition for stellar entertainment that has kept people distracted from the grim realities of life. And while there is nothing wrong with binge-watching an entire season of Sense8, most people did notice their reading habits were taking a hit. To ease you back into the literary world with moving pictures, we've curated a list of films and series based on books that you can watch.
From the masterly world of Shondaland comes another hit—Bridgerton. Based on Julia Quinn's novels, the events of this series takes place in 19th-century Britain, however in a different reality where people of colour are included in society and hold many noble titles. Here's an inclusive drama you ought not to miss.
Streaming on Netflix
Written and directed by Charlie Kaufman (of Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind fame), this 2020 psychological thriller is based on Iain Reid's novel of the same name. The film boasts of a cast that includes Toni Collette, Jessie Buckley, Jesse Plemons, and David Thewlis.
Streaming on Netflix
For a Jane Austen fan, this period comedy-drama could not have come at a better time than during the pandemic. Starring Anya Taylor-Joy as Emma Woodhouse, the film captures the eccentricities of a young woman who won't quit meddling in her friends' lives.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
Novelist Louisa May Alcott's Little Women has had seven film adaptations to date. The latest, starring Bob Odenkirk, Chris Cooper, Eliza Scanlen, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, James Norton, Laura Dern, Louis Garrel, Meryl Streep, Saoirse Ronan, Timothée Chalamet, and Tracy Letts, released in 2019 and has been written and directed by Greta Gerwig. Gerwig has been praised for refreshing this classic and leaving the audience wanting more.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
Another Jane Austen title on this list, Pride And Prejudice stars Keira Knightley as the protagonist, Elizabeth Bennet. The film navigates love and relationships for four young women in the Regency Era. It must be noted here that the 1995 BBC version of the same (starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth) is available in six-parts over YouTube.
Streaming on Netflix
Starring Parineeti Chopra, Aditi Rao Hydari, Kirti Kulhari, Sammy Jonas Heaney, and Avinash Tiwary, Netflix's The Girl On The Train releases on February 26, 2021. Based on Paula Hawkins's 2015 novel, here's a thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Streaming on Netflix
An adaptation of Aravind Adiga's 2008 novel, White Tiger stars Adarsh Gourav, Priyanka Chopra, Rajkummar Rao and Mahesh Manjrekar. The film portrays the cunning rise of a lowly servant, who goes to extreme lengths to have his needs met.
Streaming on Netflix
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