Written by new-contact on May 27, 2015. Posted in On Location

Period drama Indian Summers returns to film second series in Malaysia

British TV drama Indian Summers is filming a second series and will again double the Penang region of Malaysia for Simla in northern India. The new season is set in 1935 and follows a story of social drama and adultery in the last days of the British Empire’s colonial presence in India.

“It’s wonderful and exciting to once again delve into this period in our history and of course to join such a fantastic cast is a delight,” said Art Malik, one of several additions to the cast.

“Paul Rutman (creator and writer of Indian Summers) has created the most vivid and evocative world and I cannot wait to see the waves my Maharaja shall be making in Simla’s society.”

“I'm absolutely thrilled to be joining the cast of Indian Summers,” added Australian actress Rachel Griffiths: “I have been bingeing on UK television for the last ten years and I'm very excited to be on board such a beautifully made and relevant show.

“Paul is an incredible creator and has created an intriguing and provocative strong character in Sirene. I am sure she will have the mountain gossips aghast.”

Indian Summers is set in Simla, a provincial capital at the foot of the Himalayas in northern India, but the real location wasn’t suitable for the shoot.

“Simla itself is now very modernised and built up, and the monsoon would have presented a problem [for filming],” said executive producer Charlie Pattinson.

“On literally the last day of my location scouting, having considered Sri Lanka and travelled around a lot of India, Singapore and Malaysia, I went up Penang Hill and breathed a sigh of relief. These properties were in a time warp: they absolutely summed up the idea of the British transporting their identity to a foreign land.”

Malaysia offers a 30% filming incentive and Pinewood Studios now has a presence in the southern state of Johor near the border with Singapore.