Audiobooks Narrated by Saeed Jaffrey

David Beaty: Cone of Silence, The Temple Tree and more: Four Full-Cast BBC Vintage Dramatisations

"Four stunning full cast dramatisation of WWII flying ace, David Beaty’s most exciting novels Listen now to this thrilling collection of four dramas from the master of the genre, David Beaty. These vintage dramatisations will have you on the edge of your seat and transport you to a bygone era when aviation was a new, thrilling and sometimes deadly world. If you are a fan of Jack Higgins or R.D. Wingfield, then you will love these adventures from a master of suspense. Born in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), David Beaty was educated at Merton College, Oxford and edited The Cherwell with Iris Murdoch. He became an RAF pilot during WWII, where he excelled, but gave up a life in the Air Force to write full-time. In 1960, The Cone of Silence was made into a film starring Peter Cushing and George Sanders. One of the first writers to portray pilots as ordinary human beings, susceptible to errors and mistakes, David Beaty defined a genre and his work became a must-read for fans of gripping, suspense-filled thrillers. Beaty’s classic tale The Cone of Silence is one of the great novels of the air. Packing a punch with tremendous tension and electrifying impact. It is the early, dangerous days in the life of a new jet airliner. Millions of pounds have been invested and national prestige is at stake. However when the plane comes near to disaster The Court of Enquiry lays the blame squarely on the ageing airline captain Gort. The planes continue to fly but is there a cover up at play, and is Gort really to blame…? In The Magic Carpet, written by Beaty exclusively for radio, it’s 1930, and the race is on to link the British Empire by airship. Two rival airships have been constructed - the R100 built by private enterprise and the R101 by the government. R100 is on her voyage to Montreal; but problems are plaguing R101, on the point of making the long journey to India. Who will win? And at what cost? The Temple Tree is a story of East and West, of ruined cities and jet planes. As Ceylon sets forth on the path to becoming the republic of Sri Lanka, James Hannaker, an accident investigator still traumatised by the memory of his wife's death is set a puzzle in the beautiful island. When a plane goes down in the jungle, he must discover exactly why and where the bars of gold the plane happened to be carrying have disappeared to… In The Master of Victor Kilo starring Andrew Sachs, a flight from London to Bermuda turns into something unexpected and cabin crew and passengers alike are embroiled in this heart-stopping dramatised thriller. Cast and credits Written by David Beaty The Cone of Silence Cast: Norman Wooland, Beverley Dunn, David Peel, Bruce Stewart, Simon Lack, Marius Goring, Ann Gudrun Ure, Noel Johnson, Norman Henry, Brewster Mason, Geoffrey Matthews Adapted by Gilbert Thomas The Magic Carpet Cast: Conrad Phillips, Esmond Rideout, Phillip Manikum, Hubert Rees, John Hartoch, John Linstrum, Pavel Douglas, Rex Holdsworth, Sarah Benfield, Ingrid Hafner, Alan Moore, Norman Bowler, Sarah Jane Bickerton Directed by Brian Miller The Temple Tree Cast: Douglas Blackwell, Kate Binchy, Michael Spice, David Spenser, Rolf Lefebvre, Zohra Segal, William Eedle, Saeed Jaffrey, Garard Green, Bill Nagy, Manning Wilson, Geoffrey Matthews. Other parts played by Ronald Herdman, David Valla, Jane Knowles and Eva Stuart Adapted and produced by Betty Davies The Master of Victor Kilo Cast: Duncan Carse, Catherine Dolan, Andrew Sachs, William Eedle, Janet Burnell, Keith Buckley, Edward Chapman, Aubrey Woods, Derek Blomfleld, Arthur Gomez, Michael Spice, Peter Claughton, George Hagan, Anthony Viccars, Peggy Butt, Rolf Lefebvre ©2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

David Beaty (Author), Andrew Sachs, Conrad Phillips, Douglas Blackwell, Duncan Carse, Full Cast, Ingrid Hafner, Kate Binchy, Manning Wilson, Saeed Jaffrey, William Eedle (Narrator)

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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 © 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2024 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Mahesh Dattani (Author), Ajay Chhabra, Akbar Kurtha, Amerjit Deu, Andrew Wincott, Full Cast, Gerard McDermott, Kaleem Janjua, Nitin Chandra Ganatra, Paul Bhattarcharjee, Priyanga Burford, Richenda Carey, Saeed Jaffrey, Shiv Grewal, Souad Faress, Stephen Critchlow (Narrator)

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Rabindranath Tagore: A BBC Radio Collection: Including The Home and the World & The Red Oleander

"A comprehensive anthology of dramatisations and readings of Tagore's finest works, plus bonus documentaries Bengali polymath Rabindranath Tagore was the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. A novelist, poet, playwright, composer, artist and philosopher, he wrote both the Indian and Bangladeshi national anthems; exchanged ideas with Yeats, Einstein and Gandhi, and was hugely influential in promoting Indian culture to the West. This collection includes some of Tagore's key novels, plays and short stories, as well as his best-known poem and four fascinating biographical programmes. We begin with two adaptations by award-winning dramatist Tanika Gupta. The Home and the World, starring Indira Varma and Sacha Dhawan, relocates Tagore's classic 1916 novel of love, power and political awakening to a contemporary British Muslim setting. Often acclaimed as Tagore's best play, The Red Oleander stars Saeed Jaffrey and Aileen Gonsalves, and tells the story of a beautiful girl who comes to a gold mining community and foments a revolution against its tyrannical king. Next up is a dramatisation of the novelette Farewell, My Friend, a romantic, delightful tale of two young lovers starring Sam Dastor and Shireen Shah. It is followed by three short stories: 'The Postmaster' and 'The Kabuliwalah', read by Ronny Jhutti, and 'Wealth Surrendered', read by Renu Setna. Tagore bared his musical soul in the poem 'Broken Song', read here by Peter Barker, and in Centurions: Rabindranath Tagore, poet William Radice and theatre director Jatinder Verma explain why it ranks as one of the 100 greatest art works of the 20th Century. Tanika Gupta joins presenter Matthew Parris and translator Ketaki Kushari Dyson to share her love of Tagore's writing in Great Lives: Tanika Gupta on Rabindranath Tagore, and Zia Mohyeddin reads a selection of his epistolary observations on English society and customs in Letters from Europe. Concluding the collection, Rabindranath Tagore: The Bard of Bengal explores the life and legacy of South Asia's Shakespeare. First published 1891 ('The Postmaster'), 1891-2 ('Wealth Surrendered'), 1892 ('The Kabuliwalah'), 1910 ('Broken Song'), 1916 (The Home and the World), 1925 (The Red Oleander), 1929 (Farewell, My Friend) Contents The Home and the World The Red Oleander Farewell, My Friend 'The Postmaster' 'The Kabuliwalah' 'Wealth Surrendered' 'Broken Song' Centurions: Rabindranath Tagore Great Lives: Tanika Gupta on Rabindranath Tagore Letters from Europe Rabindranath Tagore: The Bard of Bengal © 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Rabindranath Tagore (Author), Aileen Gonsalves, Full Cast, Indira Varma, Peter Barker, Renu Setna, Ronny Jhutti, Sacha Dhawan, Saeed Jaffrey, Sam Dastor, Shireen Shah, Zia Mohyeddin (Narrator)

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Masters' India Saga: A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation

"An 18-part serialisation of John Masters' chronicles of the Savage family, spanning the years 1825-1946 and set against the backdrop of British rule in India Based on the hugely popular novels of John Masters, this landmark BBC Radio adaptation charts the history of the British in India through the perspective of one family over several generations. Ranging over more than 120 years, these thrilling tales of love, murder and espionage take us from the expansion of the East India Company to the last days of the Raj and the approach of Independence. The Deceivers - 1825. When Company official William Savage witnesses a brutal double murder and uncovers grisly evidence of mass ritual sacrifice, he is drawn into the dark world of the thuggee and their murderous, Kali-worshipping cult. Can he escape with his honour - and his soul - intact? Starring David Collings, Saeed Jaffrey, and Terence Alexander. Night Runners of Bengal - 1856, and William's son Rodney is an officer in the Bengal Army. His life is one of security and privilege - but a guru's prophecy, and disturbing events surrounding the Rani of Kishanpur, are harbingers of seismic change to come. Across India, the Great Rebellion is rising... Starring Michael Cochrane, Eva Haddon, Carole Boyd and Renu Setna. The Lotus and the Wind - 1879. Britain and Russia are deadly rivals in the 'Great Game'. At the centre of the conflict is Afghanistan, where soldier-turned-spy Lt Robin Savage is attempting to thwart Russian intelligence. Meanwhile, the woman he loves, Anne Hildreth, witnesses a murder en route to Peshawar... Starring Bill Nighy, Juliet Stevenson, John Rowe. Bhowani Junction - 1946, and India is heading for self-rule. But when Independence comes, what will happen to Anglo-Indians Patrick Taylor and Victoria Jones? As they search for their true identity amidst Britain's turbulent withdrawal, Colonel Rodney Savage hunts for saboteurs seeking to blow up Bhowani's railway... Starring Gary Bond, Sean Barrett and Shireen Shah. Text copyright © The Estate of John Masters 1951 (Nightrunners of Bengal), 1952 (The Deceivers), 1953 (The Lotus and the Wind), 1954 (Bhowani Junction) Cast and credits Written by John Masters Music composed by Malcolm Clarke of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop The Deceivers Dramatised by David Wade. Directed by Penny Leicester. Executive producer: Colin Venning First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 September-28 October 1984 Nightrunners of Bengal Dramatised by Barry Campbell. Directed by Christopher Venning First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 4-25 November 1984 The Lotus and the Wind Dramatised by David Wade. Directed by Penny Leicester First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 2-23 December 1984 Bhowani Junction Dramatised by Barry Campbell Directed by Christopher Venning First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 December 1984-27 January 1985 ©2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

John Masters (Author), Bill Nighy, David Collings, Full Cast, Gary Bond, Juliet Stevenson, Michael Cochrane, Renu Setna, Saeed Jaffrey, Terence Alexander (Narrator)

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