Jungle Book

Rudyard Kipling's timeless story re-imagined as a gangland coming-of-age fableIn this radical radio reboot, Kipling's family classic is given a darker twist and reimagined in the concrete jungle of present-day India.Born in a tenement block in Mumbai, orphan boy Mowgli is brought up by the Wolves, a gang of tough, streetwise petty criminals, and quickly learns how to survive in that world. But when the villainous politician Tiger Khan threatens his life, two residents of the block, the 'black panther' Bagheera and the 'bear' Baloo, offer to help him escape.Leaving behind the only home he's ever known, Mowgli embarks on a journey of self-discovery through the city, meeting 'creatures' along the way who don't always have his best interests at heart...Dramatised by Ayeesha Menon, whose radio version of Midnight's Children won Best Adaptation at the 2018 Audio Drama Awards, this stunning audio retelling features Namit Das (A Suitable Boy) as Mo, with Bollywood stars Rajit Kapur and Shernaz Patel as Tiger Khan and Mrs Gupta.Written and directed by Ayeesha MenonBased on the novel by Rudyard KiplingProduced by Nadir KhanExecutive producer: John Scott DrydenMusic by Sacha PuttnamRecorded in IndiaA Goldhawk ProductionCastMo/Adult Mo - Namit DasTiger Khan - Rajit KapurMrs Gupta - Shernaz PatelMr Gupta - Zafar KarachiwalaBugs - Sukant GoelYuva - Abir AbrarKala/Adult Kala - Shikha TalsaniaRikita - Devika ShahaniFather Carvalho - Sohrab ArdeshirYoung Kala/ Rani - Preetika ChawlaYoung Mo - Omkar KulkarniDimple - Trisha KaleBobby - Alka SharmaVarun/Boy - Ajitesh GuptaAmma - Prerna ChawlaRaksha - hivani TanksaleRafiq/Naag - Tavish BhattacharyyaBaldeo/Tabaqui/Purun Bhagat - Vivek MadanAkhil - Nadir KhanFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 28 February-6 March 2021(c) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd(p) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd