

National Theatre Live: Behind the Beautiful Forevers
Synopsis
India is surging with global ambition. But beyond the luxury hotels surrounding Mumbai airport lies a makeshift slum, full of people with plans of their own. Zehrunisa and her son Abdul aim to recycle enough rubbish to fund a proper house. Sunil, twelve and stunted, wants to eat until he’s as tall as Kalu the thief. Asha seeks to steal government anti-poverty funds to turn herself into a ‘first-class person’, while her daughter Manju intends to become the slum’s first female graduate. But their schemes are fragile; global recession threatens the garbage trade, and another slum-dweller is about to make an accusation that will destroy herself and shatter the neighbourhood.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
NT Live: Behind the Beautiful Forevers trailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2015-01-13
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →Meera Syal
Zehrunisa Husain
Vincent Ebrahim
Sartaj Garewal
Mahadeo Waghekar
Muzz Khan
Ranjit Krishnamma
Raja Kamble
Stephanie Street
Asha Waghekar
Hiran Abeysekera
Sunil Sharma
Esh Alladi
Esh Alladi: Guard at Dongri, Defender
Nathalie Armin
Pal Aron
Tia-Lana Chinapyel
Mariam Haque
Thusitha Jayasundera
Manjeet Mann
Nikita Mehta
Anjli Mohindra
Kehkashan Husain
Tia Palamathanan
Ronak Patani
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Rufus Norris
- Screenplay & Story
- David Hare
- Original Title
- National Theatre Live: Behind the Beautiful Forevers
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 3h 20m
- Production Studios
- National Theatre
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Rufus Norris
David Hare, Katherine Boo
Department Leadership Roster
Rufus Norris
Director
David Hare
Screenplay
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for National Theatre Live: Behind the Beautiful Forevers.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring National Theatre Live: Behind the Beautiful Forevers.
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National Theatre Live
All productions released by National Theatre Live, UK – either done directly by the Royal National Theatre or other UK venues/producers. [**NationalTheatre.org.uk**](https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk) / [**NTLive.com**](https://www.ntlive.com) / [**NTatHome.com**](https://www.ntathome.com) (for its US equivalent, see [**BroadwayHD**](https://www.tmdb.org/company/103196-broadwayhd) and site [**BroadwayHD.com**](https://www.broadwayhd.com).) Some productions were filmed _solely_ for their paid streaming channel "National Theatre at Home", and were branded without the "National Theatre Live" posters which those that also screened in cinemas typically got posters with. (plus: There was a 2009 BBC TV series entry titled "National Theatre Live" with the first five filmed productions that featured additional commentary, at #280519, but this was deleted by a mod!) ______________________________________________________________________ • **2024.05.09.Thu: Plays 1-100** - [**nationaltheatre.org.uk/news/national-theatre-live-100-plays-in-cinemas-1-25**](https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/news/national-theatre-live-100-plays-in-cinemas-1-25) _"National Theatre Live broadcast its 100th title, Nye, live from the Olivier stage. Now buckle up as we’re going to take you on a journey through all 100 NT Lives (you heard that right). From our first to our most recent, join us to recount all the incredible plays that have made it from the stage to the screen – with some fun facts thrown in for good measure!"_ ______________________________________________________________________ **What is National Theatre Live (NTL) & National Theatre at Home (NTaH)?** ([**Wikipedia**](https://w.wiki/9grq)) National Theatre Live is an initiative from the National Theatre (formerly "Royal National Theatre") in London, who record their own plays (and also may do/did some live broadcasts to cinemas too) and other non-National Theatre productions from selected indie/West-End theatre plays in London and beyond in the UK (eg. Chichester, et al.). Unless it's a live cinema viewing, typically once the live theatre run has ended these are then shown in cinemas. NTL cinema audiences are able to view play recordings at cinema screenings in the UK and globally (eg. Australia, Taiwan, et al.), with cinema releases either concurrently (or after an initial cinema release) also released on their paid streaming service National Theatre at Home. NTaH launched in 2020 offering access to over 100 productions, with new titles added monthly. All titles include captions, over 90% available with Audio Description, and a selection available in British Sign Language (BSL). Reaching theatre audiences globally, streaming to over 184 countries, a majority of audiences having never visited the National Theatre's South Bank home, and is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies. 2026 research showed 99% of NTaH's audiences are outside London, with over 60% saying filmed theatre options support wider discoverability and increased overall theatre experiences.
National Theatre
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Frequently Asked Questions About National Theatre Live: Behind the Beautiful Forevers
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is National Theatre Live: Behind the Beautiful Forevers about?
India is surging with global ambition. But beyond the luxury hotels surrounding Mumbai airport lies a makeshift slum, full of people with plans of their own. Zehrunisa and her son Abdul aim to recycle enough rubbish to fund a proper house. Sunil, twelve and stunted, wants to eat until he’s as tall as Kalu the thief. Asha seeks to steal government anti-poverty funds to turn herself into a ‘first-class person’, while her daughter Manju intends to become the slum’s first female graduate. But their schemes are fragile; global recession threatens the garbage trade, and another slum-dweller is about to make an accusation that will destroy herself and shatter the neighbourhood.
Who directed National Theatre Live: Behind the Beautiful Forevers?
National Theatre Live: Behind the Beautiful Forevers was directed by Rufus Norris.
Who stars in National Theatre Live: Behind the Beautiful Forevers?
The principal cast of National Theatre Live: Behind the Beautiful Forevers includes Meera Syal, Vincent Ebrahim, Sartaj Garewal, Muzz Khan, Ranjit Krishnamma.
When was National Theatre Live: Behind the Beautiful Forevers released and how long is it?
National Theatre Live: Behind the Beautiful Forevers was released in 2015 with a total runtime of 3h 20m.
Is National Theatre Live: Behind the Beautiful Forevers based on a book or true story?
National Theatre Live: Behind the Beautiful Forevers is adapted from the following source material: Book: "Katherine Boo".
What is the age rating and content advisory for National Theatre Live: Behind the Beautiful Forevers?
National Theatre Live: Behind the Beautiful Forevers holds official age classifications: GB: PG (Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.).




















