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National Theatre Live: Behind the Beautiful Forevers poster
6.0 / 10(1 votes)IMDb20153h 20mUnited Kingdom

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.

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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

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

Director

Rufus Norris

Screenplay & Story

David Hare, Katherine Boo

Literary Origin & Source Material
Book:Katherine Boo

Department Leadership Roster

Rufus Norris

Rufus Norris

Director

David Hare

David Hare

Screenplay

Age Classification & Content Advisories

Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.

International Certification Matrix

United Kingdom (BBFC)PG

Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.

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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29401 titles

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.

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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.).