Q And A By Vikas Swarup

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

5,000 Rupees

20070730

20081227 (R4)
20200524 (R4)

By Ayeesha Menon, from the novel by Vikas Swarup.

Street kid Ram Mohammad Thomas is a contestant on the hit Indian TV show Who Will Win a Billion. As he ponders over the first question, his thoughts drift back to his childhood in Delhi. A baby abandoned on the steps of a church, Thomas was brought up by a well-meaning priest, until he was abandoned yet again.

Thomas - Anand Tiwari

Prem Kumar - Sohrab Ardeshir

Father Francis - Henry Goodman

Young Thomas - Caran Arora

Father John - Rajit Kapur

Other parts played by Kenneth Desai, Ashley Cook and Vikrant Chaturvedi.

Directed by John Dryden

An Indian street kid wins a place on a TV quiz. Novel that inspired Slumdog Millionaire.

10,000 Rupees

20070731

20081228 (R4)
20200531 (R4)

By Ayeesha Menon, from the novel by Vikas Swarup.

Now 16, Thomas lives in a decrepit slum in Mumbai with his best friend Salim. When Shantaram, an alcoholic scientist down on his luck, moves in next door with his wife and daughter, Thomas has to protect them from his violent outbursts, with tragic consequences.

Thomas - Anand Tiwari

Prem Kumar - Sohrab Ardeshir

Shantaram - Kenneth Desai

Mrs Shantaram - Ayeesha Menon

Gudiya - Pooja Ruparel

Other parts played by Rajit Kapur and Nadir Khan.

Directed by John Dryden.

He got the first question right, but can Thomas win a billion on the Indian TV game show?

An Indian street kid wins a place on a TV quiz. Novel that inspired Slumdog Millionaire.

50,000 Rupees

20070801

20081229 (R4)
20200607 (R4)

By Ayeesha Menon, from the novel by Vikas Swarup.

Thomas has to delve back into his childhood in search of the answer to the next question. Adopted from an orphanage by evil gangster Babu, Thomas and his friend Salim are taken to Mumbai where they are to be maimed and put on the streets to beg.

Thomas - Anand Tiwari

Prem Kumar - Sohrab Ardeshir

Young Thomas - Caran Arora

Young Salim - Armaan Malik

Babu - Vikrant Chaturvedi

Other parts played by Satchit Puranik, Kenneth Desai, Jaimini Pathak and Rohit Malkani.

Directed by John Dryden.

Thomas delves into his troubled past to find the right answer to win a life-changing sum.

An Indian street kid wins a place on a TV quiz. Novel that inspired Slumdog Millionaire.

100,000 Rupees

20070802

20081230 (R4)
20200614 (R4)

By Ayeesha Menon, from the novel by Vikas Swarup.

The next question takes Thomas to his teenage years. Working as the houseboy of Australian defence attache Colonel Taylor, he becomes embroiled in a spy scandal.

Thomas - Anand Tiwari

Prem Kumar - Sohrab Ardeshir

Colonel Taylor - Henry Goodman

Jai - Jaimini Pathak

Other parts played by Ashley Cook, Sarah Sproull and Nadir Khan.

Directed by John Dryden.

Time spent working for an Australian colonel proves useful for the next TV quiz question.

An Indian street kid wins a place on a TV quiz. Novel that inspired Slumdog Millionaire.

500,000 Rupees

20070803

20081231 (R4)
20200621 (R4)

By Ayeesha Menon, from the novel by Vikas Swarup.

Thomas's next question is from the world of cricket. Fortunately, a chance encounter with his best friend Salim, who tells of how he got his revenge on the notorious Babu, provides Thomas with the answer.

Thomas - Anand Tiwari

Prem Kumar - Sohrab Ardeshir

Salim - Nadir Khan

Ahmad Bhai - Jayant Kripalani

Other parts played by Ayeesha Menon, Rohit Malkani, Kenneth Desai and Jaimini Pathak.

Directed by John Dryden.

Ready for his next TV quiz question, Thomas remembers being reunited with Salim.

An Indian street kid wins a place on a TV quiz. Novel that inspired Slumdog Millionaire.

1,000,000 Rupees

20070806

20090101 (R4)
20200628 (R4)

By Ayeesha Menon, from the novel by Vikas Swarup.

With two years of his salary strapped to his belt, Thomas boards a train back to Mumbai, only to be woken up in the middle of the night by bandits. The experience helps him answer a vital question.

Thomas - Anand Tiwari

Prem Kumar - Sohrab Ardeshir

Meenakshi - Ratnabali Bhattacharjee

Akshay - Trikash Karkera

Dacoit - Rajit Kapur

Other parts played by Jayant Kripalani, Devika Shahani-Punjabi and Pushan Kripalani.

Directed by John Dryden.

An incident with a gun helps Thomas answer the next question. Stars Anand Tiwari.

An Indian street kid wins a place on a TV quiz. Novel that inspired Slumdog Millionaire.

10,000,000 Rupees

20070807

20090102 (R4)
20200705 (R4)

By Ayeesha Menon, from the novel by Vikas Swarup.

Thomas must answer a difficult question about famous Bollywood star Neelima Kumari. Fortunately, he was once her houseboy, witnessing how the tragedies she played out on screen become a part of her real life.

Thomas - Anand Tiwari

Prem Kumar - Sohrab Ardeshir

Young Thomas - Caran Arora

Neelima Kumari - Radhika Mital

Other parts played by Armaan Malik, Rajit Kapur and Nadir Khan.

Directed by John Dryden.

Can Thomas's encounters with the Tragedy Queen help him reach the next stage of the quiz?

An Indian street kid wins a place on a TV quiz. Novel that inspired Slumdog Millionaire.

100,000,000 Rupees

20070808

20090103 (R4)
20200712 (R4)

By Ayeesha Menon, from the novel by Vikas Swarup.

Thomas draws on his experience as an unofficial guide at the Taj Mahal. His friendship with another homeless kid leads to a cruel twist of fate and a horrific discovery.

Thomas - Anand Tiwari

Prem Kumar - Sohrab Ardeshir

Shankar - Rohit Malkani

Swapna Devi - Devika Shahani-Punjabi

Darshan - Jamini Pathak

Other parts played by Pushan Kripalani, Nadir Khan and Rohit Malkani.

Directed by John Dryden.

The sneaky TV quizmaster shows his true colours in an attempt to derail the hopeful champ.

An Indian street kid wins a place on a TV quiz. Novel that inspired Slumdog Millionaire.

100,000,000 Rupees (cont)

20070809

20090104 (R4)
20200719 (R4)

By Ayeesha Menon, from the novel by Vikas Swarup.

Thomas is finally stumped by a question. His thoughts lead him back to his first love Nita, a young prostitute he met in Agra. When she is physically abused by one of her clients, Thomas knows what he has to do.

Thomas - Anand Tiwari

Prem Kumar - Sohrab Ardeshir

Nita - Radhika Apte

Neeraj - Jaimini Pathak

Utpal - Kenneth Desai

Other parts played by Rohit Malkani, Pushan Kripalani and Nadir Khan.

Directed by John Dryden

The TV quiz finally stumps Thomas, so he phones a friend in the hopes of a correct answer.

An Indian street kid wins a place on a TV quiz. Novel that inspired Slumdog Millionaire.

1,000,000,000 Rupees

20070810

20090105 (R4)
20200726 (R4)

By Ayeesha Menon, from the novel by Vikas Swarup.

Thomas is one question away from winning the billion-rupee prize, but the producers can't afford the payout and will do anything to stop him. But Thomas has an ulterior motive for being on the show and he will not leave without getting his revenge on the show's host Prem Kumar.

Thomas - Anand Tiwari

Prem Kumar - Sohrab Ardeshir

TV Producer - Jayant Kripalani

Vikas - Rohit Malkani

Directed by John Dryden.

The big moment arrives. Will Thomas win the biggest cash prize ever offered on Indian TV?

An Indian street kid wins a place on a TV quiz. Novel that inspired Slumdog Millionaire.

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
01	5,000 Rupees	20070730	20081227 (R4) 20200524 (R4)	By Ayeesha Menon, from the novel by Vikas Swarup. Street kid Ram Mohammad Thomas is a contestant on the hit Indian TV show Who Will Win a Billion. As he ponders over the first question, his thoughts drift back to his childhood in Delhi. A baby abandoned on the steps of a church, Thomas was brought up by a well-meaning priest, until he was abandoned yet again. Thomas - Anand Tiwari Prem Kumar - Sohrab Ardeshir Father Francis - Henry Goodman Young Thomas - Caran Arora Father John - Rajit Kapur Other parts played by Kenneth Desai, Ashley Cook and Vikrant Chaturvedi. Directed by John Dryden An Indian street kid wins a place on a TV quiz. Novel that inspired Slumdog Millionaire.
02	10,000 Rupees	20070731	20081228 (R4) 20200531 (R4)	By Ayeesha Menon, from the novel by Vikas Swarup. Now 16, Thomas lives in a decrepit slum in Mumbai with his best friend Salim. When Shantaram, an alcoholic scientist down on his luck, moves in next door with his wife and daughter, Thomas has to protect them from his violent outbursts, with tragic consequences. Thomas - Anand Tiwari Prem Kumar - Sohrab Ardeshir Shantaram - Kenneth Desai Mrs Shantaram - Ayeesha Menon Gudiya - Pooja Ruparel Other parts played by Rajit Kapur and Nadir Khan. Directed by John Dryden. He got the first question right, but can Thomas win a billion on the Indian TV game show? An Indian street kid wins a place on a TV quiz. Novel that inspired Slumdog Millionaire.
03	50,000 Rupees	20070801	20081229 (R4) 20200607 (R4)	By Ayeesha Menon, from the novel by Vikas Swarup. Thomas has to delve back into his childhood in search of the answer to the next question. Adopted from an orphanage by evil gangster Babu, Thomas and his friend Salim are taken to Mumbai where they are to be maimed and put on the streets to beg. Thomas - Anand Tiwari Prem Kumar - Sohrab Ardeshir Young Thomas - Caran Arora Young Salim - Armaan Malik Babu - Vikrant Chaturvedi Other parts played by Satchit Puranik, Kenneth Desai, Jaimini Pathak and Rohit Malkani. Directed by John Dryden. Thomas delves into his troubled past to find the right answer to win a life-changing sum. An Indian street kid wins a place on a TV quiz. Novel that inspired Slumdog Millionaire.
04	100,000 Rupees	20070802	20081230 (R4) 20200614 (R4)	By Ayeesha Menon, from the novel by Vikas Swarup. The next question takes Thomas to his teenage years. Working as the houseboy of Australian defence attache Colonel Taylor, he becomes embroiled in a spy scandal. Thomas - Anand Tiwari Prem Kumar - Sohrab Ardeshir Colonel Taylor - Henry Goodman Jai - Jaimini Pathak Other parts played by Ashley Cook, Sarah Sproull and Nadir Khan. Directed by John Dryden. Time spent working for an Australian colonel proves useful for the next TV quiz question. An Indian street kid wins a place on a TV quiz. Novel that inspired Slumdog Millionaire.
05	500,000 Rupees	20070803	20081231 (R4) 20200621 (R4)	By Ayeesha Menon, from the novel by Vikas Swarup. Thomas's next question is from the world of cricket. Fortunately, a chance encounter with his best friend Salim, who tells of how he got his revenge on the notorious Babu, provides Thomas with the answer. Thomas - Anand Tiwari Prem Kumar - Sohrab Ardeshir Salim - Nadir Khan Ahmad Bhai - Jayant Kripalani Other parts played by Ayeesha Menon, Rohit Malkani, Kenneth Desai and Jaimini Pathak. Directed by John Dryden. Ready for his next TV quiz question, Thomas remembers being reunited with Salim. An Indian street kid wins a place on a TV quiz. Novel that inspired Slumdog Millionaire.
06	1,000,000 Rupees	20070806	20090101 (R4) 20200628 (R4)	By Ayeesha Menon, from the novel by Vikas Swarup. With two years of his salary strapped to his belt, Thomas boards a train back to Mumbai, only to be woken up in the middle of the night by bandits. The experience helps him answer a vital question. Thomas - Anand Tiwari Prem Kumar - Sohrab Ardeshir Meenakshi - Ratnabali Bhattacharjee Akshay - Trikash Karkera Dacoit - Rajit Kapur Other parts played by Jayant Kripalani, Devika Shahani-Punjabi and Pushan Kripalani. Directed by John Dryden. An incident with a gun helps Thomas answer the next question. Stars Anand Tiwari. An Indian street kid wins a place on a TV quiz. Novel that inspired Slumdog Millionaire.
07	10,000,000 Rupees	20070807	20090102 (R4) 20200705 (R4)	By Ayeesha Menon, from the novel by Vikas Swarup. Thomas must answer a difficult question about famous Bollywood star Neelima Kumari. Fortunately, he was once her houseboy, witnessing how the tragedies she played out on screen become a part of her real life. Thomas - Anand Tiwari Prem Kumar - Sohrab Ardeshir Young Thomas - Caran Arora Neelima Kumari - Radhika Mital Other parts played by Armaan Malik, Rajit Kapur and Nadir Khan. Directed by John Dryden. Can Thomas's encounters with the Tragedy Queen help him reach the next stage of the quiz? An Indian street kid wins a place on a TV quiz. Novel that inspired Slumdog Millionaire.
08	100,000,000 Rupees	20070808	20090103 (R4) 20200712 (R4)	By Ayeesha Menon, from the novel by Vikas Swarup. Thomas draws on his experience as an unofficial guide at the Taj Mahal. His friendship with another homeless kid leads to a cruel twist of fate and a horrific discovery. Thomas - Anand Tiwari Prem Kumar - Sohrab Ardeshir Shankar - Rohit Malkani Swapna Devi - Devika Shahani-Punjabi Darshan - Jamini Pathak Other parts played by Pushan Kripalani, Nadir Khan and Rohit Malkani. Directed by John Dryden. The sneaky TV quizmaster shows his true colours in an attempt to derail the hopeful champ. An Indian street kid wins a place on a TV quiz. Novel that inspired Slumdog Millionaire.
09	100,000,000 Rupees (cont)	20070809	20090104 (R4) 20200719 (R4)	By Ayeesha Menon, from the novel by Vikas Swarup. Thomas is finally stumped by a question. His thoughts lead him back to his first love Nita, a young prostitute he met in Agra. When she is physically abused by one of her clients, Thomas knows what he has to do. Thomas - Anand Tiwari Prem Kumar - Sohrab Ardeshir Nita - Radhika Apte Neeraj - Jaimini Pathak Utpal - Kenneth Desai Other parts played by Rohit Malkani, Pushan Kripalani and Nadir Khan. Directed by John Dryden The TV quiz finally stumps Thomas, so he phones a friend in the hopes of a correct answer. An Indian street kid wins a place on a TV quiz. Novel that inspired Slumdog Millionaire.
10	1,000,000,000 Rupees	20070810	20090105 (R4) 20200726 (R4)	By Ayeesha Menon, from the novel by Vikas Swarup. Thomas is one question away from winning the billion-rupee prize, but the producers can't afford the payout and will do anything to stop him. But Thomas has an ulterior motive for being on the show and he will not leave without getting his revenge on the show's host Prem Kumar. Thomas - Anand Tiwari Prem Kumar - Sohrab Ardeshir TV Producer - Jayant Kripalani Vikas - Rohit Malkani Directed by John Dryden. The big moment arrives. Will Thomas win the biggest cash prize ever offered on Indian TV? An Indian street kid wins a place on a TV quiz. Novel that inspired Slumdog Millionaire.