Viewers praise “powerful” and “relevant” Boy With The Topknot

The Boy With The Topknot was a smash hit with viewers when it aired on BBC1 on Monday night.

The one-off drama, based on the critically acclaimed memoirs of The Times writer Sathnam Sanghera, followed the story of a young boy born in a Punjabi family living in Wolverhampton.

Sanghera moved to London after graduating from Cambridge to embark on a career as a journalist. Viewers saw him trying to build up the courage to introduce his English girlfriend to his traditional, Sikh parents and reveal he would not be entering into an arranged marriage. Instead, he learned a painful family secret.

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Viewers praised the “powerful” and “relevant” drama for its depiction of a family’s struggle to deal with mental health issues.

It was a scenario that many felt they could relate to – whether they were Sikh themselves or not.

It’s mad how relatable my mums life is to Satnam’s. Why do Indians always have to suppress mental illness within our community and make out that all is perfect just so our family looks good to others. Change and more education is needed right now #boywiththetopknot

— AP (@AjaaaayP) November 13, 2017

That scene with Poli, just blew me away. It's as though she is my sister, massive lump in my throat throughout. #boywiththetopknot

— Roopsmanuva (@Roopstar) November 13, 2017

Sat watching #boywiththetopknot with the parents who denied my mental illness for years. We're all getting our eyes opened.

— tea (@torvastatin) November 13, 2017

#boywiththetopknot loved this @BBCTwo drama about a 2nd generation asian family. Very realistic and relevant!

— Sofia (@SofiaYounis) November 13, 2017

There was high praise for the cast, with leading man Sacha Dhawan being singled out for his performance.

#BoyWithTheTopKnot … stand out performance from @sacha_dhawan & Soooo satisfying to see so many brilliant brown faces on National TV with such an important subject #MentalHealthAwareness … big love to all cast & crew..????????

— Ameet Chana (@AmeetChana) November 13, 2017

Many viewers said they were taken by surprise by the “powerful and brilliant” tale.

Having heard about the book, without actually reading it (?), I was expecting a drama with an element of comedy… however it clearly had no place in the television adaptation, but ‘boy’ was it excellent ??#boywiththetopknot #bbc2 @Sathnam

— Amardip Bhullar (@AmardipBhullar) November 13, 2017

#boywiththetopknot was not what I was expecting, it's so much more. A very powerful and brilliant drama.

— BAKITA (@BakitaKK) November 13, 2017

Absolutely gripping piece of drama showcasing how mental health prevails in South Asian households. Hopefully we can continue highlighting these issues and end the stigma in our communities. #boywiththetopknot

— – (@prxtsh) November 13, 2017

And by the end of the episode the viewers were calling out for more.

A lot of talk about diversity in media… @BBC can we get some more shows like #boywiththetopknot some excellent acting and themes!

— ???? (@Goku_London) November 13, 2017

This is what BBC should be about. Was gripped from start to finish. #boywiththetopknot

— Ian Jones (@ian4newforest) November 13, 2017

The Boy With The Topknot is available to stream on BBC iPlayer