For actress-author-activist and presenter Joanna Lumley, the docu-series Joanna Lumley’s India is personal in more ways than one. Not only is the 72-year-old living her dream of exploring India, but the show has also helped her get closer to her family history. Not many know that the BAFTA award-winning actress was born in Srinagar, or that her father proposed marriage to her mother in Delhi, right in front of Humayun’s tomb. Lumley takes the viewer on a journey of India, one that is incredibly informative and intimately personal. Excerpts from a conversation:
Why is it so special to you?
I was born in India. My parents were brought up in India and they had family on both sides going back to the 18th century. I just wanted to show things and places that were not the obvious tourist spots.
Was it emotional at times?
Some chunks of my family history are missing, but yes, it is a bit of a personal journey. It’s lovely when I can say, my grandfather lived here or that picture is my Uncle over there. It was quite something going back to Kashmir, I’ve been there before, but each time I think, this is where I drew my first breath, in Srinagar. It made me feel very humble.
What were the highlights?
The beauty of the Ellora Caves in Aurangabad — 34 temples carved in such detail. Meeting the Dalai Lama, elephants in the wild, filming tigers, staying with a Maharaja. Waking up was special every day.
Were you ever surprised?
I think, what surprised me was how much India has changed since my last visit, about six years ago. It seems much cleaner. I was shocked by how many plastic bags they use — 10 million a day are thrown away. I was taken aback by the progress of India: Mumbai and Delhi are super-cities. India is always astonishing.