Compulsion (television film)
Encyclopedia
Compulsion was a one-off ITV
television drama, produced by Size 9 Productions and broadcast on 4 May, 2009. Inspired by the Jacobean tragedy
The Changeling
by Thomas Middleton
and William Rowley
, it follows a young female Cambridge graduate called Anjika Indrani (Parminder Nagra
) and attempts by her father Satvick (Vincent Ebrahim
) to force her into a marriage with Hardik (Sargon Yelda) despite her existing happy relationship with Alex (Ben Aldridge
). It also starred Ray Winstone
as Don Flowers, Satvick's chauffeur, and James Floyd as Jaiman.
It was originally scheduled to air in Christmas 2008, but was moved to the May Day
2009 date.
Anjika’s father, Satvick, forces her into an arranged marriage with a business associate’s son, Hardick. Satvick’s chauffer, Don Flowers, realises Anjika is not happy with her father’s plans and says he will help her out, on the condition she spends the night with him. Anjika hates him, so she refuses at first, but reluctantly agrees eventually. Hardick collapses on a date with Anjika, and Flowers seizes the opportunity and takes him back to his flat, scattering illegal drugs everywhere, making Hardick look like a dealer.
Anjika’s parents call off the marriage, but Flowers reminds her she needs to keep up her end of the deal. Reluctant, she visits the hotel room Flowers booked and allows him to flirt with her, touch her and smell her, before the pair have sex. Anjika wakes up the next morning and quickly leaves; Flowers awakes and thanks her.
Things are not simple from then on. Anjika makes up the excuse that if Flowers stops providing her brother with drugs, she will bed him again. Flowers realizes Anjika has feelings for him, and makes her beg to take her to bed.
The pair continue in their affair, obviously strongly loving each other. Things complicate, however, when Alex and Anjika reveal their relationship and her parents strongly approve, even arranging a marriage for the two. Anjika becomes stressed, realizing her heart belongs with Flowers despite the age difference, yet she’s in denial and insists she still loves Alex.
Hardick returns and blames his messed up life on Alex, however realises Anjika is to blame. Anjika and Flowers have just had sex when Hardick arrives. He grabs Anjika but a messy Flowers appears, warning Hardick away. Hardick realizes the two had sex, but before he can speak Flowers strangles and kills him.
Anjika’s life continues to go downhill. Her affair with Flowers continues. Flowers presents her with a bracelet, however she says she can’t wear it. Anjika and her friend are collected from a nightclub and Anjika writes a flirtatious text; when asked by her friend she says it’s for Alex, however she is caught sending it to Flowers. Alex discovers this and confronts Anjika, she denies anything with Flowers.
Realizing the affair has gone way out of hand, Anjika prepares a knife for her latest date with Flowers. The two have sex but Anjika remains hesitant, saying she could get Flowers done for rape. Flowers is shocked but admits he loves Anjika and insists that she loves him too, which she does. Flowers then continues to have sex with her, although this time, Anjika pleads him not to. Flowers devastated and in love, puts the knife in her hand and begins stabbing himself in the stomach and then, caught in the moment, Anjika begins stabbing furiously into his side.
She phones the police and says she’s killed a rapist.
The next shot is of Anjika and Alex emerging from their wedding. Anjika seems less than thrilled but puts on a brave smile. As she hugs her mother, she is seen to be wearing Flowers’ bracelet. She gets into the car and stares as the new chauffeur gets in the front seat. She looks out of the window sadly, implying she truly was in love with Flowers.
audition show, watched by 11.98 million viewers. The overnight rating was the second highest for its timeslot on that day, the show beaten by Ashes to Ashes
which achieved 5.6 million viewers, 23% of the total viewing audience.
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
television drama, produced by Size 9 Productions and broadcast on 4 May, 2009. Inspired by the Jacobean tragedy
Tragedy
Tragedy is a form of art based on human suffering that offers its audience pleasure. While most cultures have developed forms that provoke this paradoxical response, tragedy refers to a specific tradition of drama that has played a unique and important role historically in the self-definition of...
The Changeling
The Changeling (play)
The Changeling is a Jacobean tragedy written by Thomas Middleton and William Rowley. Widely regarded as "among the best" tragedies of the English Renaissance, the play has accumulated a significant body of critical commentary....
by Thomas Middleton
Thomas Middleton
Thomas Middleton was an English Jacobean playwright and poet. Middleton stands with John Fletcher and Ben Jonson as among the most successful and prolific of playwrights who wrote their best plays during the Jacobean period. He was one of the few Renaissance dramatists to achieve equal success in...
and William Rowley
William Rowley
William Rowley was an English Jacobean dramatist, best known for works written in collaboration with more successful writers. His date of birth is estimated to have been c. 1585; he was buried on 11 February 1626...
, it follows a young female Cambridge graduate called Anjika Indrani (Parminder Nagra
Parminder Nagra
Parminder Kaur Nagra is an English actress of Indian descent. She came to international prominence in 2002 after starring in Bend It Like Beckham. She starred as Dr. Neela Rasgotra in the Emmy Award-winning American medical drama series ER for six years until the series ended on 2 April 2009...
) and attempts by her father Satvick (Vincent Ebrahim
Vincent Ebrahim
Vincent Ebrahim is a South African actor of Indian ethnicity. Born in 1951, he studied drama at the University of Cape Town. He is the brother of South African actress Vinette Ebrahim, who is best known for playing the role of Charmaine Beukes in the Afrikaans soap opera Sewende Laan.After...
) to force her into a marriage with Hardik (Sargon Yelda) despite her existing happy relationship with Alex (Ben Aldridge
Ben Aldridge (actor)
Ben Aldridge is an English actor, born in Devon. He is notable for his role as Harry Fanshawe, husband of the title character in the 2008 The Devil's Whore along with appearances in Compulsion . He was noted in Screen International's 2008 "Stars of Tomorrow"...
). It also starred Ray Winstone
Ray Winstone
Raymond Andrew "Ray" Winstone is an English film and television actor. He is mostly known for his "tough guy" roles, beginning with that of Carlin in the 1979 film Scum and as Will Scarlet in the cult television adventure series Robin of Sherwood. He has also become well known as a voice over...
as Don Flowers, Satvick's chauffeur, and James Floyd as Jaiman.
It was originally scheduled to air in Christmas 2008, but was moved to the May Day
May Day
May Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
2009 date.
Plot
Compulsion tells the story of Anjika Indrani, a wealthy young Cambridge graduate who is in a secret relationship with fellow graduate, Alex.Anjika’s father, Satvick, forces her into an arranged marriage with a business associate’s son, Hardick. Satvick’s chauffer, Don Flowers, realises Anjika is not happy with her father’s plans and says he will help her out, on the condition she spends the night with him. Anjika hates him, so she refuses at first, but reluctantly agrees eventually. Hardick collapses on a date with Anjika, and Flowers seizes the opportunity and takes him back to his flat, scattering illegal drugs everywhere, making Hardick look like a dealer.
Anjika’s parents call off the marriage, but Flowers reminds her she needs to keep up her end of the deal. Reluctant, she visits the hotel room Flowers booked and allows him to flirt with her, touch her and smell her, before the pair have sex. Anjika wakes up the next morning and quickly leaves; Flowers awakes and thanks her.
Things are not simple from then on. Anjika makes up the excuse that if Flowers stops providing her brother with drugs, she will bed him again. Flowers realizes Anjika has feelings for him, and makes her beg to take her to bed.
The pair continue in their affair, obviously strongly loving each other. Things complicate, however, when Alex and Anjika reveal their relationship and her parents strongly approve, even arranging a marriage for the two. Anjika becomes stressed, realizing her heart belongs with Flowers despite the age difference, yet she’s in denial and insists she still loves Alex.
Hardick returns and blames his messed up life on Alex, however realises Anjika is to blame. Anjika and Flowers have just had sex when Hardick arrives. He grabs Anjika but a messy Flowers appears, warning Hardick away. Hardick realizes the two had sex, but before he can speak Flowers strangles and kills him.
Anjika’s life continues to go downhill. Her affair with Flowers continues. Flowers presents her with a bracelet, however she says she can’t wear it. Anjika and her friend are collected from a nightclub and Anjika writes a flirtatious text; when asked by her friend she says it’s for Alex, however she is caught sending it to Flowers. Alex discovers this and confronts Anjika, she denies anything with Flowers.
Realizing the affair has gone way out of hand, Anjika prepares a knife for her latest date with Flowers. The two have sex but Anjika remains hesitant, saying she could get Flowers done for rape. Flowers is shocked but admits he loves Anjika and insists that she loves him too, which she does. Flowers then continues to have sex with her, although this time, Anjika pleads him not to. Flowers devastated and in love, puts the knife in her hand and begins stabbing himself in the stomach and then, caught in the moment, Anjika begins stabbing furiously into his side.
She phones the police and says she’s killed a rapist.
The next shot is of Anjika and Alex emerging from their wedding. Anjika seems less than thrilled but puts on a brave smile. As she hugs her mother, she is seen to be wearing Flowers’ bracelet. She gets into the car and stares as the new chauffeur gets in the front seat. She looks out of the window sadly, implying she truly was in love with Flowers.
Cast
- Ray WinstoneRay WinstoneRaymond Andrew "Ray" Winstone is an English film and television actor. He is mostly known for his "tough guy" roles, beginning with that of Carlin in the 1979 film Scum and as Will Scarlet in the cult television adventure series Robin of Sherwood. He has also become well known as a voice over...
- Don Flowers - Parminder NagraParminder NagraParminder Kaur Nagra is an English actress of Indian descent. She came to international prominence in 2002 after starring in Bend It Like Beckham. She starred as Dr. Neela Rasgotra in the Emmy Award-winning American medical drama series ER for six years until the series ended on 2 April 2009...
- Anjika Indrani - James Floyd - Jaiman
- Ben AldridgeBen Aldridge (actor)Ben Aldridge is an English actor, born in Devon. He is notable for his role as Harry Fanshawe, husband of the title character in the 2008 The Devil's Whore along with appearances in Compulsion . He was noted in Screen International's 2008 "Stars of Tomorrow"...
- Alex - Sargon Yelda - Hardik
- Veena SoodVeena SoodVeena Sood is a Canadian-based film and television actress of Punjabi descent.She works in both the UK and Canada. She starred in ITV's Compulsion featuring Ray Winstone and Parminder Nagra. She has also starred in the UK film Nina's Heavenly Delights,as well as the Canada/UK film Touch of Pink,...
- Shriya - Vincent EbrahimVincent EbrahimVincent Ebrahim is a South African actor of Indian ethnicity. Born in 1951, he studied drama at the University of Cape Town. He is the brother of South African actress Vinette Ebrahim, who is best known for playing the role of Charmaine Beukes in the Afrikaans soap opera Sewende Laan.After...
- Satvik - Emily Wachter - Claire
Broadcast and reception
Overnight ratings estimated that "Compulsion" was watched by 4.7 million viewers, approximately 22% of the total television audience. The final viewing figure was 5.15 million viewers, the 14th highest figure of the week beginning 4 May 2009; the highest was a Britain's Got TalentBritain's Got Talent
Britain's Got Talent is a British television talent show competition which started in June 2007 and originated from the Got Talent series. The show is produced by FremantleMedia's TalkbackThames and Simon Cowell's production company SYCOtv. The show is broadcast on ITV in Britain and TV3 in Ireland...
audition show, watched by 11.98 million viewers. The overnight rating was the second highest for its timeslot on that day, the show beaten by Ashes to Ashes
Ashes to Ashes (TV series)
Ashes to Ashes is a British science fiction and police procedural drama television series, serving as the sequel to Life on Mars.The series began airing on BBC One in February 2008. A second series began broadcasting in April 2009...
which achieved 5.6 million viewers, 23% of the total viewing audience.