Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee
Encyclopedia
Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee is a 1999 novel by Meera Syal
that was later adapted into a three-part BBC
television miniseries in 2005. Childhood friends Tania (Laila Rouass), Sunita (Meera Syal) and Chila (Ayesha Dharker) are now in their 30s and at a crossroads in life. But their friendship still holds them together.
Sunita, the eldest, used to be 'super swot' until she flunked out of university to marry her psychotherapist sweetheart, Akaash (Sanjeev Bhaskar). Then she turned into 'SuperMummyji'. Now she feels trapped by two kids and an unfulfilling job.'Gob Almighty' Tania is the ambitious career girl who's left her family and 'community' behind. Speaking her mind got her into trouble but out of Ilford.
The baby of the gang, sweet, naive Chila, is getting married. She's bagged the Prince Charming of Chigwell himself, Deepak Sharma (Ace Bhatti) - the man of her dreams. But he has a catalogue of former girlfriends - including Tania.
As well as starring in the programme, Meera Syal wrote the novel which Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee is adapted.
Both heart-warming and heartbreaking, it's inspired by the juxtaposition of two news stories running in the same newspaper, on the same day: One headlined 'Asian Women Top the Graduate League' and on the opposite page 'Asian Women Top the Suicide and Self Harm League'.Meera admits: "It disturbed me profoundly to see evidence of how much we can achieve, laced with our ability to destroy ourselves. It made me want to look at my life and the lives of my friends, all of whom were going through seismic changes in our belief systems and relationships."
. The Strings were recorded by Chandru.
Meera Syal
Meera Syal MBE is a British comedienne, writer, playwright, singer, journalist, producer and actress. She rose to prominence as one of the team that created Goodness Gracious Me and became one of the UK's best-known Indian personalities portraying Sanjeev's grandmother, Ummi, in The Kumars at No...
that was later adapted into a three-part BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television miniseries in 2005. Childhood friends Tania (Laila Rouass), Sunita (Meera Syal) and Chila (Ayesha Dharker) are now in their 30s and at a crossroads in life. But their friendship still holds them together.
Sunita, the eldest, used to be 'super swot' until she flunked out of university to marry her psychotherapist sweetheart, Akaash (Sanjeev Bhaskar). Then she turned into 'SuperMummyji'. Now she feels trapped by two kids and an unfulfilling job.'Gob Almighty' Tania is the ambitious career girl who's left her family and 'community' behind. Speaking her mind got her into trouble but out of Ilford.
The baby of the gang, sweet, naive Chila, is getting married. She's bagged the Prince Charming of Chigwell himself, Deepak Sharma (Ace Bhatti) - the man of her dreams. But he has a catalogue of former girlfriends - including Tania.
As well as starring in the programme, Meera Syal wrote the novel which Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee is adapted.
Both heart-warming and heartbreaking, it's inspired by the juxtaposition of two news stories running in the same newspaper, on the same day: One headlined 'Asian Women Top the Graduate League' and on the opposite page 'Asian Women Top the Suicide and Self Harm League'.Meera admits: "It disturbed me profoundly to see evidence of how much we can achieve, laced with our ability to destroy ourselves. It made me want to look at my life and the lives of my friends, all of whom were going through seismic changes in our belief systems and relationships."
Music
The music was especially commissioned and composed by Nick Green and Tristin NorwellTristin Norwell
Tristin Norwell is a British composer, best known for his music scores and record production. He has been based in London since 1992. He rose to notice in the mid 1990s as a record producer and music arranger collaborating with many artists in the late 90's...
. The Strings were recorded by Chandru.
Release details
- 1999, UK, Doubleday (ISBN 0385410727), Pub date 1 October 1999, hardback (First edition)