Indian Summers

- Season 2

(2016)

It is now 1935 and on the day the British government is passing an act to increase its powers over India the Viceroy is attacked, leading Cynthia to suggest Ralph goes for the post. Aafrin is still working for Ralph but secretly supporting the Independence Party and saddened to find Alice married to bullying banker Charlie Havistock, father of her child, though still in love with him. The Raworths are back together but Sarah is keen to return to England whilst Aafrin narrowly escapes arrest for distributing anti-British literature.

Aafrin gets medical attention for his friend Naresh, wrongly identified as the pamphleteer and shot but when Naresh accuses him of being a spy for the British Aafrin must prove otherwise. Ralph is disgusted when reactionary old buffoon Lord Hawthorne arrives from England with no governing experience as the possible next viceroy but Cynthia urges him not to give up hope. She also spots Alice with Aafrin and gives her an ultimatum whilst Ralph picks up on his brother-in-law's controlling behaviour of his wife. With the appointment of Adam as the Whelan's house boy ...

Shocked by Naresh's act of violence, Aafrin sends an anonymous letter to Ralph warning of dynamite in the cave, though nothing is found. Sooni is suspicious about Kaira's death and, helped by Ian, links her to Naresh. Meanwhile Ralph has hopes of persuading the Maharajah of Patiala to convince other local rulers to support the British bill, though Cynthia discovers that the Maharajah's companion Sirene is not what she appears to be. Aafrin's concern for Alice's treatment at the hands of her boorish husband wins Ralph's admiration, thwarting Cynthia's plans to keep ...

Whilst Alice and Aafrin meet for clandestine sex, arousing her husband's suspicion, Sooni forces her brother to reveal his involvement in the murder of Kaira, the activist shot as a traitor and his role in the Independence party, confiding both in Ian. Hawthorne, soon to return to England with Leena, the object of his lustful attention as his children's nanny, promises Ralph he will recommend him as viceroy whilst Madeleine organizes a fashion show, hoping that an impressed Sirene will persuade the maharajah to do Ralph's bidding. Unfortunately it is interrupted by a ...

Aware that Adam attacked Lord Hawthorne Ralph arranges for him to be sent to Delhi to avoid arrest but Dougie is unable to dissuade Leena from taking the blame. Helped by Cynthia Ralph coerces Hawthorne into making a compromise. Alice and Aafrin's relationship is in danger of exposure as his father Darius discovers it whilst Alice attempts to stand up to her bullying husband and Aafrin is disconcerted when Naresh reappears, suggesting a bomb outrage during the celebration of King George's jubilee. Ralph is also shocked by some news about his parentage from Cynthia.

As the British prepare for their picnic to commemorate the king's silver jubilee Naresh puts his deadly plan into action, using innocent orphan Chota Matthew to deliver the bomb in the guise of a gift for the king. Aware that a bombing will occur Aafrin warns Ralph, at the same time admitting his political sympathies but he has no idea of the bomb's whereabouts and, as the Britons begin their celebration, Chota Matthew approaches them with his gift.

Sarah Raworth and her son Matthew return to Simla following Dougie's act of sacrifice whilst Ralph tells Alice what he knows about Aafrin, warning her to keep away from him. Alice also sees Cynthia's more vulnerable side. Subject to an arranged marriage with the apparently progressive Boman, Sooni receives proposals from both editor Naseem and Ian whilst the Maharajah agrees to support Ralph if he can have sex with Madeleine. Ralph is appalled - especially when Madeleine consents, but Madeleine is equally shocked by her husband's naked ambition.

Alice and Aafrin decide to escape to Australia and Cynthia agrees to help them. Ralph has made it up with Aafrin but is smarting at his betrayal by the Maharajah and being in debt to Havistock. Ian stumbles on a clue to a three year old murder but is heart-broken when Sooni rejects him for Naseem, which angers her family as he is a Muslim, not Parsi. The Raworths decide to stay in Simla but Alice and Aafrin make a break for it with her little boy following his birthday party.

His plan to elope with Alice scuppered by Havistock, Aafrin is arrested and accused of treason by Ralph. However, realizing that Alice loves Aafrin Ralph allows him to go free. However there is a set-back for Ralph when he loses out on the viceroy position. Meanwhile Ian tells the current viceroy about Ralph's part in the Ranu Sood case, forcing Ralph to tell all.

A distraught Aafrin is unable to prevent the Havistocks from leaving their house to return to England whilst the cash-strapped Whelan's home goes up for auction, with Cynthia being outbid by the Sood family. Inter-denominational violence breaks out and Ralph and Aafrin have to rescue Alice from an angry mob. Eventually Alice is able to publicly attend Sooni's wedding alongside Aafrin whilst Cynthia has a final surprise in store for the Whelans.