Can you find your way back to someone you love after being apart for so long? From Easy Tiger the producers of The Twelve and Colin from Accounts and created by Mithila Gupta comes Four Years Later, SBS’s brand new Original romantic drama series, premiering Wednesday 2 October on SBS and SBS on Demand, with double episodes to air at 9.20pm on SBS each Wednesday.
Set across the two vastly different worlds of India and Australia, this intimate and compelling eight-part series delves into the complex ways love can change over time and distance.
Four Years Later stars award-winning actress Shahana Goswami (Bombay Begums, A Suitable Boy) and Akshay Ajit Singh (24: India), as Sridevi and Yash, who must endure four years apart right after their wedding when Yash lands a highly coveted medical traineeship in Australia.Supporting cast includes Kate Box (Deadloch, SBS’s Erotic Stories), Taj Aldeeb (The Fall), Roy Joseph (Five Bedrooms, Strife) and Luke Arnold (Scrublands, True Colours).
Told through dual perspectives, Four Years Later is a deeply human and relatable love story about the changing nature of love, intimacy, longing, familial duty and belonging. Using both Hindi and English languages, and filmed in Mumbai, Jaipur and Sydney, this ground-breaking Australian series uncovers the complex realities of Yash and Sri’s long-distance relationship and their reconnection after four years apart, as the two lovers’ turbulent marriage struggles to survive the test of time and distance and they try to find their way back to each other.
Arriving in Australia from India after four long years apart from her husband she adores, Sridevi carries with her expectations of a fantasy reunion. Leaving behind bustling Jaipur, she is introduced to their new Australian home of sun and sand, but the picture Yash has painted of his life here does not match the reality. While he has struggled to fit into this new homeland, Sridevi begins to thrive, shaking off her identity as ‘dutiful housewife’ and discovering a whole new world of deeper purpose, independence and freedom. Along for the ride is her new friend Gabs (Kate Box), a confident, free-spirited Aussie she meets who offers Sridevi a new world view.
Discovering that a lot has happened to both in those intervening years, they each uncover a web of lies and false promises that threaten the undeniable passion and devotion they have for one another.
Nakul Legha, Commissioning Editor, SBS Scripted, said: “Four Years Later is a modern Australian romance that captures the joy and heartache of trying to make love work across distances, cultures and time. It is a truly original love story for our times. SBS is proud to continue making distinctive Australian dramas like Four Years Later for audiences here and across the world.”
Grainne Brunsdon, Chief Operating Officer Screen Australia, said “Four Years Later is a captivating exploration of love and distance, bridging two cultures and continents. We are thrilled to support this unique series that showcases the rich tapestry of human relationships through the lens of a modern Australian romance. Mithila Gupta and the entire creative team have crafted a poignant narrative that will not only resonate with audiences around the world but across generations.”
Kyas Hepworth, Head of Screen NSW said: “This exciting representation of the rich cultural fabric of NSW, wrapped in a compelling modern love story is sure to captivate viewers. Screen NSW is thrilled to support Easy Tiger and the creative team to bring to our screens this landmark television series, Four Years Later, as Mithila Gupta steps into her first role as Executive Producer, lead writer and creator.”
Created by Mithila Gupta (Five Bedrooms, Bump) and featuring a writing team all with South Asian heritage: Mithila, Nicole Reddy and S. Shakthidharan, the series was directed by Mohini Herse (the SBS Digital Original Appetite) and Fadia Abboud (House of Gods, Five Bedrooms).
Mithila Gupta, creator, lead writer and executive producer said: “I am overjoyed to share Four Years Later with Australian audiences. This is a nuanced love story about two very distinct and layered brown characters set between my two homes. The entire team has poured their heart and soul into the series and I hope each and every viewer sees themselves in Sridevi and Yash – especially those who have been underrepresented for so long.”
Produced by Easy Tiger’s Ian Collie, Rob Gibson (Colin From Accounts, The Twelve) and Stephen Corvini (Hungry Ghosts, Safe Harbour) and with the support of Indian production company Suitable Pictures. Major production investment from Screen Australia in association with SBS and financed with the assistance of Screen NSW under the Made in NSW Fund, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Film Facilitation Office, National Film Development Corporation LTD and Invest India. International Sales are being handled by ITV Studios.
Four Years Later will be subtitled in seven languages, streaming on SBS On Demand in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Hindi and Punjabi. All eight episodes will also be available with audio description.
