The Seventh Test: A BBC Radio Full-Cast Dramatisation of The Accidental Apprentice

by Vikas Swarup, Full Cast (Narrator), Rasika Dugal (Narrator)

A 10-part dramatisation of the best-selling thriller by Slumdog Millionaire author Vikas Swarup.

Sapna Sinha is a sales assistant in a TV showroom in New Delhi. As the sole breadwinner in the family, she works hard to support her widowed mother and younger sister Neha. Then billionaire Vinay Mohan Acharya walks into her life and offers to make her the CEO of his global empire. All she has to do is pass seven tests - rites of passage, designed to gauge her mettle as a leader.

It seems too good to be true, and Sapna is sceptical. But, in desperate need of money, she signs the contract that will subject her to the series of 'life tests'. She has no idea what they will be, or when they will come, but if she gets through them, her life will change forever.

And change it does - though not in a way she could ever have predicted. As the consequences of her Faustian pact become clear, it seems there is no escape. Only by revisiting her past can she make sense of her but nothing can prepare her for what she finds there....

Dramatised by award-winning authors Ayeesha Menon and John Dryden, this gripping, suspenseful drama with a twist in the tale stars Rasika Dugal as Sapna and Vijay Chrishna as Acharya.

Production

Dramatised by Ayeesha Menon and John Dryden from the novel The Accidental Apprentice by Vikas Swarup.

Produced by Nadir Khan

Directed by John Dryden

Sound Steve Bond

Editing Varun Bangera

Script Mike Walker

Assistant Toral Shah

Sacha Puttnam

A Goldhawk Production for BBC Radio 4



Sapna - Rasika Dugal

Acharya - Vijay Chrishna

Karan - Neil Bhoopalam

Nirmila Ben/Rosie - Radhika Mital

Sapna's Mother - Shernaz Patel

Raja - Sumeet Vyas

Kuldeep Singh/Roaji - Rajit Kapur

Neha - Amrita Puri

Priya Capoor/Pushpa/Female Judge - Ayesha Raza

Badan Singh/Politician/Constable - Kenny Desai

Madan - Vivek Madan

Neelam - Prerna Chawla

Babli/Janet - Preetika Chawla

Rent Collector - Satchit Puranik

First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 19th - 30th May 2014.

Audible Audio

Published October 21, 2021

About the author

Vikas Swarup was born in Allahabad (India) in a family of lawyers.

After his schooling, Vikas attended Allahabad University and studied History, Psychology and Philosophy. He also made his mark as a champion debater, winning National level competitions. After graduating with distinction, he joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1986, motivated by an interest in international relations and a desire to explore different cultures.

In his diplomatic career, Vikas has been posted to various countries such as Turkey (1987-1990), the United States (1993-1997) Ethiopia (1997-2000) and the United Kingdom (2000-2003). Since August 2006 he has been posted in Pretoria as India’s Deputy High Commissioner.

Vikas has participated in the Oxford Literary Festival, the Turin International Book Fair, the Auckland Writers’ Conference, the Sydney Writers’ Festival, the Kitab Festival in New Delhi, the St. Malo International Book & Film Festival in France, the 'Words on Water' Literary Festival at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg and the Jaipur Literature Festival.

Apart from reading, Vikas enjoys listening to music and playing cricket, tennis and table tennis.

His wife Aparna is an artist who has held exhibitions in India and abroad. They have two sons Aditya and Varun.