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V. Gangadhar

A lover for Miss Marple? A TV series that hints at a romantic interest for Agatha Christie's famous creation evokes mixed feelings among her fans.

A file picture of Agatha Christie

Name: Miss Jane Marple

Age: Mid-70s

Appearance: Blue twinkling eyes, rosy cheeks and frail, but tough in mind

Marital status: Spinster

Residence: Village of St. Mary Mead

Occupation: Sleuthing, knitting, some gentle gossip, and advising young married women ("Serve your husbands meat, plenty of meat... ")

Likes: Friends and maids with names like Mary and Florence

Dislikes: Maids with names like Helen, Zenobia or Cleopatra.

Miss Marple (`Aunt Jane'), the famous detective created by Agatha Christie, has figured in nearly 40 novels, short stories and about a dozen films where her role was played by actresses like Joan Hickson. Britain's Granada TV is planning to film, starting with Body in the Library, four Miss Marple thrillers, with some changes to suit modern audiences and also references to Miss Marple's past, including a love affair! The Miss Marple romance will be gradual, starting with the lady staring at the faded photograph of a tall man in uniform.

But the idea of a lover for Miss Marple has not gone down well with her many fans in India. Interviews in Mumbai and Chennai with hardcore Christie fans reveal a preference for the old-fashioned, familiar spinster with Victorian morals. Of course, there were a couple of exceptions too. Says Dr Vrinda Nabar, former head of the Department of English, Mumbai University, "Why this modernist manipulation of a well-accepted, beloved character? Miss Marple, by all accounts, led a discreet personal life, and was known for decorum and tolerance. Introducing a romantic interest may reveal a different aspect of her life, but will it be convincing?"

"Providing a lover to Miss Marple is gross injustice to her character and people will not like it," says Chennai-based Tamil writer Usha Manian. While agreeing that such a twist in the plot may appeal to some young kids, she points out that even the subtle introduction of a romance in Miss Marple's past will create two mysteries in one book and will not be appreciated.

Jyothi Kumar, the Principal of Arya Vidya Mandir High School at Bandra, Mumbai, explains that "conservative readers" like her would not like changes in the original Christie plots. "The character of Miss Marple is firmly etched in our minds," she points out. "How many young people have formed opinions of Miss Marple after reading Agatha Christie," asks Jyoti. "I don't know if the concept of a Marple with a lover would appeal to a young generation obsessed with the Harry Potter kind of stuff."

Chennai-based freelance journalist and writer Usha Girish is also "totally opposed to this idea. Our concept of Miss Marple is traditional, we have accepted it for decades. Any change in this concept has to be subtle, but I don't think it would work."

Senior citizen Annam Narayan is highly critical of the new concept. "We have certain images of Jane Marple, Hercule Poirot or Perry Mason and these cannot be changed. Of course, it was apparent that lawyer Mason and his secretary Della were in love, but their creator did not get them married. That would have made them lose their identities. It is the same with Miss Marple and readers will not accept a romance in her life."

Recently retired corporate executive N. Gopal disagrees. "I welcome this new approach. Miss Marple was unusually perceptive and knew who was carrying on with whom in her village, she knew human nature better than most people." He points out how Miss Marple advised many housewives and young women on their marital and romantic problems. "She could not have done this successfully but for some knowledge of love and romance in her own life. She invited confidence only because she must have had some personal experience in romance." Interestingly enough, the younger generation is not in favour of these changes too.

This is what Satish, Priya, Monica and Anubhav, all students of Mumbai University, chorus together: "We do read Agatha Christie, she is a good, old, dear. And we love Miss Marple. Imagine having a 70-year-old as the heroine in your novels. She is terrific, and let us leave her like that. There is enough love and romance elsewhere."

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