{{Short description|Australian-Indian romance drama}} {{Use Australian English|date=September 2024}} {{use dmy dates|date=October 2024}} {{Infobox television | genre = Romance drama | creator = Mithila Gupta | writer = Mithila Gupta<br>Nicole Reddy<br>S. Shakthidharan | director = Mohini Herse<br>Fadia Abboud | starring = Shahana Goswami<br>Akshay Ajit Singh<br>Kate Box<br>Taj Aldeeb<br>Roy Joseph<br>Yohan Philip<br>Luke Arnold | composer = Isha Ram Das | country = Australia<br>India | language = English<br>Hindi | num_seasons = 1 | num_episodes = 8 | producer = Ian Collie<br>Stephen Corvini<br>Rob Gibson | executive_producer = Mithila Gupta | runtime = 30 minutes | company = Easy Tiger Productions | network = SBS | first_aired = {{Start date|2024|10|02|df=y}} | last_aired = {{End date|2024|10|23|df=y}} }}
'''''Four Years Later''''', originally titled '''''Four Years''''' is an eight-part Australian-Indian romance drama, premiering on SBS and SBS on Demand on 2 October 2024. It is created, co-written, and executive produced by Mithila Gupta, and stars Shahana Goswami, Akshay Ajit Singh, Kate Box, and Luke Arnold.
== Synopsis == The series follows the love story of two medical residents from Jaipur, India, whose families plan an arranged marriage for them. The man, a doctor working towards a specialist training, is almost immediately offered an anaesthesiology traineeship in Australia,<ref name="russell2024" /> while the woman (Sridevi) stays in India, resulting in the couple being separated for four years.
==Production== The series is created, co-written, and executive produced by Mithila Gupta,<ref name=russell2024/> who has also written on ''The Heights'', ''Bump'', ''Doctor Doctor'', ''Neighbours'', and many other successful TV series.<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 April 2019 |title=Mithila Gupta |url=https://www.rgm.com.au/literary/mithila-gupta/ |access-date=31 October 2024 |website=RGM}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Mithila Gupta |url=https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/the-screen-guide/p/mithila-gupta/41097 |access-date=31 October 2024 |website=Screen Australia}}</ref> She moved with her family from Jaipur to Australia when she was four, so understands much about the migrant experience.<ref name="russell2024">{{Cite web |last=Russell |first=Stephen A. |date=26 September 2024 |title=Love is being seen: showrunner Mithila Gupta on the beauty of 'Four Years Later' |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/whats-on/article/love-is-being-seen-showrunner-mithila-gupta-on-the-beauty-of-four-years-later/wg3wyccy6 |access-date=29 September 2024 |website=SBS What's On |publisher=Special Broadcasting Service |language=en}}</ref>
Writing consultants included Nicole Reddy, of Fijian heritage, and Tamil Sri Lankan writer S. Shakthidharan,<ref name="dalgarno">{{Cite web |last=Dalgarno |first=Paul |date=31 January 2024 |title=''Four Years Later'': SBS drama starts filming in India |url=https://www.screenhub.com.au/news/news/for-years-later-sbs-drama-starts-filming-in-india-2633823/ |access-date=28 September 2024 |website=ScreenHub |publisher=Creative Hubs Group |language=en-AU}}</ref> creator of the hit stage show ''Counting and Cracking''.<ref name=russell2024/> Ian Collie, Stephen Corvini, and Rob Gibson are the producers of the series, while Fadia Abboud and Mohini Herse direct the series.<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Screen Australia and SBS announce new intoxicating romance ''Four Years'' |date=31 October 2023 |publisher=Screen Australia |url=https://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/sa/media-centre/news/2023/10-31-new-romance-four-years |language=en |access-date=29 September 2024}}</ref>
Filming of the eight-part romance drama series from Easy Tiger Productions began in the Indian cities of Mumbai and Jaipur in January 2024, before moving to Sydney in February. It was originally titled ''Four Years''.<ref name=dalgarno/>
The series uses both Hindi and English.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Perry |first=Kevin |date=6 September 2024 |title=SBS Unveils New Drama FOUR YEARS LATER: A Cross-Cultural Love Story |url=https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2024/09/06/sbs-unveils-new-drama-four-years-later-a-cross-cultural-love-story/ |access-date=29 September 2024 |website=TV Blackbox |language=en-AU}}</ref>
==Cast== The cast was announced on 4 September 2024:<ref name="ScreenHub" /> * Shahana Goswami as Sridevi * Akshay Ajit Singh as Yash * Kate Box as Gabs * Taj Aldeeb as Jamal * Roy Joseph as Arun * Luke Arnold as Matt * Yohan Philip as Rohit * Philip Quast as Dr Sandy Green
==Broadcast== The series premiered with double episodes on SBS on 2 October 2024, with all episodes streaming on SBS on Demand from that date and screening double episodes each Wednesday for four weeks.<ref name="ScreenHub">{{Cite web |last=Dalgarno |first=Paul |date=4 September 2024 |title=SBS On Demand: Australian-Indian drama ''Four Years'' gets premiere date |url=https://www.screenhub.com.au/news/news/sbs-on-demand-australian-indian-drama-four-years-gets-premiere-date-2651251/ |access-date=28 September 2024 |website=ScreenHub |publisher=Creative Hubs Group |language=en-AU}}</ref> The series has been subtitled in seven languages: Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Hindi, and Punjabi, and all episodes are also available with audio description.<ref name=russell2024/>
==Reception== The first two episodes of the show garnered 115,000 viewers.<ref name="2 October 2024 ratings">{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=3 October 2024 |title=All the drama of Wednesday ratings... |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2024/10/all-the-drama-of-wednesday-ratings.html |access-date=3 October 2024 |website=TV Tonight |language=en-AU}}</ref>
''The Sunday Age'' stated: "The relatively soft launch of this debut by ''Five Bedrooms'' screenwriter Mithila Gupta in this timeslot makes little sense".<ref>{{Cite news |date=29 September 2024 |title=TV WEDNESDAY 2/10 |newspaper=The Sunday Age |publisher=Nine Entertainment |location=Melbourne |page=9 |id={{ProQuest|3110694144}}}}</ref>
Sukhmani Khorana, a scholar of migrants' screen media and associate professor at UNSW Sydney, called it "not just an Indian-Australian love story... [but also] a closeted feminist coming-of-age tale", that would appeal to a diverse TV audience.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Khorana |first=Sukhmani |date=7 October 2024 |title=SBS's Four Years Later is an immigrant love story that pushes the boundaries of onscreen representation |url=https://theconversation.com/sbss-four-years-later-is-an-immigrant-love-story-that-pushes-the-boundaries-of-onscreen-representation-240219 |access-date=15 October 2024 |website=The Conversation}}</ref>
''The Nightly'' called it "a great series that tells a specific but universal Australian story".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ma |first=Wenmei |date=2 October 2024 |title=Four Years Later: Romantic drama of rarely told Australian story worth watching |url=https://thenightly.com.au/culture/tv/four-years-later-romantic-drama-of-rarely-told-australian-story-worth-watching-c-16253115 |access-date=31 October 2024 |work=The Nightly}}</ref>
''ScreenHub Australia'' gave it 4 out of 5 stars, calling it "compulsive viewing", "sharply observed and full of telling details when it comes to love", and "a well-written and eminently watchable modern love story".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Morris |first=Anthony |date=2 October 2024 |title=''Four Years Later'', SBS review: compulsive viewing |url=https://www.screenhub.com.au/news/reviews/four-years-later-sbs-review-compulsive-viewing-2653538/ |access-date=31 October 2024 |website=ScreenHub Australia}}</ref>
== Episodes == {| class="wikitable" |+ !No. !Title !Directed By !Written By !SBS on Demand air date !Television air date !Viewers |- |1 |Episode 1 | rowspan="2" |Mohini Herse | rowspan="8" |Mithila Gupta | rowspan="8" |2 October 2024 | rowspan="2" |2 October 2024 | rowspan="2" |115,000<ref name="2 October 2024 ratings" /> |- |2 |Episode 2 |- |3 |Episode 3 |Fadia Abboud | rowspan="2" |9 October 2024 | rowspan="2" |69,000<ref>{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=10 October 2024 |title=''Block'', ''Human Error'' help Nine to Wednesday win. |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2024/10/block-human-error-help-nine-to-wednesday-win.html |access-date=10 October 2024 |website=TV Tonight |language=en-AU}}</ref> |- |4 |Episode 4 |Mohini Herse |- |5 |Episode 5 | rowspan="3" |Fadia Abboud | rowspan="2" |16 October 2024 | rowspan="2" |59,000<ref>{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=17 October 2024 |title=''Block'', ''Human Error'' take Nine to Wednesday win |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2024/10/block-human-error-take-nine-to-wednesday-win.html |access-date=17 October 2024 |website=TV Tonight |language=en-AU}}</ref> |- |6 |Episode 6 |- |7 |Episode 7 | rowspan="2" | 23 October 2024 | rowspan="2" | 62,000<ref>{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=24 October 2024 |title=''The Block'', ''Home & Away'' best in Wednesday entertainment. |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2024/10/the-block-home-away-best-in-wednesday-entertainment.html |access-date=24 October 2024 |website=TV Tonight |language=en-AU}}</ref> |- |8 |Episode 8 |Mohini Herse |}
== Accolades == {| class="wikitable sortable" |+AACTA Awards !Year !Category !Nominee !Result !Ref |- |2025 |Best Miniseries |''Four Years Later - Easy Tiger Productions'' |Nominated |<ref>{{Cite web |last=Knox |first=David |date=2024-12-07 |title=2025 AACTA Awards: nominations {{!}} TV Tonight |url=https://tvtonight.com.au/2024/12/2025-aacta-awards-nominations.html |access-date=2024-12-07 |website=tvtonight.com.au |language=en-AU}}</ref> |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb title|id=tt31632538}} * {{Official website|https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/tv-series/four-years-later}}
Category:2024 Australian television series debuts Category:2024 Indian television series debuts Category:2024 Australian television series endings Category:2024 Indian television series endings Category:Special Broadcasting Service original programming Category:Television shows filmed in India Category:Television shows set in Sydney Category:Hindi-language television shows Category:English-language Australian television shows