Jennifer Kendal
When the movie opens, a woman is recalling the events that molded her perspective on the world. Years ago, her husband, a wealthy Western-educated landowner, challenged tradition by providing her with schooling, and inviting her out of the seclusion in which married women were kept, to the consternation of more conservative relatives. Meeting her husband's visiting friend from college, a leader of an economic rebellion against the British, she takes up his political cause, despite her husbands warnings. As the story progresses, the relationship between the woman and the visitor becomes more than platonic, and the political battles, pitting rich against poor and Hindu against Moslem, turn out not to be quite as simple as she had first thought.
Documentary about Merchant Ivory Productions, including interviews with the principals of the film production company and actors which have appeared in their films.
The parallel story of Anne and her grand-aunt Olivia in their experiences in India
Middle-aged Violet, an Anglo-Indian teacher, lives alone in a flat at 36 Chowringhee Lane in Calcutta. When a former student starts visiting her with her boyfriend, Violet welcomes them eagerly.
Durga and Vikram Singh have been married for years. Vikram has taken to crime in a big way, and as a result has antagonized a rival gangster, Jaggi. Durga gives birth to twins, and Jaggi steals one of them, and sells him to a bootlegger, Pascal. Durga is upset when she finds her son missing, but is devastated when Vikram abandons her. With a lot of difficulty, Durga brings up her son, Kishan, and has given up on finding her other son. Kishan has grown up and is now a dedicated police officer. On the other hand, Pascal has exploited Amit, kept him illiterate, doing petty crime, and alcoholic. This gets him in confrontation with Kishan, but ironically the two settle their differences and become fast friends. Vikram is still alive, and is not aware of his two sons and wife being alive.
A story spanning two generations, where two lovers are forced to marry against their will, but hold onto memories of their romance. Years later circumstances force them to confront their spouses, their children and each other.
An English novelist travels to Bombay to watch one of her novels translated to film. She chases after the movie's leading man while the screenwriter chases after her.
The story of a family troupe of English actors who travel around the towns and villages in India giving performances of Shakespearean plays. Through their travels we see the changing face of India as the old is replaced by the new, Maharajas become hotel owners, sports become more important than culture and the theater is replaced by Bollywood movies. Based on the travels of Geoffrey Kendal with his daughter Felicity Kendal.
