DVD of the Week: A Passage to India
Monday, August 4th by leinana
I’ve always wanted to visit India. I love to imagine the colors, flavors, sights, sounds, and smells, and the sheer diversity of a country so large and with such rich history. But since I can’t afford the flight, I had to make do with watching A Passage to India. While showing some breathtaking landscapes and other beautiful sights, this movie also shows an ugly chapter of India’s history—that of the British Raj.
The main character, Adela Quested, arrives in India, her first trip outside of her homeland, England. She seems open and curious, not to mention eager for an adventure, which is in contrast to most of her compatriots who openly hold their noses and sneer in disgust at the Indians. One such person with clear disdain for the Indian people is Adela’s fiancé, Ronny Heaslop, who is the city magistrate. Ronny is pretty much a racist a**hole who is against any socializing between the British and Indians, a view not shared by his mother, Mrs. Moore, who shows sensitivity to local customs and a willingness to be friendly. One person she befriends is Dr. Aziz, a man she encounters by accident one evening but with whom, upon conversing, she discovers that she shares many things in common.
Dr. Aziz generously offers to escort Adela and Mrs. Moore to visit the Marabar Caves, a trip that ends disastrously with Adela accusing Aziz of attempted rape. Aziz’s subsequent trial brings to light the much larger battle between the politically and racially divided British and Indian people. Your heart will break for Aziz, who starts off with such innocence and eagerness to please his British “guests,” but who becomes, understandably, disillusioned and increasingly bitter toward them. And if you’re interested in learning more about this era, you could always watch Gandhi.
A Passage to India (1985)
DVD Date of Release: March 2001
Based on A Passage to India by E.M. Forster
