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IMDbPro

A Passage to India

  • 19841984
  • PGPG
  • 2h 44m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
19K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,830
2,628
A Passage to India (1984)
US Home Video Trailer from Columbia Tristar
Play trailer1:56
2 Videos
90 Photos
  • Adventure
  • Drama
  • History
Cultural mistrust and false accusations doom a friendship in British colonial India between an Indian doctor, an Englishwoman engaged to marry a city magistrate, and an English educator.Cultural mistrust and false accusations doom a friendship in British colonial India between an Indian doctor, an Englishwoman engaged to marry a city magistrate, and an English educator.Cultural mistrust and false accusations doom a friendship in British colonial India between an Indian doctor, an Englishwoman engaged to marry a city magistrate, and an English educator.
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
19K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,830
2,628
  • Director
    • David Lean
  • Writers
    • E.M. Forster(by)
    • Santha Rama Rau(and the play by)
    • David Lean(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Judy Davis
    • Victor Banerjee
    • Peggy Ashcroft
Top credits
  • Director
    • David Lean
  • Writers
    • E.M. Forster(by)
    • Santha Rama Rau(and the play by)
    • David Lean(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Judy Davis
    • Victor Banerjee
    • Peggy Ashcroft
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 117User reviews
    • 53Critic reviews
    • 78Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 2 Oscars
      • 22 wins & 27 nominations total

    Videos2

    A Passage to India
    Trailer 1:56
    A Passage to India
    A Passage to India
    Trailer 1:16
    A Passage to India

    Photos90

    Judy Davis and Victor Banerjee in A Passage to India (1984)
    Judy Davis and Nigel Havers in A Passage to India (1984)
    Alec Guinness, Judy Davis, and Victor Banerjee in A Passage to India (1984)
    A Passage to India (1984)
    A Passage to India (1984)
    Peggy Ashcroft in A Passage to India (1984)
    Victor Banerjee in A Passage to India (1984)
    Judy Davis and Nigel Havers in A Passage to India (1984)
    Victor Banerjee in A Passage to India (1984)
    Judy Davis and Victor Banerjee in A Passage to India (1984)
    A Passage to India (1984)
    Alec Guinness, Judy Davis, Peggy Ashcroft, and James Fox in A Passage to India (1984)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Judy Davis
    Judy Davis
    • Adela Questedas Adela Quested
    Victor Banerjee
    Victor Banerjee
    • Dr. Azizas Dr. Aziz
    Peggy Ashcroft
    Peggy Ashcroft
    • Mrs. Mooreas Mrs. Moore
    James Fox
    James Fox
    • Richard Fieldingas Richard Fielding
    Alec Guinness
    Alec Guinness
    • Professor Godboleas Professor Godbole
    Nigel Havers
    Nigel Havers
    • Ronny Heaslopas Ronny Heaslop
    Richard Wilson
    Richard Wilson
    • Turtonas Turton
    Antonia Pemberton
    • Mrs. Turtonas Mrs. Turton
    Michael Culver
    Michael Culver
    • Major McBrydeas Major McBryde
    Art Malik
    Art Malik
    • Alias Ali
    Saeed Jaffrey
    Saeed Jaffrey
    • Hamidullahas Hamidullah
    Clive Swift
    Clive Swift
    • Major Callendaras Major Callendar
    Ann Firbank
    Ann Firbank
    • Mrs. Callendaras Mrs. Callendar
    Roshan Seth
    Roshan Seth
    • Amritraoas Amritrao
    Sandra Hotz
    Sandra Hotz
    • Stellaas Stella
    Rashid Karapiet
    • Dasas Das
    H.S. Krishnamurthy
    • Hassanas Hassan
    Ishaq Bux
    Ishaq Bux
    • Selimas Selim
    • Director
      • David Lean
    • Writers
      • E.M. Forster(by) (based on the novel by)
      • Santha Rama Rau(and the play by)
      • David Lean(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The relationship between writer and director Sir David Lean and Sir Alec Guinness deteriorated during the making of the movie. The final straw came for Guinness when he found out that a large chunk of his scenes had been left on the cutting room floor by Lean. Neither man ever met or spoke to the other again.
    • Goofs
      At the Marabar Caves, the elephants and their mahouts are decorated in the South Indian style-ash smeared on their foreheads etc. whereas the story is supposed to have happened in Chandrapore, Bihar. These scenes were clearly shot in South India, perhaps in the caves and hills, near Bangalore.
    • Quotes

      Mrs. Moore: My dear, life rarely gives us what we want at the moment we consider appropriate. Adventures do occur, but not punctually.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Johnny Dangerously/Micki + Maude/Birdy/A Passage to India (1984)
    • Soundtracks
      Tea For Two
      Written by Vincent Youmans and Irving Caesar

    User reviews117

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    There'll Always Be a Raj-------NOT
    A Passage Through India tells a story about the radicalization of a native Indian who happens to be a Moslem. This was in the days before the idea of a separate Pakistan took hold in the independence movement.

    Victor Bannerjee plays Dr. Aziz Ahmed and as you see by his title he's a professional man. But he's still looked down upon by most of the British who are ruling India. He's befriended by Peggy Ashcroft who is visiting India with her daughter-in-law to be, Judy Davis. Peggy's son is a magistrate. Bannerjee is also friends with James Fox who is an administrator at a local college.

    He's warned against fraternizing with the British by his friends and family, but Bannerjee goes on a picnic with Ashcroft and Davis and Davis has a horrifying experience in the historic caves at Marabar. It's only her claustrophobia acting up, but Bannerjee winds up accused of rape. And his trial becomes a cause celebre for the Congress Party. Note that Bannerjee has two defense attorneys, a Moslem and a Hindu.

    E.M. Forster who wrote A Passage to India brought two elements of his background to the writing of this novel. He served as a private secretary to a local maharajah so he knew the customs of India as well as the political scene. Most in the United Kingdom wanted to see India free after World War I. A few very powerful folks like Winston Churchill and some influential press lords, most prominently Lord Beaverbrook did not. There opposition kept India a British colony until after another World War.

    Secondly Forster was a closeted gay man. His homosexuality was not publicly revealed, he wasn't 'outted' until after he died in 1970. One of his relationships was with a Moslem Indian who died at a young age. He's the model for Dr. Aziz. The India Forster writes about is not Rudyard Kipling's India. A place where the native population is made to feel like outsiders. Forster identified with them in a way Kipling could never conceive.

    Peggy Ashcroft won a Best Supporting Actress Award for her role as the kindly Mrs. Moore. I've got a sneaking suspicion that Forster modeled her character on his own mother who lived with him until she died in 1945. Judy Davis got a nomination for Best Actress and A Passage to India was nominated in a whole bunch of technical categories.

    A Passage to India is a disturbing look at a bygone era in a place where you can see a lot of the problems we face today being nurtured.
    helpful•28
    12
    • bkoganbing
    • Oct 25, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 1, 1985 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Hindi
    • Also known as
      • Reise nach Indien
    • Filming locations
      • Bangalore Palace, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
    • Production companies
      • EMI Films
      • Home Box Office (HBO)
      • Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $16,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $27,187,653
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $84,580
      • Dec 16, 1984
    • Gross worldwide
      • $27,201,487
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 44 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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