The Merchant Ivory Productions film that put the names of James Ivory, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and Ishmail Merchant on the movie map and that is based on the real life of Felicity Kendal's family. Touring in post-independence India, a troupe of English actors are struggling to bring the works of Shakespeare to the locals when one of their number, Lizzie Buckingham (Kendal), finds romance with Sanju a rich Indian playboy (Sashi Kapoor). But there are several obstacles in their way including the Indian actress Manjula (Madhur Jaffrey).