♫ ♫
Well, I'll be damned.
Nobody get out.
Lock the door after me.
Are you lost, old fellow?
Alice? Alice!
Look, we have a long day ahead of us,
and I'm not having you frightening my son
any more than you already have.
So why don't you just pop along?
All right, all right, easy does it.
Alice!
No need to ruffle your feathers.
Get out of the car!
That's right, should it aloud!
Exercise your lungs!
She won't listen.
It's not that she can't hear you.
Because she doesn't want to.
You've had your fun, haven't you?
Little rascal.
I'm afraid she has made her choice.
Oh, I know it must be...
devilishly hard to accept.
But I do urge you to try.
Alice!
Alice, look at me.
Alice?
Lend an ear-- this chappie wants a word.
Alice?
No?
Nothing?
Now do you see?
Hmm?
You see?
(car horn honking)
Alice!
Sir, madam,
as God is my witness,
I swear to you I will love and cherish your daughter.
I will do everything in my power to keep her safe and sound.
I'm sorry, but no.
We do not feel this is the right thing for Sooni.
Your daughter will be wed tomorrow.
Please open your hearts to us.
ROSHANA: Daddy, tell the man
what he is asking for we cannot give.
Well?
It will take a little time.
We don't have any time.
Nothing will happen unless you wish it, Sooni.
I know what I want.
But so, it seems, does my mother.
Sooni, my darling, meri jaan? (my dear)
Yes, what do you want?
I have a certain favour to ask, actually.
What favour?
It is everything or it is nothing.
That depends on you.
But you do this one thing for me,
I will never ask for any such a thing
of you again, I swear.
That sounds very grave.
Shall we go in?
TOWN CRIER: Suno, suno, sab, suno! (listen up! everyone!)
House on Summer Hill for auction!
Nasty little man.
Thinking of making a bid?
Oh, Mr. Keane.
(laughs lightly)
No, I don't think so.
Not on my little widow's mite.
(softly): Still, nice to have a nosey round.
Yes.
How the mighty have fallen.
Though they might have laid on a plate of sandwiches.
Tight old buggers.
Perhaps they can't afford it.
Fancy old Mrs. Whelan, hunkering down
on bread and marge.
Don't worry, I won't tell.
(gasps)
Mr. McLeod.
Ian.
I was told you'd gone mad.
I got my heart broke.
Does that count?
You know, there's only one cure for that.
CLERK: Please take your seats, ladies and gentlemen!
Please take your seats!
Mr. Wilson-Hutchinson, are you in charge?
Getting there, Mr. Keane, getting there.
Chaps.
Splendid.
CYNTHIA: Club Secretary.
Helen of Troy!
Come on-- saved you a seat.
Look at her, all smiles.
Wretched woman.
You're the one who asked her to stay.
For a night or two, in my weakness.
I had no idea she was planning to move in.
It's the end of the season.
I've not had a penny out of her.
My sherry's miraculously disappearing.
And you know what the worst of it is?
I don't know, Cynthia.
What is the worst of it?
She knows damn well I can't chuck her out.
Especially now she's installed herself
in that dress.
Also mine.
She's in mourning.
Oh, rot.
I tell you, Ronnie,
someone needs to have a word.
Because I think the kindest thing
would be just to send her home.
Or hand her over to Kaiser,
and he can give her some washing up.
Well, don't look at me.
You are Club Secretary, Ronnie.
(shrieks)
Whelan.
So sorry about your house.
I'm not dead yet, comrade.
WILSON-HUTCHINSON: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen,
and welcome to the sale.
There is only one lot-- the house and all its contents.
So who here would care to open the bidding?
Half a crown-- I have it here somewhere.
Very funny, Mr. Keane.
Do I hear 10,000 rupees anywhere?
10,000.
WILSON-HUTCHINSON: 10,000 rupees.
Thank you very much, gentleman in the grey.
SIR CECIL: Bloody marvellous.
We'll be in touch.
Thank you, sir.
Okay, thank you.
The elusive Mr. Whelan.
20,000 rupees, Mr. Abanandu.
25.
WILSON-HUTCHINSON: 25,000, Mr. Keane.
30.
30,000 rupees, Mr. Abanandu.
And any raise on 30,000 rupees?
Now, as you know, I'm having a natter
with everyone on behalf of the incoming Viceroy.
I expect you know why.
Well, if you're anything like me,
you'll be sorting the chaff from the grain
in biblical fashion.
And what do you propose I do with you?
CYNTHIA: 50!
WILSON-HUTCHINSON: 50,000 from Mrs. Coffin
in the middle.
With immediate effect.
I'm not in the business
of driving good men into the ground.
On the contrary.
You'd be setting me free.
Mr. Whelan?
Mr. Whelan!
Any raise on 50,000 rupees?
60,000.
60,000 rupees.
We have a new bidder.
It's Ramu Sood's family--
the one that got hanged.
They're all rich as sin.
70!
WILSON-HUTCHINSON: 70,000 rupees.
Thank you very much, Mrs. Coffin.
SOOD: One lakh.
WILSON-HUTCHINSON: One lakh.
100,000 rupees.
Thank you, Mr. Sood.
Madam?
150.
Cynthia, it's hardly worth 50.
Don't tell me what to do.
150,000 rupees, thank you, Mrs. Coffin.
200.
WILSON-HUTCHINSON: 200,000 rupees, thank you, sir.
Mrs. Coffin?
I command... I command you to stop.
Two...
300,000.
WILSON-HUTCHINSON: 300,000 rupees
to Mrs. Coffin.
400!
WILSON-HUTCHINSON: 400,000, that's...
400,000, that's four lakhs of rupees to Mr. Sood.
Do I hear any advance on 400,000?
400,000 rupees.
Madam?
Mrs. Coffin, I'm going to have to sell.
Going once, going twice...
Sold to Mr. Sood.
(bangs gavel)
(crowd exclaims)
Daddy!
Sooni, now I gather
there is a young man that wishes to marry you.
Yes.
Correct.
We have been discussing it carefully.
Really?
Thank you... Ma,
Daddy.
DARIUS: Yes.
Now, your mother has written to the priest
at the Parsi temple.
Excuse me, Daddy,
but Naseem was hoping
to be wed tomorrow, here in Simla.
With your kind permission, sir.
Naseem?
Yes, the man I will marry.
No, darling.
The man you're going to marry
is Boman Contractor.
Everything is underway.
So we will have no more tricks.
Daddy?
No, there's no point
waving the begging bowl in your father's direction.
He is 100% for this wedding.
Isn't that right, Daddy?
Yeah, naturally, yeah.
Baapi?
Look up, please.
Is there somewhere we can go?
Yes.
Yes, let's go and talk, come on.
Naseem, come.
No, this young man will stay put.
Come on.
Come, come on, come on.
Come.
Now, listen to your father.
Tradition is a gift, not a burden.
And Boman is a fine, patient young fellow.
But I wish to work.
Oh, is that what all this is about?
I'm not simply giving up hope.
There are women all over India, Ma.
Look at Kamala-auntie's two girls!
Please, can we go
and discuss this in the house?
I care about you!
And what about the children when they come, hmm?
What will they be?
They will be cared for by myself and Naseem.
And you too, if you are willing.
This child has no understanding of the world.
Listen to me.
What your mother means is, what will they be?
Because I cannot see how they can possibly be Parsi.
ROSHANA: Yes!
What does it matter what they will be?
It matters to us, your family!
Naturally, they will be Muslim.
(sighs)
And you?
Sooni?
I, too.
ROSHANA: And how and when
will this miracle conversion take place?
It has.
What?
What did she say?
Sometimes I can't understand what she's saying.
I said it already has.
I made a simple declaration
in front of the imam not one hour ago.
It was just a few words.
It doesn't mean anything.
There they are.
Ma?
ROSHANA: Aafrin!
Aafrin, what happened?
I had a fall.
Now, what's all this I'm hearing?
Sooni?
ROSHANA: Don't call her that.
That's not her name.
What?
Your sister is a Muslim now, it seems.
Tell me.
Tell me, what should we call you now?
Sooni.
You call me Sooni!
And you will all please
come to my wedding tomorrow.
ROSHANA: She's joking with us, Daddy.
Oh, Jaanu, please.
That is not her name, for sure.
What is your name, child?
Sooni
Your name.
Laila!
It is Laila.
It is just for the ceremony
and nothing else.
Laila.
No, I don't think I know any such person.
Do you, Daddy?
No, I'm afraid I don't.
Aafrin?
This is his fault!
See?
He does what he likes.
He takes and takes, and every time there is less for me.
You leave your poor brother be.
Ask him!
Ask him about the English woman.
She is married.
Stop it, Sooni.
Oh, please, stop it.
She is married with a child,
and everybody knows except you, Ma!
I didn't know.
Shut up, Miss Goody-Two-Shoes!
Please, come on, now.
We can discuss all this calmly in the house.
SOONI: I'm sorry-- I'm sick of it.
I'm sick of people lying and pretending to cover your eyes.
No one is covering my eyes.
No one.
He's a good boy.
He's a good, good hard-working boy.
That's all there is.
Huh, Aafrin?
It's of no importance.
The woman is gone.
And I'm very late for an appointment.
Aafrin?
(chickens clucking)
It's okay.
Do you remember this old house?
Yes.
We were happy here.
Happy.
(sighs)
Dalal?
Now, the old Viceroy's done fine work out here.
But there's work to be done.
New man at the helm.
A raft of bold reforms thanks to our government's
India Bill, elections to come.
To move forward hand in hand with India
towards the ultimate goal of self-government.
Though not before she's ready.
And I feel-- well, we all do--
that there's every reason to be optimistic.
Do sit down.
Have you heard of Tathguni, sir?
No, I can't say I have.
Oh, it's a place of no importance.
A village in the plains,
on the road down from Kalka.
Earlier this morning,
in Tathguni, a Hindu boy died.
He discovered some explosives buried in the ground,
and unwittingly he caused them to blow up in his face.
And since these explosives were buried on land
belonging to a Muslim fellow, now there is trouble
between both sides.
But the truth is, nobody knows who buried the explosives,
or for what purpose.
We'll get onto it right away.
Thank you, sir.
And may I say,
you seem like a sound fellow.
Thank you.
But I have met your type before.
I have heard your speeches...
your speech, since it is always the same.
And I have to say, I do not share
your optimism.
Because the truth is...
The truth is nobody here wants your rotten bill, sir.
We don't want it, and we don't trust it.
It is a machine composed entirely of brakes, sir.
And though all sides, even the native princes,
are agreed that they hate this bill, sir, the truth is
all it will do, sir, all it will ever do,
is drive us deeper apart,
Hindu against Muslim, until every city,
every field
is sown with bombs and knives,
and only the word of Gandhi stands between us and you, sir.
Not rulers, but policemen,
since that is all you are,
keeping the peace with your lathis raised
until the whistle is blown and you run your last
damn furlong into the sea.
The wheel says a prayer for us, inside,
even if we don't say a word.
Quick, before she gets away.
What do I say?
Remind her of our rates.
It's all written down there.
Good boy.
Now, gentlemen, if you'd like to follow me.
(groans)
I say, Mrs. Raworth!
Oh, no.
What does he want?
Are you sure you want to stay on here in India?
You know I do.
Right, leave it to me.
Mr. Keane.
I know one shouldn't mention it,
but black rather suits your mother.
Well, if you say so.
Thank you.
Go on, hop it, you.
I'll give you a list.
But he's not the only one in financial stuck.
Sir Cecil.
Mr. Keane.
Sir Cecil-- the coming man.
Very tight with our next Viceroy.
I suppose there might be
new opportunities for you, after all these years.
One never knows.
There might be a bit of give, I suppose.
Long overdue, I say.
Well, thank you.
Now, look-- Cynthia asked me to inquire,
what are your plans, going forward?
Truth is, Mr. Keane...
Ronnie... crumbs.
Ronnie.
The truth is, I have a sister in Broadstairs.
She does have a room to spare up in the loft,
now that her eldest has got a place of his own.
It would be a bit of a squeeze, but...
I mean, I could take in some needlework, couldn't I?
I'm not afraid of hard work, Ronnie.
It would just be
an adjustment, that's all.
I'm sure it won't come to that.
Why ever not?
Well, you have so many other qualities.
I don't feel as though I have any.
Nonsense.
You're a fine woman.
A fine-looking woman .
Thank you.
Yes.
And the courage you've shown, fortitude--
everyone says it.
What I say to myself is, you've just
got to knuckle down, haven't you?
You can't live out your days
on what-might-have-beens.
That's what my Auntie Ruth used to say.
Very wise woman, your Auntie Ruth.
Yes, but I do miss him, if you must know.
And I do get ever so lonely.
And there are times I honestly can't bear it.
Oh, my dear lady...
What have you got there?
Work.
It's just a form I forgot to sign.
Poor Ronnie, never off duty.
Hmm.
I say,
shall we ring for some more tea?
Don't move, don't move.
Don't move.
There we are, there we are.
Eyes closed, eyes closed.
There we go.
There we are, there we are.
What I said was that Hitler's army is not
the end of the world if it gives Churchill
something to sink his teeth into besides our blessed empire.
Sir Cecil?
Excuse me, chaps.
Of course.
Mrs. Whelan.
Would you like a drink?
Do you know, that's the nicest thing
anyone's said to me in I don't know how long.
Look, I'm...
I'm sorry about all of this with your husband.
You mean the Viceroy's job or his ruin in general?
Look, if he'd like the letter back,
I actually have it with me here.
I suggest we forget I ever saw it.
You've not seen it?
News to me.
Come on.
You know, people think
I'm so... uppity, is that the word?
I'm actually a very straightforward person.
Yes?
All I've ever wanted was to be loved
for no reason but for who I am.
Not too much to ask, is it?
CYNTHIA: Can you turn that off?
Everyone!
I just want to introduce
our newest members to the fray.
So please,
be sure to welcome the Sood family.
(applause)
Yeah, er, hang on.
Just one more thing, if you'll indulge me.
Next spring, as ever, I will be here
to welcome you home, of course.
No change there!
No, that's right!
But from now on, these gentlemen
will be undertaking the ownership charge
of the club itself.
STELLA: Cynth?
What are you talking about?
Well, I will be keeping my place on the board,
so you'll hardly notice any difference, all right?
Oh, God.
Give a man a simple job.
Percy's sound asleep.
Good.
I wonder.
Say by Christmastime, what will India be
in his head, do you think?
Dear old Ayah, yes.
And that jolly wooden horse.
Christmas after that, it'll just be a bedtime story.
Then one day he'll wake up and say to himself,
"Were we ever really here at all,
or are they just pulling my leg?"
(door opens abruptly)
Wake up.
Aafrin, what are you doing here?
Do you remember Tathguni?
What?
The village in the plains, Tathguni.
Yes, what about it?
Yesterday a Hindu boy was killed there.
Last night his Muslim landlord's house
was reportedly burned to the ground.
The entire family died in the fire.
And now, look at this.
The two sides are tearing each other apart.
This morning when I telephoned
the police headquarters, the line was cut.
Why are you getting involved in all this?
Think!
You pass right through it on the road to Delhi.
Alice.
She must be halfway to Bombay by now.
Sahib?
The driver was instructed to stop in the dark bungalow
above Kalka for one night before heading to the plains.
Are you sure?
There is no doubt, sahib.
Adam!
Get up, get up!
BHUPI: Where are you going, sahib?
To borrow the state governor's car.
How long is Lord Willingdon
planning to stay in India?
Handover's not till spring.
There'll be no end of fawning dinners,
of course, but I shan't be bothering with them.
Why not?
We had a parting of the ways.
His Excellency discovered the truth about Ramu Sood.
He gave me one or two home truths.
It's better, actually.
You see things more clearly when you've got less to hide.
Though I was... I was sorry to lose the house.
Come on, old girl!
We have to get a move on, so Driver can deposit us
in Delhi to be back in time for his granddaughter's birthday.
Isn't that right, old boot?
You know, I never planned
to fall in love with your sister.
Yes, I know that.
Look at the suffering I've caused
to so many people-- my family, Alice...
You.
Sounds wretched.
Hmm, yes.
I am a poor wretch.
A poor, sad fool.
But Why?
There is so much joy
in this world,
and it is only a little out of reach.
Look, are you sure you're feeling all right?
Better, my friend.
Much better, thank you.
CHARLIE: Well, drive on.
I cannot, sahib.
PERCY: What is it, Daddy?
Nothing for you to worry about back there.
Can't we just hoof it off the path?
This is not possible, sahib.
Why ever not?
He says we have to wait for some people from the village.
Village?
Tathguni, sir.
No, no, drive on.
Go on, man, drive around it.
You can do it.
There, see?
No harm done.
CHARLIE: Clumsy oaf.
What ever is it now?
Ek minit, sahib.
PERCY: Where's he going, Daddy?
No, he just has to talk to some chaps in the village,
and before you know it, we'll have a pair
of brand spanking new tires.
(angry voices shouting in distance)
(shouting)
What's that?
What's what?
Look.
(men shouting in distance)
Hang on.
Shall we get out?
No, no, no, no.
You wait in here.
Windows closed, I think.
My trusty sword and shield.
Have at thee!
(Percy chuckling)
I'll just close this window as well.
Where's Daddy going?
PERCY: Daddy?
It won't be long.
(men shouting)
Wait, wait, wait!
Wait!
You wait when I tell you to!
Yes, yes, that's more like it.
That is better.
Just sit there for a minute, will you?
You do as you're told, yes?
Very good.
It's all right!
(gasps)
(shouting)
Mummy?
Lie down!
Mummy!
Alice!
Mummy, I'm scared, Mummy.
Alice!
Open the door! Open the door!
Open the damn door!
Open the damn door, Alice!
(no voice)
Stay here.
If they see an Englishman here,
they will rip you apart!
♫ ...to see a lady upon a white horse... ♫
(Percy screams)
Wait!
You kill me first!
Aafrin?
It's all right, I'm here.
An Kah'tu nafsaka a'lal...
Mah'ril...
Mah'ril.
Ma 'loom.
Qabiltun Nikaha.
Jaanu?
You remember my old coat?
Those were the days, when we were happy
and poor.
(chuckles)
Oh.
Look what I found in the pocket-- see?
What is it?
Some rice and old rose petals.
See?
Feel it.
It must be confetti
from your uncle Homi's wedding.
No, that was before.
The suit came much later.
Oh.
Then your cousin Mehroo?
Yes, must be that.
Who knows?
Jaanu?
Hmm?
It's almost 2:00.
Then it's done.
But, I mean, we might look in at the festivities.
Huh?
Jaanu?
You wish to go?
You wish to go and see this?
Huh?
Well, I can't lose her.
What do you say?
Shall we think again?
I don't know who she is, Daddy.
No.
She is someone else's child now.
But I still have one daughter.
I did it.
Shh.
I did it.
I killed him.
No.
Death took him.
But you he gave back to me.
Come.
Where are we going?
You too, Percy.
SOONI: Everything looks delicious.
KHAN: I know-- I don't know where to start.
You'd better not get used to cooking like this.
Why?
Because I can't cook like this.
It's okay, I'll make it.
I'll cook.
Thank you so much for coming.
Oh, I wouldn't miss this for the world.
You look beautiful.
Thank you.
Mr. Ian.
Mr. Khan.
Welcome.
My congratulations, Mr. Khan.
Naseem, please.
I hope we are still friends.
Oh, I'm your friend, your very good friend.
The kind of friend that watches over you
day and night.
And just so you know, if you ever hurt Sooni,
or let her down, I will cut your throat.
You love to tease, Mr. Ian.
Aye, I do, I do, I do.
On the other hand, no, I don't.
Oh, look.
AAFRIN: So...
are we welcome?
Yes!
Yes, you are very welcome.
You too, Mrs...
Alice.
Alice, yes.
Thank you.
Don't thank me.
I'm hardly going to miss my own sister's wedding.
No.
But you are all very late.
And the food is getting cold.
Please, come, please, eat.
Please, sit.
DARIUS: Ashem vohû
vahishtem astî ushtâ astî
ushtâ ahmâi
hyat ashâi
vahishtâi ashem.
So I worked it out.
You're owed almost three months leave.
Did you know that?
Three months?
I thought we could go on a trip.
Oh, yes?
I could take you to Chicago.
We could start over, if you like.
I can't just leave.
This is my home.
You lost it, remember?
It belongs to someone else now.
Oh! (chuckles)
There you are!
I rather fancied I'd find you
surrounded by trunks and God knows what!
But I suppose that's the beauty
of selling the house furnished, isn't it?
Cuts down on all the packing.
It sure does that.
Would you excuse me a minute?
Yeah, Bhupinder, would you get that thing off the wall?
It's Great-Uncle Toby, memsahib.
Yes, the very same.
Jolly good.
Now bring him out here, would you?
As you wish.
Oh, I do wish-- ardently, as it happens.
Now, put him down there, would you, poor chap?
There we are.
(growls)
RALPH: Cynthia!
CYNTHIA: That's better.
Is he dead yet?
Who's next? Young man?
Cynthia...
There you go.
In it goes!
Thrust and parry!
What the hell are you playing at?
(laughing)
You know, it's not often you get to bask
in a look of genuine astonishment
on your husband's face, is it?
Now, who else? Ayah?
No, thank you, memsahib. Oh, what a pity.
You see, I thought since I now do in fact
own this sorry little house,
I might be permitted to make
one or two very small adjustments.
Now, where are all those old trinkets
of your great-great-aunt... Nervosa, is it?
Jocelyn-- her name was Jocelyn.
What's she...? Cynthia!
Oh, listen to him-- the man in charge!
Now, Bhupinder,
I'm going to need a hand with all this.
Yes, memsahib.
Three bags full, memsahib.
I'm sorry, but I refuse to live
in some Whelan family mausoleum.
We will cast these devils out.
RALPH: Those date back to George ll...!
Not anymore, they don't.
They've had a good innings.
Hang on.
Live-- she said live.
Yeah, well, it's quite simple, really.
Come on, Ayah.
That is an order!
Oh, give me strength.
Boy, show her.
(chuckling)
That's it!
Yes, I came to an arrangement
with the tribe of Sood.
They take the club, I get Chotipool.
You can't possibly do that.
It was quite straightforward.
Just swapped the deeds round.
But it's your club.
Oh, yeah, well, I'll still be running it.
I mean, God, they wouldn't last two ticks, would they,
without my guiding hand.
I think the penny's finally dropped
in that regard.
How could you go ahead
without consulting me?
Well, I'm sorry, Your Honour.
You need a house, I need a home.
You're...
moving in?
Well, yes.
You will hardly know I'm here.
Oh, Ralph, you don't mind, do you?
Because there's nothing in the world
more important to me than your happiness.
And I am afraid you are stuck with me now.
Here.
Give it to me.
(laughing)
That's the ticket!
Now, when we've finished this lot,
we're going to move on to the glassware.
Bhupinder, have you got such a thing as a wheelbarrow?
What's wrong with us, do you think?
Why are we doing this to ourselves?
Who knows?
Too obstinate in your case.
In my case, I am simply too honest.
(chuckles)
Yes, honest to a fault.
Anyway, others will simply have to adapt,
won't they?
We are the pioneers.
Wherever we lead, the world will follow.
I hope so.
(music starts)
Come on.
Let's dance.
Naseem?
I'm sorry, Chacha.
But it's our wedding, and my bride wishes to dance.
Look.
What is it?
Winter.