Santosh Sivan directs this lavishly-filmed drama set in 1930s southern India against the backdrop of a growing nationalist movement. Linus Roache stars as Henry Moores, an English spice grower who begins an ill-advised affair with his beautiful Indian housemaid, Sajani (Nandita Das), while his wife, Laura (Jennifer Ehle), and young son are away in England. A tragic chain of events is set in motion when the affair is discovered. Rahul Bose co-stars as TK, an idealistic young villager who finds himself torn between his progressive visions for the future and his loyalty to past traditions as he witnesses events unfold.