Heat and Dust (film)

Heat and Dust is a 1983 Merchant Ivory Productions film directed by James Ivory, with a screenplay by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala based on her 1975 Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name.

The film interweaves two parallel stories set in India, separated by several decades. In the present day (early 1980s), Anne, played by Julie Christie, travels to India to investigate the life of her grandfather's first wife, Olivia, played by Greta Scacchi. Olivia, in the 1920s, scandalized the British colonial community by running off with an Indian Nawab, played by Shashi Kapoor.

Through Anne's research, which involves visiting places where Olivia lived and interviewing people who remember her, the film explores themes of cultural clash, colonialism, personal freedom, and the constraints placed on women in both British and Indian societies. It contrasts the strict, hierarchical structure of British India with the complexities and temptations of Indian culture.

The film is notable for its lush cinematography and evocative portrayal of India. It received critical acclaim and garnered several awards, including a BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. It is considered a significant work in Merchant Ivory Productions' oeuvre, known for its adaptations of literary works and explorations of cross-cultural themes.