Heat and Dust is a 1983 film directed by James Ivory. It is based on a novel by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, who also wrote the screenplay. The film tells two parallel stories set in India, one of a young woman named Anne and the other of her grand-aunt Olivia.
Anne is a young woman who travels to India to learn more about her great-grandmother, who was rumored to have had a scandalous affair with an Indian prince. Anne discovers her great-grandmother's diary and begins to uncover the truth about her ancestors. She also finds herself falling in love with an Indian man named Inder Lal.
Olivia's story takes place in the 1920s. She is a young woman who travels to India to be with her husband, who is a British colonial administrator. Olivia is unhappy with her life in India and begins to rebel against the strict social norms of the British community. She begins to have an affair with an Indian Nawab (a Muslim ruler of a princely state), which ultimately leads to her being ostracized by the British community.
The film explores themes of love, betrayal, cultural differences, and the impact of British colonialism on Indian society. Heat and Dust was widely acclaimed for its stunning cinematography and for its nuanced portrayal of the complexities of identity and relationships in a colonial setting. The film was nominated for several awards, including an Academy Award for Best Costume Design.