Star-Crossed Lovers Create Road to Ruin in ‘Before the Rains’

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CHICAGO – By its very nature, colonialism is bad karma waiting to happen. You are a sovereign nation with weaponry and a desire for treasure. While you invade and take over a country with that treasure, it also comes with a society you don’t understand.

You stir in religious dogma, native slavery and the defiling of lands and create an evil stew that’s ripe to boil over. The country of India was a prime example of this scenario. The British got their bad karma handed back to them as depicted in the new film “Before the Rains”.

Read Patrick McDonald’s full review of “Before the Rains” in our reviews section. View our full, high-resolution “Before the Rains” image gallery.

Set in 1937, the film begins with a British spice baron named Henry Moores (Linus Roache) who’s surveying a mountain upon which he plans to build a road.

His right-hand man, T.K. Neelan (Rahul Bose), is a native of the surrounding Indian territory who lends his support to the outsider project by recruiting village laborers.

At his home nearby, Moores is shown participating in a honey-gathering errand with housekeeper Sajani (Nandita Das). On this expedition, it’s revealed that the two are lovers. At the same time, though, they’re caught in the act by two boys from the village.

Rahul Bose in “Before the Rains”. Photo credit: Alphonse Roy

Linus Roache (left) and Nandita Das in “Before the Rains”. Photo credit: Alphonse Roy

Read Patrick McDonald’s full “Before the Rains” review.