Before the Rains (2008)

...fails to deliver on the potentially intriguing premise of an interracial romance set in India in 1937, against the backdrop of the Indian independence movement

The movie has enough fine acting -- especially by Bose and by Jennifer Ehle as the planter’s deceived wife -- and beautiful, razor-sharp cinematography (also by Sivan) to recommend it.

Acting honours go to Bose, his face an eloquently shifting register of shame, calculation and sympathy.

Feels as though it should be a compelling drama, yet it somehow simmers along rather frustratingly with only a couple of moments of genuine tension.

The movie is prettily done in a fairly obvious way, but there's little insight into the emerging nationalist movement, which remains at best a shimmering backdrop in soft focus.

The film is fervently acted and well shot, and Das provides a powerful, emotional force, but there is something a little clanky about the whole project...

A brave new chapter in the Merchant Ivory story.

In another age this Merchant Ivory production would have led the week's reviews. Now it'll be lost to all the superheroes.

Given the racy subject matter, this is an oddly chaste and ultimately underwhelming affair, but it's beautifully shot and the performances ensure that it remains watchable.

As a melodramatic period potboiler it works well enough.