A Passage to India (1924) is a novel by E. M. Forster about the tensions between natives of India and British colonials when a white woman, Adela Quested, accuses a native man, Dr. Aziz, of attempted rape. The accusation takes place after Adela's unidentified traumatic experience while touring a local natural attraction, the Marabar Caves. The ensuing court trial increases the racial tension between the Indians and the British, threatening to tear apart the colonial society of Chandrapore, India.
This novel was adapted into a film (1984) by David Lean, starring Judy Davis, Victor Banerjee, Dame Peggy Ashcroft, James Fox, Alec Guinness, and Nigel Havers. The film won Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Peggy Ashcroft) and Best Music, Original Score. It was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Judy Davis), Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Director, Best Film Editing, Best Picture, Best Sound and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium.
Salman Rushdie condemned this film, accusing it of Orientalism and racism in his famous essay, "Inside the Whale."
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