Starring: Shashi Kapoor, Felicity Kendal, Madhur Jaffrey

Directed by: James Ivory

Elegaic and atmospheric, Shakespeare Wallah, made in 1965, was the feature film that really put Merchant Ivory Productions on the international movie map, winning them great critical acclaim. Starring a young Felicity Kendal, Shashi Kapoor and Madhur Jaffrey, the film's inspiration lies behind the real-life adventures of Felicity Kendal's family as a travelling theatre troupe in India during the twilight days of English colonial rule.

Essentially a culture-clash romance which blends Shakepeare and British tradition with the emerging Indian pop culture, the film traces the developing relationship between Lizzie (Kendal), one of the members of the acting troupe, with Sanju (Kapoor), a wealthy Indian playboy. But their romance is beset by hindrances, not the least being the machinations of Manjula (Jaffrey), a fiery Indian cinema star, who is also in love with Sanju. Jaffrey won the Silver Bear Award at the Berlin Film Festival for her performance, and one of the greatest names of Indian cinema, director Satyajit Ray, provides the film's musical score.

Shashi Kapoor .... Sanju
Felicity Kendal .... Lizzie Buckingham
Geoffrey Kendal .... Mr. Tony Buckingham
Laura Liddell .... Mrs. Carla Buckingham
Madhur Jaffrey .... Manjula
Utpal Dutt .... Maharaja
Praveen Paul .... Didi
Prayag Raj .... Sharmaji (as Prayag Raaj)
Pincho Kapoor .... Guptaji
Jim D. Tytler .... Bobby (as Jim Tytler)
Hamid Sayani .... Headmaster's Brother
Marcus Murch .... Dandy in 'The Critic'
Partap Sharma .... Aslam

Also Known As:
Shakespeare Wallah (1965) (India: alternative spelling English title)
Runtime: 120 min
Country: India
Language: English
Color: Black and White