TRISHNA

By Michael WINTERBOTTOM

BANKSIDE FILMS LTD - as SALES All rights, World

Romance - Completed 2011

A contemporary re-imagining of the classic novel, Tess Of The D’Urbervilles

Festivals
& Awards

Toronto - TIFF 2011
Special Presentations
    • Year of production
    • 2011
    • Genres
    • Romance
    • Countries
    • UNITED KINGDOM, INDIA
    • Languages
    • ENGLISH, HINDI
    • Duration
    • 117 mn
    • Director(s)
    • Michael WINTERBOTTOM
    • Producer(s)
    • Melissa PARMENTER (Revolution Films)
    • Synopsis
    • Jay, the son of a wealthy English property developer, is sent to India to work in his father’s heritage hotel. There he meets Trishna, the beautiful daughter of a local rickshaw driver, and is instantly attracted to her. She begins working at the hotel but never responds to Jay’s amorous advances. One night, on her way home from the fair, Trishna is harassed by a group of local boys but Jay arrives just in time and takes her back his apartment. When he wakes in the morning, Trishna has disappeared. Jay returns to England.
      Four months later, Trishna discovers that she is pregnant. She aborts the baby and runs away to town to work as a cleaner. Jay soon returns and convinces her that she should go to Mumbai to live with him. Trishna agrees but never says a word about her pregnancy. They live happily for a short time until one night Trishna puts her trust in Jay and tells him about baby. He reacts furiously and rejects Trishna leaving her to fend for herself in the strange and dangerous city.
      Jay returns and convinces Trishna to return to the hotel with him. However, when they arrive, he sends her to live with the other maids and not in his private quarters. Trishna is ashamed, destroyed and heartbroken. To make matters worse, Jay drinks heavily and teases and torments her until, one day, she goes to kitchen and takes a knife. As Jay is sleeping, Trishna stabs him to death. She takes as much money as she can find and runs home to her parents who greet her like a saviour. She spends one night with them before leaving for the temple early the next morning. She prays one last time before walking into the desert to take her own life.
    • Beginning of shooting
    • Feb 01, 2011