''Miss Beatty's Children'' is a 1992 English-language Indian

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

directed by

Pamela Rooks Pamela Rooks (28 February 1958 – 1 October 2010) was an Indian film director and screenwriter, most known for the film, '' Train to Pakistan'' (1998) set in Partition of India and based on Khushwant Singh's novel; it was screened at severa ...

in a directorial debut, with

Jenny Seagrove Jennifer Ann Seagrove (born 4 July 1957) is an English actress. She trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and first came to attention playing the lead in a television dramatisation of Barbara Taylor Bradford's '' A Woman of Substance'' ...

, Faith Brook and

Protima Bedi Protima Gauri Bedi (12 October 1948 – 18 August 1998) was an Indian model turned Odissi exponent. In 1990, she established Nrityagram, a dance school in hesarghatta Bangalore. Early life Protima was born in Delhi,''Time Pass: The Me ...

in lead roles. The film set in 1936 in South India, was based on Pamela Rooks own novel by the same name. At the

40th National Film Awards The 40th National Film Awards, presented by Directorate of Film Festivals, the organisation set up by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, India to felicitate the best of Indian Cinema released in the year 1992. Ceremony took place in 199 ...

, the film won the award for Best Debut Film of a Director and the Best Cinematography.

Plot

In 1936 in

South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territo ...

, Jane, an English schoolteacher comes to Trippuvur to work with Mabel Forster, a

Christian missionary A Christian mission is an organized effort for the propagation of the Christian faith. Missions involve sending individuals and groups across boundaries, most commonly geographical boundaries, to carry on evangelism or other activities, such as ...

, who runs a mission school, and works towards young girls from being sold into temple prostitution. She has Kamla Devi, a senior temple woman as her opponent. Once when Mabel has gone away Jane finds herself trapped in a local controversy. She rescues an Anglo-Indian girl and takes her to

Ooty Ooty (), officially known as Udhagamandalam (also known as Ootacamund (); abbreviated as Udhagai), is a city and a municipality in the Nilgiris district of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located north west of Coimbatore and so ...

, but back in the town she is accused of kidnapping. However she manages to find help with an American doctor, Alan Chandler. Eventually she adopts Amber, and rescues several more children.

Cast

as Jane Beatty * Faith Brook as Mabel Forster *

as Kamla Devi *

D. W. Moffett Donald Warren "D.W." Moffett (born October 26, 1954) is an American film, stage, and television actor. Moffett began his career in stage productions in Chicago before starring in the original New York City production of Larry Kramer's ''The Norma ...

as Alan Chandler *

Barry John Barry John (born 6 January 1945) is a former Welsh rugby union fly-half who played, during the amateur era of the sport, in the 1960s, and early 1970s. John began his rugby career as a schoolboy playing for his local team Cefneithin RFC befor ...

* Emma Sanderson *

Rituraj Singh Rituraj Rajeev Singh (born 19 October 1990) is an Indian cricketer who plays first-class cricket for Rajasthan. He is from Jaipur, Rajasthan. Rituraj made his debut for Rajasthan in 2011/12 season. He played for India A The India A cricket ...

* Catherine Stevens * Cecil Qadir

Bibliography

References

External links

*
Miss Beatty's Children, Online
at CinemasofIndia, NFDC {{National Film Award Best First Film of a Director 1992 films English-language Indian films Films set in 1936 Films whose cinematographer won the Best Cinematography National Film Award Films about social issues in India Indian drama films Films based on Indian novels Films set in Tamil Nadu Films set in the British Raj Best Debut Feature Film of a Director National Film Award winners 1992 directorial debut films National Film Development Corporation of India films 1990s English-language films