Special note on emotional acting range: Early on the film she comes off as a party girl and flirtatious. Don’t be fooled. She’s forward for sure, but she doesn’t rely on femininity or good looks. She makes her own decisions, ignoring her father and Trey’s advice. This takes her through a litany of life’s emotions: demanding, incredulous, offended, victorious, peppy, pouty, alone, tentative, open-hearted, vulnerable, scared, angry, brave, hurt and content.

Trey – For this female-driven adventure, Trey takes a back seat, which suits him just fine. He’s the introvert we don’t often see in a lead role. He’s a good-looking guy, but even he can hardly believe that he’s got Vesi’s attention. In him Vesi has found a calm, a home, a place where she can be herself. He is reliable, non-judgmental, letting her lead, supporting her decisions, and occasionally speaking truth to her power.

Simon – Privileged, (over)confident, the kind of rich kid we don’t like. Straight Outta Saltburn.

Sankar–  (Vesi’s father) Gruff. He thinks life has been unfair, that he deserves more respect. He feels a victim.  You get the sense there were better days, grander dreams, but that’s all been replaced by drink and dejection. His hopes are pinned on Vesi now.

Luna   – (Trey’s mother) Batty-no. Whacky-no. A little out of touch-yes. Her age given has a pleasant naivete, a rosy view of our crazy world. (God bless the ex-hippies.)

Padma – Born of Bollywood star parents, Padma never misses a chance to fan her fame. She’d like to be the Oprah/Katie Couric of India. Her softball questions as anchorwoman may make her seem fake,  but there is nothing superficial about her lifelong friendship with Vesi. Loyal to the end. They are the best example of BFFs that I have ever known. ,/p>

Kareena —  A Disney princess under wraps as a live-in housekeeper in a worn-out house of a once-noble family. She is cute, delicate and light, and playful when alone. Early on we catch a glimpse of her struggling to learn Bollywood dance moves. She gives up and glides into Kathak  dance effortlessly. She is good hearted, making food for beggars. But we are reminded that she is lower caste and in service to the Kumar family as she gracefully cooks their food, pours their drinks, and cleans their house.

Prof. Wilkins— A gray-haired woman, veteran feminist, social justice warrior, an inspiration to her activist students, and a mentor to Vesi. Small from age, but not frail. She may be 65, but she’s going fast.

Holi Festival — Sometimes you see things like ‘the city itself was a character.’ If that makes sense, so will this: Holi itself is a character. It dances into this film in full technicolor. There is feasting and drums, an ecstatic crowd, a celebration of color, of spring and of love. Trey and Vesi at Holi is a scene not to miss (page 88!).

Repatriation is at the top of the agenda at major museums around the world. Articles daily. Recent articles.

The British Museum Protection Act of 1963.
It takes an Act of Parliament to take anything out of the British museum.  “Deaccession” is the word. (Too big for script.)

2003 Dealing in Cultural Objects Act.
It is a criminal offense to deal in cultural objects without a fully verifiable provenance (“clean title”). Nothing stolen, nothing sacred.

A “lapse” was a tool for the expansion of Empire.

The declaration of a lapse served as a legal basis for confiscation of property, asserting that when an Indian ruler died without leaving a male heir, his kingdom would automatically be annexed by the British.

Based on www.geeksforgeeks.org/doctrine-of-lapse.