India Song

India Song

Year: 1975

Runtime: 115 mins

Language: French

RomanceDrama

Anne-Marie Stretter, the wife of a French diplomat in 1930s India, takes many lovers to relieve the boredom in her life.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – India Song (1975)

Explore the full timeline and setting of India Song (1975). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1937

The film's events unfold during 1937, a period marked by British colonial rule in India. This era was characterized by political tensions, cultural exchanges, and the presence of European diplomatic and colonial authorities. The monsoon season influences the city's climate and mood throughout the story.

Location

Calcutta, India, delta islands, Prince of Wales hotel

The movie is set primarily in Calcutta (Kolkata), a vibrant city with rich colonial history and diverse culture. The story also takes place in the delta islands nearby, known for their lush landscapes and waterways. The Prince of Wales hotel serves as a notable location for social gatherings and pivotal events in the story.

🌏 Asian 🕌 Colonial 🌧️ Monsoon

Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 04:56

Main Characters – India Song (1975)

Meet the key characters of India Song (1975), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Anne-Marie Stretter (Delphine Seyrig)

A complex woman torn between her past musical aspirations and her current life of stagnation in Calcutta. She is emotionally distant, seeking connection yet also retreating from intimacy. Her affair and tragic fate highlight her inner turmoil and sense of entrapment.

💃 Musician 💔 Tragic 🚶‍♀️ Disillusioned

Le Vice-Consul de Lahore (Michael Lonsdale)

A troubled and isolated diplomat with a violent past, including shooting leprosy patients. His infatuation with Anne-Marie reveals his longing for connection, but his mental instability leads to his downfall. His character embodies themes of repression and despair.

🔫 Violent 🛑 Troubled 🥀 Repressed

Michael Richardson (Claude Mann)

A businessman and Anne-Marie's lover, he is disillusioned with the monotony of colonial life. Their shared suicide pact signifies their mutual despair, emphasizing themes of existential crisis and escape.

💼 Businessman 🖤 Disillusioned 🔄 Companion

Georges Crawn (Vernon Dobtcheff)

A close friend of Anne-Marie, representing an intellectual or emotional anchor amidst chaos. His presence suggests a longing for genuine connection in a world filled with façade.

🤝 Friend 💭 Reflective 🎭 Supporter

Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 04:56

Major Themes – India Song (1975)

Explore the central themes of India Song (1975), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🌧️ Isolation

The movie explores themes of emotional and physical isolation, set against the oppressive heat and relentless monsoon in Calcutta. Characters seek connection amidst a backdrop of social stagnation and personal despair, highlighting the loneliness of the colonial and expatriate lives.

🎭 Disillusionment

The characters grapple with disillusionment about their lives, relationships, and societal roles. Anne-Marie's abandoned ambitions, her affair, and the tragic ending underscore the sense of lost dreams and existential despair.

🔥 Repression

The story also touches on repression—whether personal, emotional, or societal. The Vice-Consul's failed attempt at suicide, his violent past, and societal judgments reflect the undercurrents of suppression prevalent in colonial India during this period.

Last Updated: August 19, 2025 at 04:56

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Explore Movie Threads

Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Movies with atmospheric melancholia and despair like India Song

Slow, atmospheric dramas steeped in sorrow and the decay of opulent settings.Looking for more movies like India Song? This collection features slow, atmospheric, and melancholic dramas where opulent or isolated settings mirror the characters' internal decay and despair, perfect for fans of heavy, contemplative cinema.

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Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread often unfold not through action, but through mood and environment. Characters are trapped by their circumstances, often in a state of emotional paralysis or existential ennui, with the narrative focusing on their gradual unraveling against a backdrop of social or physical decay.

Why These Movies?

These films are grouped together based on their shared emphasis on a suffocating atmosphere, a melancholic and contemplative tone, and a slow, deliberate pacing that allows the setting and mood to dominate the narrative. They explore themes of isolation, social decay, and profound sadness.

Doomed romance movies with bleak endings like India Song

Tragic love stories defined by emotional distance and bleak outcomes.If you liked the tragic, emotionally isolated romance in India Song, explore this collection of films centered on doomed relationships, unrequited love, and bleak endings, capturing the pain of love amidst despair.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern typically involves characters drawn together by passion or loneliness, but kept apart by internal or external forces—be it social conventions, personal demons, or a pervasive sense of ennui. The journey is one of escalating despair, culminating in a tragic resolution such as separation, death, or profound ruin.

Why These Movies?

These movies share a core focus on romance as a destructive or unfulfilling force. They are united by a heavy emotional weight, a melancholic or bleak tone, and themes of emotional isolation, illicit passion, and ultimately, tragic conclusions that leave a lasting sense of sorrow.

Unlock the Full Story of India Song

Don't stop at just watching — explore India Song in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what India Song is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

India Song Summary

Read a complete plot summary of India Song, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

India Song Summary

India Song Timeline

Track the full timeline of India Song with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

India Song Timeline

India Song Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of India Song that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

India Song Spoiler-Free Summary

More About India Song

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about India Song: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About India Song