BEFORE THE RAINS
An adulterous colonial drama better saved for discerning adults at home.
Should You Watch It?
BEFORE THE RAINS has a clear political purpose. Set in 1937 India, it opposes British colonial rule and portrays the independence of India through T.K.’s eventual break from his morally corrupt English master. The filmmakers avoid making the message overly propagandistic, but the anti-colonial statement remains clear.
The film’s central relationship is much harder to recommend. A married English businessman pursues an adulterous affair with a married Indian woman, and the affair leads to deception, suicide, and a cover-up. The drama is also predictable and slow enough to bore many viewers.
Because the film has some serious themes but carries −2 content, adults who remain interested should watch at home, not with children or young teens.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESIn 1937 India, Henry Moores is a young married English businessman planning a spice plantation in south India. His trusted Indian assistant, T.K., values the economic benefits and prestige of working with the English.
Henry begins an affair with Sajani, his married house servant. When their relationship is witnessed and suspicion grows, Sajani turns to Henry and T.K. for help. Henry’s wife and son have also arrived from England, placing the secret under increasing pressure.
Is It Any Good?
Two stars means the film has a worthwhile period setting and a clear political argument, but its execution is limited. The filmmakers present an anti-colonial message without making the movie feel overly propagandistic, and the story has serious moral and historical concerns.
Still, the drama is somewhat predictable. Its slower pace may bore some viewers, if not many. The film’s central affair and its consequences provide conflict, but the overall result is not compelling enough to justify seeking it out in theaters.
The Worldview
BEFORE THE RAINS presents British colonial rule over India as morally corrupt and sides with India’s total independence. T.K.’s eventual independence from Henry gives the political message its clearest expression. The filmmakers avoid turning the movie into a straightforward political tract, but the anti-colonial conviction remains unmistakable.
The film also treats adultery as the source of a destructive moral crisis. Henry uses his position and power to pursue Sajani, then involves T.K. in trying to remove her from the area when the affair is threatened with exposure. The story’s moral world includes deception, suicide, concealment, and confusion rather than a clear account of repentance or redemption.
The film’s concern for freedom from oppression can align with Scripture’s condemnation of injustice, but its treatment of sexual sin and moral responsibility does not offer a distinctly biblical answer. Scripture says, “The righteous care for the rights of the poor, but the wicked have no such concern” (Proverbs 29:7).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Light humanist worldview with light political correctness, mostly directed against white Western men; one light obscenity and one light profanity, plus some pagan superstition and references to Hinduism in India; brief strong violence with blood in one scene when woman commits suicide with handgun, plus man hits wife, a slap, man’s tongue undergoes test of fire to judge guilt/innocence, and threats of violence; some sensuous sexual content such as passionate adulterous kissing and implied adulterous sex; upper male nudity; alcohol use; brief smoking; and, lying, hiding a suicide from the authorities, some moral confusion.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Henry uses power and secrecy to pursue an adulterous relationship. How does Scripture describe the way sexual sin harms people and communities?
Proverbs 6:32–33 · 1 Corinthians 6:18The film portrays India’s struggle for independence from colonial rule. What does God require from those who hold power over others?
Micah 6:8 · Mark 10:42–45T.K. must decide whether loyalty to Henry is worth the cost. How should Christians respond when a powerful person asks them to participate in wrongdoing?
Proverbs 1:10–15 · Acts 5:29The story includes suicide and the concealment of a death. How can Christians respond to despair with truth, compassion, and hope?
Psalm 34:18 · Romans 15:13The Final Word
BEFORE THE RAINS has a serious anti-colonial message, but its predictable pace and destructive story of adultery make it a poor family choice. Its −2 content rating means it belongs with discerning adults, if anywhere. Our answer is WAIT FOR HOME — ADULTS ONLY. For better options, see.
