Shakespeare Wallah (Blu-ray)

A company of nomadic actors travel across India performing Shakespeare, during the early days of post-colonial rule. When young troupe member Lizzie (Felicity Kendal) falls in love with a local playboy Sanju (Shashi Kapoor), the pair must overcome cultural differences and the scheming of fierce Indian film actress - and rival for Sanju’s affections - Manjula (Madhur Jaffrey).

Plaintive and haunting, Shakespeare Wallah was Merchant Ivory’s first international success. Shot by Satyajit Ray's cameraman, Subrata Mitra - and scored by Ray himself - the film is a delicate love story that sets the tone for so many of the partnership’s future collaborations.

Now newly restored in 2K, it remains a beguiling and multi-layered cinematic landmark.

• New 2K restoration
• The Guardian Lecture: Ismail Merchant and James Ivory (1983, 82 mins): the director and producer in conversation with David Robinson at the NFT
• The Guardian Interview: Shashi Kapoor (1994, 54 mins, audio only): the actor in conversation with film critic Derek Malcolm at the NFT
• Conversations from the Quad with James Ivory and Madhur Jaffrey (2018, 48 mins): the director and actor discuss working together
• A Road in India (1938, 9 mins): Technicolor travelogue shot by award-winning cinematographer Jack Cardiff
• Original trailer (1965)
• Restoration trailer (2017)