Pearl Padamsee was an Indian theatre personality as a stage actress, director, and producer of English language theatre in Mumbai active in the 1950s–1990s.
She acted in a few Hindi and English language films, including Khatta Meetha, Junoon, Baaton Baaton Mein, Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love, and Such a Long Journey.
She ran after-school theatre workshops for children
The story, set in 1971 at the time of the war between India and Pakistan, is based on the novel of the same name by Rohinton Mistry, an Indian now living in Toronto. "Such a Long Journey" takes place mostly in and around a large apartment complex, its courtyard and the street, which the municipal authorities want to widen so that even more choking diesel fumes can cloud the air. We meet the hero, Gustad (Roshan Seth), in the process of defending the old concrete wall that protects his courtyard from the street, and later he strikes a bargain with an itinerant artist (Ranjit Chowdhry), who covers the wall with paintings from every conceivable religious tradition, with the thought that all of the groups represented will join in defending the wall.
Tara and Maya are two inseparable friends in India. Their tastes, habits, and hobbies are the same. Years later, the two have matured, but have maintained their friendship. Tara gets married to the local prince, Raj Singh, who soon succeeds the throne as the sole heir. After the marriage, Raj gets bored of Tara and starts seeking another female to satisfy his sexual needs. He notices Maya and is instantly attracted to her. He has her included as one of his courtesans, and is intimate with her. Watch what happens when Tara finds out and the extent she will go to keep her marriage intact.
Filmed in India, Rumer Godden’s story has been adapted and directed by the Jewel in the Crown team. Two English schoolgirls arrive in New Delhi, 1959. Their diplomat father has secured them a beautiful Eurasian governess. 15-year-old Una suspects an ulterior motive. But her father’s affairs take second place to her own when she has a secret affair with the Indian gardener.
In Ayodhya, the royal palace of Kosala Kingdom in Ancient India, four princes were born to three queens, each of whom grew to great stature. Banished for 14 years due to court intrigue, Prince Rama retreated to the forest with his beautiful wife Sita. When Rama vanquishes the demons of the forest, he invites the wrath of the demon king Ravana, who kidnaps Sita. Based on the Indian epic the Ramayana.
Police Inspector Ghote lives a middle-class life in Bombay along with his wife, Pratima. He has been employed with the Bombay Police for many years. He is assigned to investigate the deadly assault on a Parsi man named Perfect, who is the Secretary of Lala Heera Lal, a wealthy man with underworld links. Inspector Ghote commences his investigation and is displeased when his superiors ask him to work with a Swedish Forensic Expert by the name of Axel Svennson.
Vikram (Ashotosh Gowariker) is an Indian immigrant from Bombay who lands in San Francisco. His happiness over his arrival in the United States is diminished when customs officers unexplainably trim his tourist visa from six months to one. When he arrives at the home of his sponsor, he finds that the building is abandoned, and his application to study at the University of California has been rejected. He later meets Sue (Heidi Carpenter), a punk-rock femme who works at a late-night theater specializing in horror films, and Vikram becomes very fond of the woman, proposing marriage in hopes of starting a new life in the United States.
Rosie Perreira is an overly anxious widow, living with her guitar-obsessed son, Sabhi, and a lovely daughter, Nancy, who she would like to get married to a wealthy young man. Her helpful neighbor, Tom, introduces a young eligible Tony Braganza to Nancy in the 9:10 AM Western Railway local train from Bandra to Churchgate. Tom also asks Nancy to introduce Tony to Rosie, which she does. Rosie is initially apprehensive about him as he only drawing a mere Rs.300/ compared to Nancy's Rs.700/-, but soon changes her mind when she finds out that after his probationary period he will draw a monthly pay of Rs.1000/-. Nancy and Tom are permitted to meet and both eventually fall in love. While Nancy wants to follow her mother's directions and get married, Tony is hesitant, and this is what costs him Nancy's love, as she starts to feel that he will not come through with the marriage. And soon Rosie starts looking elsewhere for a son-in-law, while Tony is still reluctant to make any commitments.
Homi Mistry (Ashok Kumar) has been a widower for several years now, and looks after his four sons, their small house, and a job at the factory. Nargis Sethna has been widowed; is a housewife, has two sons and a daughter, and a large house. Then Soli (David), Nargis' and Homi's friend, suggests that the two get married, then at least the children will have a mother and father, as well as a larger house. They do get married, and hilarious chaos results, as the family and the children try to accomodate each other and fit in with their new family and surroundings.