Devastated by the death of John Brown, her Scottish gillie, the queen had at last found his replacement. But her intense and controversial relationship with the Munshi led to a near-revolt in the royal household. "Victoria & Abdul" examines how a young Indian Muslim came to play a central role at the heart of the Empire, and his influence over the queen at a time when independence movements in the sub-continent were growing in force. Yet, at its heart, it is a tender love story between an ordinary Indian and his elderly queen, a relationship that survived the best attempts to destroy it.

About Shrabani Basu

Shrabani Basu lives in London where she is the correspondent for Calcutta-based 'Ananda Bazaar Patrika' and 'The Telegraph' newspapers. She is a regular commentator on radio and television on Indian food.