Adela Quested (Judy Davis) is sailing from England to British Raj India with Mrs Moore (Peggy Ashcroft), the latter the mother of her intended bridegroom, Ronny Heaslop (Nigel Havers); Mrs Moore's son from her first marriage. He is the Collector and the City Magistrate (England and Wales) in Chandrapore, the anglicized spelling of Chandrapur. Adela intends to see if she can make a go of it.