Zee Studio Maiden Mondays Presents BESIEGED

September 24, 2010 (Sampurn Wire): When an African dictator jails her husband, Shandurai goes into exile in Italy, studying medicine and keeping house for Mr. Kinsky, an eccentric English pianist and composer. She lives in one room of his Roman palazzo. He besieges her with flowers, gifts, and music, declaring passionately that he loves her, would go to Africa with her, would do anything for her. "What do you know of Africa?," she asks, then, in anguish, shouts, "Get my husband out of jail!" The rest of the film plays out the implications of this scene and leaves Shandurai with a choice.

Besieged is a 1998 film by Bernardo Bertolucci starring Thandie Newton and David Thewlis.

It is based on the short story "The Siege" by James Lasdun.

– Sampurn Wire