Such a Long Journey 1998

Gustad Noble Roshan Seth is a Parsi bank clerk who lives with his family in Bombay (Mumbai), just before the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. At first, he seems to be a self-centered, self-involved, neurotic man, who is so tied up in his own pain for perceived slights both past and present that he cannot seem to connect with either friends or family.

He is haunted by memories of his privileged youth and his father’s fortune, which has been lost to the machinations of an unscrupulous uncle. He is baffled by the changes wrought in his eldest son, Sohrab Vrajesh Hirjee, who refuses to attend the Indian Institute of Technology to which he has gained admittance, and worried about his youngest daughter, who falls ill. Other conflicts involve Gustad’s ongoing interactions with his eccentric neighbors and his relationship with his close friend and co-worker, Dinshawji Sam Dastor. Tehmul, a seemingly unimportant and mentally disabled character, is essential in Gustad’s life, as he brings out his tender side and represents innocence in life.

A letter Gustad receives one day from an old friend, Major Bilimoria Naseeruddin Shah, slowly draws him into a government deception involving threats, secrecy, and large amounts of money. He then begins the long journey that sheds new light on all aspects of Gustad’s life.