Download our new 'Viceroy's House: Empire and Independence' resource

To celebrate the upcoming 3 March cinema release of new historical drama Viceroy's House, we've created a brand new curriculum-linked resource in partnership with NSP and Pathé to accompany the film.

Starring Hugh Bonneville and Gillian Anderson, and directed by Gurinder Chadha (Bend it Like Beckham), and set in Lord Mountbatten's residence in India, Viceroy's House depicts the remarkable true story of the final months of British rule. Upstairs, the difficult political negotiations take place with Nehru, Jinnah, Gandhi and the British government, while downstairs the social impact of the divide is reflected through the eyes of young Hindu man Jeet and Muslim woman Aalia, whose relationship is forbidden.

For young people aged 11 - 19, our Viceroy's House: Empire and Independence resource will give students an understanding of the end of the British Empire in India and the birth of two nations: modern day India and Pakistan. Especially relevant for History and Citizenship learning, the resource will examine the role of Mountbatten, Gandhi, Nehru and Jinnah in the partition of India in 1947, and explore the reasons for partition and the contemporary and modern interpretations of Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India.

Download this great new resource below.

Viceroy's House: Empire and Independence

Empower your students aged 11-19 to reflect on the consequences of partition for Britain, India and Pakistan.

Suitable for 11+

2

3 pdf

1 ppt

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Our Viceroy's House: Empire and Independence resource will enable students to:

Know what happened in 1947 by studying two visual sources.

Investigate the reasons why India was partitioned and what each of the main characters wanted (key skill: cause and consequence).

Examine the key interpretations around the British Government and their role in partition (key skill: interpretation).

Reflect on the consequences of partition and the empire for Britain, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh both in the short term and on global society today.