Navin Chowdhry

Shirley MacLaine stars as the eccentric and endearing Madame Sousatzka, a flamboyant piano instructor who teaches gifted students how to play, and how to live. In her dark London flat that serves as a shrine to her troubled musical past, Madame Sousatzka begins teaching a charismatic young prodigy named Manek (Navin Chowdhry). Pulling Manek away from Madame's disciplined teachings are his ambitious mother, a relentless talent agent, and his own desire to follow the reckless whims of a teenage life. When her talented young protege decides to debut at a prestigious concert against her wishes, Madame Sousatzka once again faces the pain of losing a cherished part of her life to the changing world around her. Oscar®-winning director John Schlesinger paints a rich, multi-layered portrait in this uplifting, critically-acclaimed drama co-starring Peggy Ashcroft, Shabana Azmi and Twiggy.

While living in London, a Bengali immigrant (Shabana Azmi) strives to support the talents of her piano-playing child prodigy (Navin Chowdhry). Her search for a teacher to hone her son's gift leads to the Russian-born Madame Sousatzka (Shirley MacLaine, in a Golden Globe-winning performance), a woman who demands total commitment. When Sousatzka insists that her new pupil live his life in a "proper" manner, major conflicts arise between the two.

A brilliant 15-year-old pianist in modern London is sent to take lessons from Madame Sousatzka, a formidably competent, dedicated, and eccentric spinster. She takes the boy completely under her wing, teaching him how to live as well as how to play.

Shirley MacLaine stars as the eccentric and endearing Madame Sousatzka, a flamboyant piano instructor who teaches gifted students how to play, and how to live. In her dark London flat that serves as a shrine to her troubled musical past, Madame Sousatzka begins teaching a charismatic young prodigy named Manek (Navin Chowdhry). Pulling Manek away from Madame's disciplined teachings are his ambitious mother, a relentless talent agent, and his own desire to follow the reckless whims of a teenage life. When her talented young protege decides to debut at a prestigious concert against her wishes, Madame Sousatzka once again faces the pain of losing a cherished part of her life to the changing world around her.