Operation Magic Carpet

“Go on. Go mad – let her in. We’ve let in twenty-odd thousand already. She’s pretty, and Leicester could do with a decent few birds.” 19 Year old Indian girl Taruna Patel arrives at London Airport on her first visit to England but an immigration officer suspects she may be hiding something about the facts of her trip.

Directed by June Howson, Operation Magic Carpet leans on a strong ensemble — Tariq Yunus, Edward Petherbridge, Don Hawkins — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 1973.