An Anglo-Indian woman emigrates from India to Great Britain, pursues fame and fortune at the cost of personal happiness, and becomes a Hollywood movie star while suppressing the truth of her heritage.

In the early 20th century colonial India, young beautiful Anglo-Indian girl Queenie, who easily passes for white, lives with her caring Indian mother and stepfather. However, the local British aristocracy considers her tainted and often makes her life miserable. Her stepfather works as a sax player in the local elite British club which pays so well that his family can afford to enjoy the typical western upper middle class lifestyle. Unfortunately, Queenie's life is anything but easy and it's only getting harder. She's constantly bullied at the local British school for girls she attends by her racist female peers. The old creepy pastor who teaches the girls religion as well as English offers her some private lessons. Racially charged riots break out and her family's home is attacked. Corrupt racist British official and dirty old man Sir Burton Rumsey blackmails her for sex after he catches her stepfather with his socialite wife. Eventually, Queenie and her stepfather are forced to runaway to England. He's unable to find work there due to racism and turns to drinking. She finds work at a popular local night club as an erotic dancer and quickly becomes the main attraction which she enjoys. The club's sleazy manager Dimitri Goldner introduces her to a young photographer who fancies her. She later also meets an old rich filmmaker, David Konig, who suggests that she stars in his next big hit as Dawn Avalon. His manager and best friend Aaron Diamond approves. Meanwhile, Rumsey's conceited, oblivious and vengeful daughter tries to track Queenie down and put her in jail. The story is very loosely inspired by the real life 1930s Hollywood actress Merle Oberon.