Loot

In 18th-century India, seventeen-year-old Abbas, a prodigious woodcarver, is conscripted into the service of Tipu Sultan. His task: to help construct a magnificent, life-sized mechanical tiger automaton, a symbol of power and a gift for Tipu's sons returning from British captivity. Working alongside the enigmatic French clockmaker Lucien du Leze, Abbas hones his craft, mastering not only woodworking but also French, and forms a connection with Jehanne, Du Leze's daughter. However, as the geopolitical landscape shifts dramatically, Tipu's palace is plundered by British forces, and the prized tiger automaton vanishes. When Du Leze returns to France, he invites Abbas as his apprentice, setting the stage for Abbas's journey to Europe. There, he discovers the tiger, a symbol of his past and Tipu's legacy, displayed as plundered art in an English estate. To prove his worth and reclaim a piece of his heritage, Abbas embarks on an audacious quest to retrieve the automaton, navigating a world scarred by colonialism and personal displacement.