Gupta, the Indian of the title, has just arrived in New York City from his native country to visit his son and speaks only a few words of English.
While waiting for a bus to The Bronx, he is approached by two young punks, Joey and Murph, who begin teasing him.
Horovitz later wrote on the subject, "True, John's Italian, not Hindu… from Winchester, Massachusetts, not Delhi.
The cast included Al Pacino, Marsha Mason, John Cazale, and Matthew Cowles.
In 1976, the play was mounted by the Chicago theatre company Steppenwolf as part of its first full season.