Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love (1996)

Two girlhood friends become sexual rivals at maturity.

Director:

Mira Nair

Writers:

Helena Kriel, Mira Nair,

Stars:

Indira Varma, Sarita Choudhury, Ramon Tikaram

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Indira Varma	...	Maya
Sarita Choudhury	...	Tara, the Queen
Ramon Tikaram	...	Jai Kumar
Naveen Andrews	...	Raj Singh
Rekha	...	Rasa Devi, teacher of the Kama Sutra
Khalid Tyabji	...	Biki
Arundhati Rao	...	Annabi
Surabhi Bhansali	...	Young Maya
Garima Dhup	...	Young Tara
Pearl Padamsee	...	Maham Anga
Kusum Haidar	...	Dilki
Harish Patel	...	Doctor Mani
Ranjit Chowdhry	...	Babu
Achala Sachdev	...	Rupa (as Achla Sachdev)
Arjun Sajnani	...	Bashir

Storyline

Tara and Maya are two inseparable friends in India. Their tastes, habits, and hobbies are the same. Years later, the two have matured, but have maintained their friendship. Tara gets married to the local prince, Raj Singh, who soon succeeds the throne as the sole heir. After the marriage, Raj gets bored of Tara and starts seeking another female to satisfy his sexual needs. He notices Maya and is instantly attracted to her. He has her included as one of his courtesans, and is intimate with her. Watch what happens when Tara finds out and the extent she will go to keep her marriage intact.

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Plot Keywords:

friend | kama sutra | india | courtesan | seduction | 

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Taglines:

In a world ruled by pleasure, love is the ultimate seduction.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | History | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong erotic sequences, nudity and some violence

Details

Country:

UK India USA Germany Japan

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

28 February 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Kama Sutra

Filming Locations:

Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

ITL 333,148,000 (Italy) (28 February 1997)

Gross:

$4,109,095 (USA) (27 June 1997)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Channel Four Films, Mirabai Films, NDF International

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Indian authorities eventually became aware of the content of the film during shooting, the producers and the director were forced to bribe them as "protection money" to avoid prosecution.

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Goofs

The story of this film is set in the sixteenth century. Young Maya is running through red chili pepper drying in the sun on the palace grounds. Chillies didn't reach Indian cuisine until the seventeenth century.

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Quotes

Maya: [to Jai] You were the one that talked about love all the time. And now it's facing you, and you run from it.

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Connections

Referenced in American Desi (2001)

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Soundtracks

"Maya Becomes a Courtesan"
Written and Performed by Ustad Vilayat H. Khan

User Reviews

Beautifully Done!

I must say I really enjoyed this film. I saw it late at night, when they usually only show crap on TV, and I was just blown away. I loved the historical setting, the costumes, the sets, the interaction of the characters, the dancing and the love story. I also can't help thinking that Indira Varma is probably the most beautiful woman alive. I found this film stunning, enjoyable and moving, and I highly recommend it to audiences who don't mind a little sensual nudity in their films.