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:

Passion. Pleasure. Power.

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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

The movie was banned in India and Pakistan because of the erotic scenes.

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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: If I can't use the rules of love on the one I love, I'll use them on the ones I don't.

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Connections

Referenced in American Desi (2001)

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Soundtracks

"The Glory Of God Is In You"
Written and Performed by Ustad Vilayat H. Khan

User Reviews

Story is almost overshadowed by scenery and atmosphere

Maya is a servant to Princess Tara in 16th century India. They've known each other since childhood and have grown up as friends (or so we're led to believe). As a young woman Tara watches enviously as Maya is given lessons in Kama Sutra (an ancient 4th century guide on how to make love) by a famed courtesan Rasa Devi. Tara is allowed to observe during these classes. Maya secretly envies the life of Tara, she hates being given Tara's hand me down clothes and constantly complains to her aunt about her life as a servant. The girls grown up and Tara is to be married to Raj Singh, a neighbouring king. Unfortunately for Tara, Maya learnt a bit too much during her Kama Sutra lessons and ends up deliberately seducing Tara's opium addicted husband on the eve of her wedding! This is brought about because Raj Singh looks at Maya with lust at his first meeting with his wife to be and she is so jealous she spits at Tara and tells her to leave the pre-wedding ceremony. Tara has a brother, Prince Vicky, a hunchback who is openly ridiculed by many, who has been in love with Maya since childhood. Vicky sees Maya seducing and bedding the king and is distressed and furious! On the wedding day as Tara is leaving the palace to go to her new palace Maya whispers to her "All my life I have lived with your used things but now something I have used is yours forever." Tara doesn't quite understand this and at the same time Vicky tells his mother that he wants to marry Maya and she must arrange it for him. Maya is approached with this proposal and refuses, and an enraged Vicky tells his mother of Maya's betrayal with his sister's husband on the eve of the wedding. The queen throws Maya out of the palace banishing her from the kingdom. Maya roams the land alone and lost. Tara rejects her husband's sexual advances as she has heard how painful sex is supposed to be the first time and he calls her "Maya". So the king leaves her bed and takes more and more opium and more and more mistresses and no one is happy. On her travels Maya meets Jai Kumar, the king's sculptor, who falls for her seductive charms and she becomes his most favoured model and lover. Maya falls in love with Jai and for the first time in her life she feels out of control. In the meantime the king is still obsessed with Maya, pretty much ignores his wife and continues to bed other women when he's not searching high and low around the kingdom for Maya.

What happens when the king catches up with Maya? What is the king's relationship with Jai Kumar? Do Tara or Maya ever achieve happiness in their lives? Just how vindictive can people be in the name of love and lust and revenge? I would rate this 7 out of 10. It's a very sensuous and beautifully filmed piece of work with excellent acting (whether or not you like the characters). For those who like romance, with historical drama and jealousy and spite all rolled into one, this is worth watching. Also if you like soft-core sex you might want to check it out too! To summarise the story I'd say it was predominantly about a poor girl trying to get revenge over a rich girl after years of being made to feel inferior even though they are brought up as best friends and by seducing the latter's husband on her wedding night she extracts the best revenge she possibly can, although ultimately this leads to tragedy.