rearloverin Commenting on a movie released way back now, is an understatement, but stating this I would!!! It is one of the most most beautiful and artistically exquisite movie I have seen in recent times...From the classic erotics scenes to the haunting background music, everything in this movie scores!!! I have become a great fan of this movie...a fan of Indira Verma for life time!!! She has the most erotically appealing body I have ever seen, and being an Indian I am proud of Indira's talents, her gorgeous drop dead looks and her elegant body language....the only miscast was of Naveen Andrews, u could have gotten a much more matured and classy actor from India, Ms. Nair, I presume....

midevilpluto06 I have recently reviewed your movie. And I loved the way you moved your body to get that real visual effect of body motion. I think that was very amazing. I know it had to be hard work learning how to move your body the way they had you to do it. You really took the eyes of the audience with the movements. I also like the way they had the cast to dress. That was the best thing about the movie. THey used Egyptian style settings and clothing. The cast also had the voicing down perfect. YOu are my favorite actress. I really love you and hope to hear from you anytime if you are free. But keep up the good work. And maybe one day I will get the chance to meet you. Thanks

tascasting This film should have received Oscar nominations. These are those I think were deserving: Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Foreign Film,Best Original Screenplayand/or Screenplay Adaptation, Best Costume Design, Best Sound and maybe Best Actress for "Maya". If my memory serves me correctly, Vatsayana (or maybe Sir Richard Buron) does, in fact, make mention of an Indian Maharaja(?) whose personality and personal history does, in fact, fit the description of the "King" character in the film. It would be great to see a sequel. Mira Nair is one of my favorite filmmakers. I wonder what the film's Box Office was in India and Pakistan?

M Roy 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.