Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love Reviews

• THE KAMA SUTRA IS BROUGHT TO LIFE...

  
  By A1L43KWWR05PCS on 2002-06-23
  This is a lushly lavish, sensuously beautiful film, superlatively directed by Mira Nair, a world class director noted for such other cinematic masterpieces as "Salaam Bombay", "Mississippi Masala", and the more recent art house feature, "Monsoon Wedding". As are her other films, "Kama Sutra" is an intelligent and mesmerizing story, peppered with excellent performances by a stellar cast.
  
  Set in sixteenth century India, this is the story of Maya (Indira Varma), a servant girl and companion to Tara (Sarita Choudry), a Maharani destined to be Queen to a Raj. Childhood friends, they are to become palace rivals as the fates pit them one against the other, only to have them both become casualties of love. Maya, tired of being treated as a second class citizen and of receiving Tara's castoff clothing, makes a life defining decision on the eve of Tara's marriage to Raj Singh (Naveen Andrews). Sensing that the Raj desires her, Maya gives herself to him, later telling Tara that it is she who now has a cast off from Maya.
  
  After Tara departs with her husband, Maya's perfidy is revealed to the household by Tara's hunchbacked brother, who, coveting Maya for himself, had spied upon her and saw her in flagrante delicto with the Raj. Ousted by Tara's outraged family, Maya leaves to make her way in the world. She comes across a sculptor, Jai Kumar (Ramon Tikarum), of Raj Singh's royal household and falls in love with him. Unfortunately, timing is everything. By the time Jai realizes that he, too, is in love with her, it is too late, as Maya is now the favorite courtesan of the by now debauched Raj, who is obsessed with her and cannot seem to get her out of his system, much to the dismay of Tara, as well as Jai.
  
  Trained in the arts of love by the graceful and beautiful Rasa Devi (Rekha), Maya, as a royal courtesan, is a sensuous, beautiful sylph. Tara, now the Queen, is insanely jealous of her husband's desire for Maya, but must tolerate it, as must Jai, as it is a culturally accepted way of life. Unfortunately, when the Raj discovers that Maya and Jai are still in love, all hell breaks loose, and the piper must be paid.
  
  This is a wonderful film of a woman's journey to find herself within culturally imposed constraints. It is a tale of the vicissitudes of life that leave imprints on one's journey. Told in the context of carnal love and desire, it also tells of a love sublime. This is essentially a woman's film, sensuous and erotic in its imagery, a veritable sumptuous feast for the senses. While there is some nudity in the film, it is tastefully and beautifully filmed, as well as highly erotic.
  
  Indira Varma, in what is her screen debut, is sensational as the entrancing Maya, imbuing her with an impishness, as well as with a sinuous and provocative sensuality. Sarita Choudry, of "Mississippi Masala" fame, is excellent as the beautiful and exotic Tara, who appears to be relegated to a life of frigidity and jealousy. Rekha, the well known and exquisitely beautiful Indian actress, is hypnotic as Rasa Devi, teacher of the Kama Sutra. Naveen Andrews gives a good performance as the debauched Raj, and Ramon Tikarum is compelling as the conflicted artist. They both, however, take a backseat to the women in the film.
  
  Filmed on location in India, this is a film that should be watched for its sheer beauty. Bravo!
  
  
  

• A tale of love about the art of love

  
  By A37PV5GMP2ILJC on 2004-12-29
  Hotter than "Fire", but without the same depth of emotion and not much of a story line, Kama Sutra comes over as a beautiful art movie, with magnificent scenery, brilliant color, and maximum use of nature, light and texture. Yes, there are also love scenes that are not for the prudish, and some full frontal female nudity and bare backsides, but in essence it is a story of love and loss and debauchery and death.
  
  Indira Varma is captivating as the servant girl Maya, portraying her as young, flirtatious and resilient, while at the same time, regal and vulnerable. Her lovely eyes speak volumes, and there are entire scenes that are conveyed without the need for dialogue.
  
  Sarita Choudhury plays a major supporting role as Tara, the intended bride of Raj Singh (Naveen Andrews). Although a lifelong friend of Maya, she turns on her in a fit of jealousy when the Raj lets his gaze wander to Maya on their very first meeting, and her reaction causes Maya to flee the room in shame.
  
  Seeking revenge, Maya makes a pre-marital visit to the Raj, and gives herself to him in a performance that he never forgets.
  
  She however forgets that people who live in transparent tents shouldn't fool around, and when the night's events are disclosed by Tara's humpbacked peeping tom of a brother, whom Maya has rejected outright as a husband, she has no choice but to leave her home as a fallen woman.
  
  Unlike the popular advertisement however, she is able to get up, and thanks to the artistic skill of a stone carver Jai Kumar (Ramon Tikaram) and the friendship and teaching of Rasa Devi, (Screen legend Rehka) teacher of the Kama Sutra, she finds new confidence and a whole new attitude. She falls for Jai big time, but unfortunately for him, he doesn't react well to unconditional love and chases her straight into the open arms of Raj Singh as his #1 favorite courtesan.
  
  Tara is now living the life of the neglected wife of a debauched husband, and has a disastrous wedding night when he calls her another woman's name. Her unhappiness is aggravated when she discovers Maya lolling off in a hot tub at the palace, and unable to cope with her situation decides on a drastic course of action.
  
  Raj is by now totally obsessed with Maya, and when he discovers that his stone carver friend and his number one girl have not only rekindled the flames, but are busy fanning them when he's not around, he goes berserk, and orders the appropriate punishment for Jai.
  
  To close things off, while Raj has been partying, his kingdom has been falling, and you don't need a fat lady singing to tell you that it's over for him.
  
  Excellent performances by Indira Varma, Sarita Choudhury and Rekha make this movie worthwhile, and the attention to detail by Mira Nair makes for beautiful watching.
  
  Amanda Richards, December 29, 2004
  
  
  

• In the best traditions of "1000 and 1 nights"!

  
  By A689W8L78ZQR5 on 2000-06-13
  This is, indeed, a Tale, a tale for adults... For in the East, it has always been known that adults NEED and enjoy tales no less than any child would.

  This story is about LOVE (of course), true love broken by the society and its "powerful ones". In this case, the powerful one is a Prince, evil yet very sexy Naveen Andrews (Kip in "The English Patient"). The object of his desire is Maya, who is forced to become courtesan, after some unfortunate events. But, Maya was brought up as a princess...

  Indeed, Maya grew up with the evil Prince's future wife-to-be, Tara, so it gets very complicated: Prince has beautiful Tara, but he desires beautiful Maya (they are both so beautiful, why not have them both?...Prince manages to do that for quite some time).

  There is another amazingly beautiful woman in this film, whom I enjoyed seeing on screen once again: famous Indian actress, Rasa Devi, playing Rekha-- older courtesan and Maya's mentor, and what a wonderful mentor she is!

  In short, Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love, is one of the most beautiful and most sensuous films in years. It is entertaining and at the same time philosophical!

  It was nice to see "making love"-scenes, as oppose to random and mostly meaningless sex-scenes that seem to dominate today's cinema.

  I only regret that there wasn't more dancing in this film. I also regret over-using the word "beautiful" in my review:)....but, in this case, it is more than appropriate.
  
  

• WHY LABEL AN ORDINARY SOAP-OPERA "KAMA SUTRA"?

  
  By A1L8HRCM60W0W7 on 2003-09-28
  For one thing, it puzzles me how this westernized view of India -- plush with its dusky women courtesans and its white bread social beliefs -- is associated with "Kama Sutra". A perfectly guessable tale of unrequited love, scorn, and revenge thereof, is packaged with frequent bits of unnecessary sex (call it audience targeting).

  But even if I were to detach myself from exploring the Indianness in this film (the lack thereof, I mean) or its non-chalant labeling as Kama Sutra, in and of itself the movie is still quite an ordinary one.

  The theme, as simpleton as they come -- Maya (a conveniently dark-skinned Indira Verma much in keeping with a western stereotype of Indian nymphs) is reviled by her Prince husband and socially ostracized. She takes refuge under the aegis of an exotic dancer (played convincingly by a superbly controlled Rekha, the only respite amidst all this facade). This dance teacher supposedly coaches our modest protagonist in all the requisite moves and emotional shenanigans involved in inveigling a man.

  Lots of visual eye candy lines this bagatelle (not as much soft porn as some XY-chromosomes among you may wish for), some good costume designs, and an occasionally entertaining soundtrack.Nothing more.

  From a veteran of Mira Nair's cadre, one would perhaps expect more than that -- maybe even a complex story of sexual intrigue and character study. Instead, looks like she fancied unshackling some international mental barriers about eroticism in the oh-so-orthodox Indian society, which ends up being little more than a farce to real Indians. (A trend that she seems to have continued with Monsoon Wedding)

  Come to think of it, the whole plot reeks heavily of another movie, "Dangerous Beauty", which btw is a must-watch, where a Venetian courtesan tackles a similar fate. At least you may run into some honestly intelligent dialogue there.
  
  

• Karma Sutra

  
  By on 1998-07-12
  Those randy viewers expecting a soft core "Skin-a-max" romp will likely be disappointed by this well-meaning story of a love triangle involving a simple servant girl who becomes a rebellious royal courtesan.

  A beautifully atmospheric film with a gorgeous and exotic cast, Kama Sutra comes across as more of an erotic soap opera than anything else. Mira Nair, who also directed "Mississippi Malsala", paces her film with a slow and deliberate burn--much like the passions which ignite between her film's characters.

  While some may find the plot too familiar, I really enjoyed the performance of Indira Varma, playing the lead role of Maya, the servant girl. The beautiful and sexy Varma does a credible job building her character from a naive, young waif into a strong, independent woman.

  This DVD has a moderate number of features like wide and full frame formats, director's commentary, a theatrical trailer, filmography, language selection, and animated interactive menus.

  Although the slow pace of the film may not appeal to some viewers, it offers much in the way of eye candy (both actors and scenery).

  Recommended
  
  

• It's not what you think.......
  By AUVOP8VH2Q2J7 on 2002-07-17
  Everyone sits down to watch this movie thinking it's going to be about sex and they're dissappointed when it isn't a kinky flick. There is some sex in the movie, however, it is about two young girls who are trying to find out who they are in a world where men control everything...even their bodies. As they become young women, they begin to take control of their own lives and take control of which man they choose to be with in life.

  I loved it. I bought it. All of the characters are really beautiful and the few lovemaking scenes that were shown were very intimate and classy. The first time I watched this movie I watched it with my mom and I wasn't totally embarrassed...and we both liked the movie. I say see it for yourself. While you're at it...try and see everything ever made by the director, "Mira Nair"...you will not be dissappointed.
  
  

• Fab erotic tale of love, sex and culture from an exotic land
  By A2FBIF1FKBC193 on 2001-12-20
  Our heroine, Maya, and her lifelong friend, Tara, were born into the Indian caste cuture meaning that little Maya usually got all of the hand me downs from her more upper class friend.

  As a little girl we see Maya's frustration with her lot in life as a lower caste in a very male dominated world, and she declares that someday she will have something all to herself before Tara. Of course that something turns out to be Taras husband, the King, Raj, who seduces and then falls head over heels in love with Maya the night before his wedding.

  A jealous troll of a suiter that was meant for Maya spilled the beans and Maya was found on the street, dishonoured for something she could never have stopped anyway. Our heroine, with the innocent and clear mind of a beutifull child, the body af a woman (you betcha) and smouldering desires and libido of a born courtesan is thrust into a love triangle with no probable good end in sight.

  This is not, by any stetch of the imagination a porno movie since the nude and sex scenes are delicately placed into the movie with purpose and reason to further the plot. The acting is stupendous as is the scenery, costumes etc of the Indian sub continent.

  The quality of the DVD and the sound track are also ezquisite and I would reccommend this movie highly as a treasure of adult entertainment ...
  
  

• Culturally offensive sex movie directed at the uninformed
  By ASVH6OGDRHDSM on 2006-01-06
  What amazes me most about "Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love," is that it is an Indian movie set in the 16th century that has nothing to do with the real India of that time period. Its director Mira Nair is a member of India's elitist, English-educated intelligentsia, who as a matter of fact is trained like them to regard pre-colonial Indian culture with contempt and scorn. In this film, she decided to paint a fictional picture of a medieval India based on one 6th century Indian text on relationships. From this one source, she justifies her portrayal of an "exotic" India with promiscuous women and debauchee kings, apparently with the goal of making money from an uninformed, international audience who want to see sex on the big screen and leave feeling that they've seen a fine film. Somewhere in this story is a plot about alleged double standards in gender relations, sexual mores, and the whole bit vis-a-vis traditional Indian culture, apparently to reinforce the feeling that Kama Sutra is a intelligent, cultural criticism instead of dull, soft pornography.
  
  It would have been nicer if Nair had had the ethics to try and represent the Indian setting more faithfully, rather than weaving a false tapestry of so-called Indian civilization to serve as the background for what is essentially a money-making, sex movie. It is bad enough that the characters are bland and that their actions make absolutely no sense. What is truly shameful is the way in which customs and attitudes are invented by the writers and implicitly passed off as "Indian." For example, there is NO such thing as a "dance of enticement," as Indian dance in general has a spiritual, devotional basis. Of course, Nair would have none of that since movies about Indians worshipping God through dance don't sell. Similarly, Hindu kings did NOT smoke hookas (that was a Muslim custom), which makes it harder to swallow the idea of the drug-addict, debauchee king. The prayers chanted in the Hindu wedding are NOT actual Vedic prayers, but rather poetic verses taken from a devotional composition that was written 100 years after the time period in which this movie was set! Hindu queens did NOT encourage their sons to maintain courtesans and engage in womanizing. Nor could kings become debauched without losing the respect of their ministers and subjects. Sex was NOT seen as casual fun in traditional Hindu society, but rather as an allowance for procreation by married couples. The list goes on and on....
  
  There may be some who might think they know better, wanting to cling to their fantasy of a sexually-liberated India. All I can say to these sadly misinformed people is that I've actually lived in rural India (unlike people of Nair's ilk), and as a scholar of Indian literature I know what I'm talking about. You cannot claim that the India of Vatsyayana's Kama Sutra was the real India when you ignore the bulk of other Sanskrit literature (Mahabharata, Ramayana, Puranas, etc) which tell a very different story.
  
  Nair lacks the honesty to represent Indian culture as it is, because she is too busy trying to weave a story about sexual double standards interwoven with tantalizing sex which ultimately fails to be anything one could be proud of. But then again, truthfulness isn't really the priority; showing nude Indian women as sex objects is. Congratulations Ms Nair for turning back the clock on intercultural understanding and respect for women. I'm sure you've made a lot of money. I just don't know how you can look at yourself in the mirror.
  
  
• From a woman's point of view
  By AO1SRAQXA4IVS on 2004-05-07
  This film's imagery is powerful and sensual...so rich and vivid that it seemed as though I could feel and smell the lush and exotic scenes. Throughout, the film is infused with light-hearted, but nevertheless heated, eroticism informed by female sensibilities. What is most surprising is that it does have a message; one might say that despite being set in 16th century India, it is a modern morality play told more than a little tongue-in-cheek.

  Maya, born into a servant caste, and thereby relegated to a powerless situation in a rigid society, manages with daring, intelligence, and humor to live an authentic life. She acts boldly, at times, to shape her destiny; but she also accepts with equanimity the turns of fate that she cannot control. I think I can say without giving away anything that I love the final scene where, on the metaphorical path of life, she walks serenely out of the chaos and madness created by powerful men into the peace of her own future. Oh, that one might do as well in the madness of the 21st century.
  
  

• My heart is as wide as the sky. . .
  By A3TI452RBTZ66P on 2003-06-02
  I loved this movie for a lot of reasons--cinematography, storyline, etc. However, it's the line at the very end that spoke to my heart. I've started to use it as a guide for my life--

  "Knowing love, I will allow all things to come and go. To be as supple as the wind, and take everything that comes with great courage. Life is right in any case. My heart is as open as the sky."
  
  

• Historical settings, myths, and beauty
  By on 1999-10-18
  I think this movie should be watched not because the words "Kama Sutra" in its title, but because it portrays a certain mentality from a different part of the world. The movie does talk about sexuality, yes; but it also portrays a certain psyche that was prevelant in many eastern (and perhaps western) countries until very recently. Of course if your only desire is to see beautiful Indian people naked, this movie will fulfill that desire as well.
  
  
• An erotic, hypnotic film
  By A8F2AZWB20X1H on 2002-06-02
  Set in 16th century India, "Kama Sutra" is a seductive, sensual story of love, lust, and betrayal. Mira Nair's hauntingly erotic film brings us a low-caste girl named Maya, who functions as both a servant and companion to Tara, who belongs to the Indian nobility. Even as children, although Maya cleans up after Tara and wears Tara's cast-offs, it is Maya whose seductive charm entrances everyone who comes into contact with her; for all her family and financial connections, Tara is really living in Maya's shadow. Tara is destined for great things; she's engaged to be married to the spoiled and dissolute young king Raj Singh, while Maya is trained to be only a courtesan; but Maya knows how to put her training to good use; when Tara is formally introduced to her future husband, it is Maya's hypnotic eyes that bewitch him. But Maya is prepared to go even further than this; for once, she will make Tara know what it feels like to feast on someone's leftovers. Maya seduces Raj Singh on the night before his wedding. By taking such an enormous step, she may become a social outcast, but Raj Singh is hooked; he will keep Tara as his wife, since he has to have a wife, but since Maya is the woman he really wants, he will keep her as his courtesan. It's a mess all around; Tara can't win her husband's love, she's as cold and sexually frigid as Maya is enchanting; but Maya soon becomes disgusted with Raj Singh's dissipation, and at this point she meets her soulmate, the sculptor Jai Kumar. It's a love doomed from the start; the more Maya is repelled by Raj Singh, the more he desires her, and he'll never let her escape. Something has to give, and something does. "Kama Sutra" is not an especially deep movie; it doesn't have a convoluted plot and most of the characters are pretty two-dimensional; but as a straightforward tale of love and lust, it's eminently satisfying. The setting in pre-colonial India with its exotic atmosphere and lavish costumes makes for a stunning eyeful, and the actors play their parts to the hilt. Indira Varma makes a luminous Mayra; her sensuality steams up the screen; and Sarita Choudhury is convincing as Tara, the unloved and jealous wife. The male actors, Naveen Andrews as Raj Singh and Ramon Tikram as Jai Kumar, are good, but they don't stand out as much as the women because their roles are not as compelling; "Kama Sutra" is essentially a women's film, directed by woman and telling a woman's story. It's sultry, sensual, and very much worth seeing.
  
  
• Beauitful, Enchanting India
  By A1R7RSAMR1ST5M on 2003-01-13
  Directed by Mira Nair, the talented force behind the recent Monsoon Wedding, Kama Sutra is an earlier take of her beautiful vision of India. Ms. Nair has a flair for showing her native country with all its loveliness unfurled, entrancing people of all ilk with its endless vistas and melting sunsets. How can we resist her India, with its beguiling glimpses of beautiful women and passionate men as sculpted as the statues that adorn the Hindu temples (often used as incidental scenery). The colors in each frame, from the glinting edges of whirling saris to the flower petals that flow over the steps of the royal residence like a red river, are enchantingly brilliant. They draw the viewer into this Technicolor world without hesitation. With all this beautiful scenery, one wonders why Ms. Nair even bothers to have a plot. Unfortunately, once one is done watching this movie, the question remains unanswered.

  Many people will rent this movie for its title, known for the famous book of sexual positions so widely read by college dorm-goers. But if one is looking for a more visual reenactment of this lovely text, be prepared to be dispassionate. Though the movie is superficially about the life of a courtesan, its sex scenes are carefully choreographed to prohibit any real sensuality from coming out. Though the participants are beautiful, the end result lacks real passion, making these scenes a mere revel in the beauty of human form. Unfortunately, as the plot hinges on these incidental sex scenes, the rest of the movie really doesn't move along. We might care a little for Maya, the film's main figure, but her inability to free herself or her lover from their predicaments makes us wonder why the filmmaker made such a big deal about her supposed independence in the first place.

  If you would like a film to show you an ideal 15th century India abounding with glitter, look no further. If you're looking for a movie with plot, look elsewhere (try Monsoon Wedding on for size).
  
  

• Do not be deceived by the title...
  By A1NYBOPEBZEHZF on 2005-02-21
  Perhaps I would have enjoyed this film better had it been titled differently. No, I didn't rent it hoping it would be softcore porn film. Instead, I was expecting the story to be interwoven with the philosophies behind the original Kama Sutra and the ways these are used by the characters in their relationships. This is strongly hinted at in the trailers and preview for the film, in which Maya says that if she cannot use the Kama Sutra "on the one she loves, she will use it on the one she hates." The film actually reveals very little about the Kama Sutra, despite promises scattered throughout the film. This in itself was a big dissapointment. The film is very erotic and sensual, however, sure to offend some viewers. But what keeps the film from being excellent are two things. First, much of it is painfully obvious though it's trying for subtle, and second, the central conflict (Maya vs. Tara) is never fully explored. A longer film could have given ample time to exploring their conflict as well as developing the two girls' individual stories. It still gets 3 stars however for being absolutely visually sumptuous and conveying enough emotion to the viewer to be affective and, perhaps, remembered.
  
  
• If you like Bollywood movies.....
  By ATAH0T2AWB24Z on 2000-11-11
  I'm not a big fan of Bollywood movies.... I've seen only a couple that I could stand. This movie to me felt like an attempt to create an Indian style melodrama that deals frankly with sex as a tool for feminine empowerment. Mira Nair's intentions are good (she arranged women only screenings in India), but she winds up with a nicely photographed Bollywood movie with sex scenes replacing the musical numbers. Is this a bad thing? It just depends on how much that style of melodrama appeals to you. It doesn't work for me much, but I can go for the sex instead of musical numbers, though. It reminds me of some Bollywood movies (not to mention Hollywood movies) that deal with serious subjects by simplifying it and stripping the issues of it's depth so that it can be easily consumed by the masses.
  
  
• Really Bogus
  By A12WJD4DYSRFKP on 2001-02-25
  Fake studio scenes with vulgar language and beginner modelling type people who seem to purposely speak Hindi with an affected French-Canadian accent. Even the facial expressions and background music sounds remind us of techno clubs. The story is rather poor with more emphasis on prostitution and rape rather than true love-making secrets prescribed in the original Kama Sutra. Don't get it for the name -- it has no connection whatsoever to Kama Sutra. The casts are far from sexy -- maybe rich and ugly enough to woo Mira Nair to give them a role. They hired Rekha (from Utsav) but that boring mama simply fails to uplift the mood of the movie. Mira Nair did a lousy job using a camera with a heavy reddish yellow lens when this movie could never even qualify to be a timeless collection.
  
  
• Entertaining but Not Great
  By A1IL6W1NK05UW9 on 2004-06-09
  This movie, set in 16th century India, is a tragic love story. The movie actually centers around the character Maya (not played by Sarita Choudhury) who grows up as a servant and playmate of Tara (who is played by Sarita Choudhury). Both are somewhat jealous of the other - Maya because she gets Tara's hand me downs and is indeed treated like the servant she is - and Tara because Maya is more beautiful and accomplished than she is. On the night of Tara's wedding to a Raj, Maya slaps Tara during an argument, who gets revenge by sleeping with Maya's husband to be. Needless to say, Maya is driven from the house in shame. Forced into difficult circumstances she becomes the courtesan of Maya's new husband, and takes every opportunity to rub this fact in Maya's face. However, in the meantime she falls in love with a commoner and tries to re-forge a bond of friendship with Tara who quickly discovers being the wife of a Prince is not quite what she imagined it to be. As the tale unfolds, and the Prince finds out of Tara's betrayal, bad things ensue for all involved.

  Overall this movie is a well-told story and the scenery is fantastic. Overall an entertaining if not great movie.
  
  

• Finally got it on DVD
  By A2N0WG487OWFXF on 2006-08-18
  This is one of the greatest, most passionate and tragic love stories out there. Cinematography off the chain, wardrobe impeccable, the female & male leads--classic!!! Sarita is in M. Night's new movie and the king is now on Lost and still devilishly cute!!! Don't get fooled by the title, this is a great "foreign" film....
  
  
• major disappointment
  By on 1999-04-29
  If the women were not so unbelievably gorgeous, this movie would be completely unbearable. It was like a cheap daytime soap set in ancient India complete with wooden actors delivering stilted, awkward lines and a predictable, entirely forgettable plot. But did I mention the chicks are really hot?
  
  
• Erotica for highbrows
  By on 2000-08-15
  The off-kilter narrative results in less dramatic pleasure than one might have hoped for, but "Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love" is probably the closest thing we'll ever have in the cinema to a Bertolucci adaptation of "Beauty's Release." This is an opulent, visually seductive work that features not only sexy set-pieces like the naughty wedding-night or the (blessedly) de rigeur scene of Sapphic reconciliation, but also a great many moments of off-hand erotic lushness; needless to say, this kind of film wouldn't work without attractive extras and an unrelenting spell of sensuousness that afflicts the entire cast, and Nair astutely delivers on these points. This all-enveloping sense of erotic awareness makes for wakeful viewing, especially with the winsome Indira Varma in the lead-- her saucy manner and sexual charisma rival Annette Bening in her earlier, sexier films. Lovely (and hot)!
  
  
• And I Could Have Had A V-8!
  By A260HPXUTLD8VV on 2000-10-27
  If there is one movie that is worse than the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" then this has to be it. A story of a scheming woman who intentionally sleeps with her "best friend's" (Tara) husband on the day of Tara's wedding and then doesn't have the sesne to keep quiet about it in revenge for Tara's crime of being born in a higher caste than she. Maya gets everyhting she deserves as everyone else is left cleaning up the mess that she creeated. One of the central ideas of the film is that if a lady isn't aware of the "Kama Sutra" then she'll never be able to keep a man, which is as silly as cooking bricks. The guru who supposedly teaches this art to her young pupils is so stupid that she can't even seem to tell the difference between love and sex, but is nevertheless portrayed as being a "wise" woman. The scenery is OK, but far outdoes the plot and the acting. Save your money. If you want real porno, try some X-rated stuff, and if you want a better story, try the daytime soap-operas.
  
  
• simply love
  By A1WHQKTOXIE0VF on 2001-03-26
  i loved the movie every bit;it was great;the cast ws great;my favourite being indira verma & ramon tikaram. if anyone who expect a porno movie will be disappointed; its not abt just sex.it;s abt LOVE. sex is taken to a higher level when its shared by 2 people who truly love each other. it has got nothing to do with the kamasutra by vatsyna. its about society's treatment of the underclass and how the women is affected. great movie; indira verma ws simply breath taking in her indian beauty.

  would recommend anyone who is interested in a love story.
  
  

• Kama Sutra Express
  By A1IUREWXDQLC2D on 2004-04-22
  This is, indeed, a Tale, a tale for adults... For in the East, it has always been known that adults NEED and enjoy tales no less than any child would.

  This story is about LOVE (of course), true love broken by the society and its "powerful ones". In this case, the powerful one is a Prince, evil yet very sexy Naveen Andrews (Kip in "The English Patient"). The object of his desire is Maya, who is forced to become courtesan, after some unfortunate events. But, Maya was brought up as a princess...

  Indeed, Maya grew up with the evil Prince's future wife-to-be, Tara, so it gets very complicated: Prince has beautiful Tara, but he desires beautiful Maya (they are both so beautiful, why not have them both?...Prince manages to do that for quite some time).

  There is another amazingly beautiful woman in this film, whom I enjoyed seeing on screen once again: famous Indian actress, Rasa Devi, playing Rekha-- older courtesan and Maya's mentor, and what a wonderful mentor she is!

  In short, Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love, is one of the most beautiful and most sensuous films in years. It is entertaining and at the same time philosophical!

  It was nice to see "making love"-scenes, as oppose to random and mostly meaningless sex-scenes that seem to dominate today's cinema.

  I only regret that there wasn't more dancing in this film. I also regret over-using the word "beautiful" in my review:)....but, in this case, it is more than appropriate.
  (...)
  
  

• Kama Sutra: sensuous eye candy
  By AXFI7TAWD6H6X on 2005-06-30
  "Kama Sutra" is a a beautiful, sensuous film directed by "Monsoon Wedding" and "Vanity Fair" director Mira Nair. The story revolves around Maya (Indira Varma). Maya grows up in a lower caste unlike her best friend Tara (Sarita Chodhury) who is born into a wealthy, privileged family. After being humilated in public by Tara, Maya takes it upon herself by seducing her soon-to-be ex-bestfriend's future husband Raj (Naveen Andrews) on the night of the wedding. When Tara's brother catches the couple in their tent together, he exposes all which leads to Maya going into exile.
  
  Maya meets up with an artist Jai Kumar (Ramon Tikarum). He later introduces her to Rasa Devi (Rekha) who teaches the philosophies of the kama sutra to a group of young women. When Jai initially pushes Maya away when she declares that she is in love with him, Maya turns to Raj and becomes his royal courtesan. This makes Raj's wife and Maya's former best friend Tara insanely jealous and insecure.
  
  I enjoyed this film. I loved the lush scenery and the beautiful costumes. I thought the love scenes were done tastefully and without being explicit for the sake of being explicit. While there wasn't really much of a plot, I still thought the writing was entertaining. One of my favorite scenes was when Maya went with Jai to a brothel dressed up as a man.
  
  After seeing the stunning Indira Varma in "Bride and Prejudice" earlier this year, I have been curious about her film work. I think it is funny that she and Naveen Andrews would later work together in that film after "Kama Sutra". It was real interesting how their relationship in "Kama Sutra" differed (greatly) from their characters' relationship in "Bride and Prejudice".
  
  My only issue with the film is the way that it ended. I do not care for films that leave on an open note. I feel so unsatisfied when films end without any closure but that is probably what Mira Nair wanted. All in all, I liked "Kama Sutra". The entire cast was great. They all put in excellent performances. It wasn't too long, nor was it too short.
  
  
• A Lush, Beautifully, Crafted Movie
  By A2LU1XQU394ZL3 on 2006-02-14
  Don't let it's name fool you - and don't dare mistake this much overlooked gem for just another sex flick. Nothing could be farther from the truth. This movie is not about sex - it is about human interaction and growth. It is about jealousy and ambition and friendship and forgiveness.
  
  This beautifully wrought film by Mira Nair (Vanity Fair) brings to life the colors and sounds of India. The settings and costumes are bright and colorful and gorgeous - and knowing Mira Nair's work, I'm quite sure it's also historically accurate. The dialog is well written and the acting is very nicely done.
  
  This is the story of Maya - a serving girl who becomes caught up in a journey of self discovery. We follow Maya on an evolutionary journey that starts with the act of love (throw in a few lush, but tasteful sex scenes) and ends with the realization of the true meaning of love. And the ensuing story enthralls.
  
  This is art imitating life at it's best. Don't miss out.
  
  
  
• I don't love you enough to hate you.
  By A1GSR7RGCG1QYZ on 2006-04-16
  I believe that I would like to place a moment of blame on this film. Due to the title alone, I was nervous about viewing it with the windows open. Prior to my viewing, I was unaware that it was directed by famed director Mira Nair, and was fully prepared to draw my blinds as I embarked on this film adventure. The title was Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love, what was I to assume. After watching nearly two hours of this film, I was disappointed. I was upset with not only the lack of commitment to the characters, the tired storyline, and the anti-climactic ending, but also due to the lack of sexuality surrounding this film. "Kama Sutra" headlines this feature, but alas, it is not the central focus, and this is where I believe Nair failed us and my moment of blame was born. I would like to make it clear that I did not desire a film of pornography, I knew that this was a "mainstream" film, but I did want something deeper and centered around the art of "Kama Sutra" instead of just another clich? story of rival girlfriends. I realize that I am generalizing the overall theme of this film, but at the core of this movie it was not about the art of sex, but instead the decay of man.
  
  I did not like this film. For several reasons, I felt that Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love was bland, void of emotion, and unoriginal. I understood this film to be considered an adult fairy tale, but alas, I never saw the elements of a fairy tale in this story. Written in part by Nair, I saw this film as her opportunity to demonstrate the power of a woman's sexuality over even the strongest of men. In a very small part she succeeded, but her attempt to build this opportunity failed with her characters. When you make a film centered on love, or the passion of its act, you must hire actors that will give the audience that sensation. The audience must feel the sweat, the energy, the excitement of what is happening on screen or it will fall swiftly into just another Skin-a-Max midnight movie. Sadly, Nair could not accomplish this. When her characters, whether it was Maya, Tara, Raj, or even Jai, were "forced" into the "Kama Sutra" part of the film, it felt scripted and staged. There was no instant passion between these characters, which destroyed, utterly ripped from its roots, any attempt that Nair had to create the theme of sexual independence. Without the fire behind her actor's eyes, the rest of the film fell to the wayside as just your "average" film.
  
  Nair had another opportunity to capture back her audience with this film, but she never took it. Nair could have pulled a Gandhi-esque moment for us by countering the horrible acting with beautiful images of India. Nair could have coupled the beauty of "Kama Sutra" with the beauty of the land, thus creating at least one moment of visual eye-candy for the viewers, but again, she did no such thing. The few moment of fresh scenery that we had seemed like it came from National Geographic stock footage. I realize that she was actually in India, but what concerned me was that I didn't feel like I was in India. Throughout the film I realized that I was sitting on my couch watching bad acting with recycled images of India. I was nowhere close to being swept away by a lavish love story. Wait. This wasn't an original lavish love story. This was nothing more than the clich? story of two friends whom find themselves fighting over the same man with a foreign twist. Perhaps I needed more influx into India's culture or even more back-story on our smaller characters, but nothing took my breath away. The character's lack of passion cheated me, and now Nair's choice of scenery felt just as plastic.
  
  Finally, I would like to say that (without giving anything away); the ending was rather lackluster. Void of emotion to our characters and obvious clich? India images only strengthened the forgettable ending. Again, the title of this film was Kama Sutra, which invokes images of lust and passion, sadly the ending evoked nothing of the sort. There wasn't a care in the world for our characters, so why should we feel impassioned about them in the final climactic moments? I didn't. As I watched this film I felt as if I was on a Disney ride through India. The tracks were in place so my cart couldn't go off the forsaken path, while the robotic characters did what they were supposed to do without any surprises or excitement. The only character (and I hate to go back on this rant again, but it is the central reason this film fell hard) worth enjoying was that of Naveen Andrews, but I think it is because of his Lost connection. By the time the ending finally happened, I was sculpting my own story in rock and hoping that Hollywood would produce it.
  
  Overall, this film did have potential, but by giving it a name like Kama Sutra it over promised and ultimately did not deliver. Again, I would like to make it clear that I was not hoping for a heavily sexual film, but it needed to be a stronger point in the story than just a "quick-cut" or a side quest. Kama Sutra failed because of its characters and their obvious lack of devotion to the story. There were no surprises, there was no excitement, and there was no romance, just clich? plot points that you can see in any film across the fine Earth. Could Nair been more adventurous? This reviewer thinks so. She could have taken us off the beaten path, deeper within the darkness, but instead she glossed over the truth giving us a Kama Sutra that was more pastel than passionate. As you walk by this film in the future, do not be fooled by the title, the contents of the box do not match the visuals it promises!
  
  Grade: ** out of *****
  
  
• Don't even bother to see it. Its not even worth 1 star.
  By on 1998-11-26
  The makers of the movie tried to encash the name KAMA SUTRA. The way the movie is made is so childish, and the picturization of the Indian settings is sickening. Its not even close to the reality. If you are looking for some love lessons, don't even think of watching this movie. Instead of turnig on, the movie, acutally turns you off. My sincere advise, don't even think of wasting your money on this movie.
  
  
• Pretty Good
  By ALFXDRBDSU60J on 1999-12-08
  Kama Sutra:A Tale Of Love is a film that has a wonderful design, from the music to the sets, to the characters. The two leads are beautiful(Indira Varma, and Sarita Choudhury). The problem with this film is that all of the effort was put into the design of the film, and not the plot. The film does have some interesting parts to it, but it is uneven. It is still worth a look. It makes me wonder ... if this film was named "A Tale Of Love", instead of Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love, would this film had made more sense. PLEASE SEE MY OTHER REVIEWS.
  
  
• Exquisite passion at its best
  By AGU2HM94H4240 on 2003-07-10
  This movie was beyond exceptional. It had beautiful people, costumes as well as scenary. I like the fact that it wasn't a stereotypical sex movie that was overdone with lusty and premiscuous sex. It had a great story about love and passion. This movie is definitly in my top 10!
  
  
• A Real Gem
  By A19SY2VD9CTNV8 on 2006-04-29
  Tara, a young woman of a lower social standing finds friendship and companionship with her much wealthier but much dissolusioned friend Maya. When the two become of marrying age, Tara is essentially thrown to the kings brother (think Kwazimoto) as a consolation prize, while Maya is bargained away in an arranged marriage to the King, Raj Singh, who is a man who appreciates only the beautiful things in life. So much so that even on his first viewing of Tara in all her finery, he sees only Maya, the "lowly servant girl." Tara becomes incensed and sends her off.
  
  Maya may be treated as a servant girl, but she is not subservient to anyone including Maya. So the night before Tara and the King are to marry, she loses her virginity to him. Of course, someone sees this, "Kwazimoto", who upset that he cannot have Maya for himself, runs to tell his mother who immediately has Maya thrown out for being a whore.
  
  Well, what's a "whore" to do, but become one. Maya goes out and decides that she will innact a further revenge and become a courteasan to the King, a fact that she holds over Tara's head.
  
  Drama ensues, Maya ends up falling for a handsome sculpture artist, but cannot abandon her "duties." Meanwhile Tara begins to lose her sanity waiting on the king who never loved her in the first place, to love her.
  
  I thought that this film was aesthetically perfect. The backdrop is rich in its color palette, and you really get a sense of the grandeur of palace life. The actors did a wonderful job of portraying the love/hate relationships between each other. Through Maya's character, we are allowed to see that the only one who controls her, is herself. She loves indiscriminately, and it not afraid to go after what she wants despite the consequences.
  
  If you are looking for a good love story, this is it.
  
  

• Monsoon Wedding
• Mississippi Masala
• Bride and Prejudice
• Lie With Me
• Salaam Bombay (Widescreen Special Edition)