Kama Sutra

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Kama Sutra

R

Released Feb 28, 1996

1h 54m

Romance

LGBTQ+

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

39%

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18 Reviews

71%

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5,000+ Ratings

In 16th-century India, Princess Tara (Sarita Choudhury) is raised alongside her maid Maya (Indira Varma). The two best friends turn into enemies when Tara becomes engaged to King Raj Singh (Naveen Andrews). Embittered by Tara's sudden poor treatment of her, Maya sleeps with Raj on his wedding night and is expelled from the palace. With her mastery of sexual technique, Maya continues to entice Raj, who is too distracted by hedonistic pursuits to realize his kingdom is in danger.

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Critics Consensus

Kama Sutra refreshingly approaches sensuality from a female perspective, but audiences will be turned off by this romance's silly plotting.

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Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Edward Guthmann

San Francisco Chronicle

Rated: 3/4

Jun 18, 2002

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

The film is lush and voluptuous to regard, but I expected more from Mira Nair, and I was disappointed. She is better than this work.

Rated: 2/4

Jan 1, 2000

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Mira Nair's film fails as a melodrama as well as erotic fantasy; the sexul material had to be toned down due to censorship.

Rated: C

Apr 5, 2011

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Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

"Kama Sutra," while easy to look at, is even easier to laugh at.

Rated: F

Aug 4, 2007

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Michael Dequina

TheMovieReport.com

Rated: 2/5

Jan 3, 2005

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Steve D

Indira is better than the material.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

09/18/23

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Audience Member

Indian sex skills different from Europe

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Wow, Indians make some good movie. Visually beautiful, intense, good acting, good story. Flows well. Just a good movie about love, jealousy, power, gluttony, competition

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

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dustin d

Kama Sutra is lovely to look at, but I had a hard time getting engaged, even though there is a lot of drama. I liked it best when the characters were being over-the-top evil, but none of them ever became anything more than a cardboard cutout. The movie was melodramatic and filled with laughable, contrived dialogue.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Gloriously lensed and seething with erotic Indian mysticism, it is a fairly affecting tale about the tragic afflictions a young woman's amorous beauty brings upon herself and her kingdom.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

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Audience Member

I loved the acting and story line of this all time favorite of mine.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/18/23

Full Review

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Mira Nair

Director

Indira Varma

Maya

Sarita Choudhury

Tara, the Queen

Ramon Tikaram

Jai Kumar

Naveen Andrews

Raj Singh

Rekha

Rasa Devi, teacher of the Kama Sutra

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Synopsis

In 16th-century India, Princess Tara (Sarita Choudhury) is raised alongside her maid Maya (Indira Varma). The two best friends turn into enemies when Tara becomes engaged to King Raj Singh (Naveen Andrews). Embittered by Tara's sudden poor treatment of her, Maya sleeps with Raj on his wedding night and is expelled from the palace. With her mastery of sexual technique, Maya continues to entice Raj, who is too distracted by hedonistic pursuits to realize his kingdom is in danger.

Director: Mira Nair
Producer: Mira Nair, Lydia Dean Pilcher
Screenwriter: Mira Nair, Helena Kriel, Wajida Tabassuh
Production Co: Trimark Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Romance, LGBTQ+
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 28, 1996, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 1, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA): $4.1M
Runtime: 1h 54m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital

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