Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love

In 16th-century India, Tara is a princess and Maya is her beautiful servant. They are the best of friends, but jealousy simmers as Maya repeatedly wears Tara's hand-me-down clothes. The social gap foreshadows future conflicts as they approach marriageable age.

Prince Raj is presented to Tara as her betrothed and is instantly drawn to Maya instead. Tara, sensing the shift, spits at Maya and sends her away from the wedding in tears. The act marks the beginning of a deep rivalry between the two women.

Maya and Raj begin a clandestine relationship before the marriage rites are completed, while Biki hides nearby and witnesses the tryst. The betrayal grows as Tara remains unaware of the depth of the bond forming elsewhere. The tension between duty and desire intensifies.

Maya bluntly tells Tara that she wore the princess's used clothes all her life, and now Tara will have something Maya has used. Tara leaves home as a newlywed, recognizing she cannot control the situation. The bond between the two friends fractures irreparably.

On the wedding night, Raj refuses to consummate the marriage and rapes his horrified bride, repeatedly calling her Maya. The act brutalizes Tara and sets a grim tone for their marriage. Despite the assault, Tara still longs for genuine love and tenderness.

Biki proposes marriage to Maya, but she refuses. In a public act, he brands her a whore, forcing her to leave her home. Maya's pride and resolve push her onto a difficult path away from the palace.

Maya wanders and meets Jai Kumar, a stone sculptor who works for Raj. He reveals that Maya has been the inspiration for his highly erotic statues. He takes her to Rasa Devi, a teacher of Kama Sutra, where she begins a new, intense journey of romantic discovery.

Maya's beauty becomes the driving force behind Jai's sculpture, catching Raj's eye. Raj, now king, recognizes Maya in Jai's work and orders her delivery as his new courtesan. Jai must keep their past relationship secret to protect both of them.

A wrestling match pits Jai against Raj, and Jai wins, earning the king's favor but earning a warning that another defeat could bring dire consequences. The victory deepens Jai and Maya's fragile secrecy and complicates loyalties. The power balance shifts in the capital.

The threat of an invading shah inches closer as Raj descends into opium addiction and debauchery. Biki writes a letter to the shah to rid the kingdom of Raj, exposing the widening rift between ruler and people as taxes fall on the poor. The realm teeters on the edge of upheaval.

Maya and Jai rekindle their romance and exchange private wedding vows. Raj catches the lovers and orders Jai to death for his defiance. The personal tragedy intersects with political danger as the shah's shadow grows nearer.

After finding Tara during a suicide attempt, Maya reconciles with her childhood friend. Maya teaches Tara how to seduce the king to help Maya escape to visit Jai, and Tara promises to assist. But Raj's gaze lingers on Tara, reviving humiliation and fear.

Maya visits Jai one last time, telling him she is his forever and cutting off her long hair to symbolize becoming his widow. She pleads with Raj to free Jai, offering total surrender, but Raj stubbornly rejects her plea. The lovers face an inexorable fate.

Just before the execution, a box arrives from the shah containing the severed head of Raj's brother, the grand vizier. Jai is executed by elephant while Maya watches the slaughter. As Shah's soldiers seize the palace, Maya walks away into the distance, marking the end of an era.