ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, December 22, 1996 TAG: 9612230087
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-13 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: NEW DELHI, INDIA
SOURCE: Associated Press
Centuries after the matter-of-fact sex manual was written, Indians still may not be ready for an explicit film version of their own Kamasutra.
Director Mira Nair says ``The Kamasutra - a Tale of Love'' is a frank, sensitive depiction of sex and sexual politics.
But the Indian Censorship Board says the two-hour film is too titillating and has ordered Nair to ``delete sexuality'' from the movie, The Asian Age newspaper reported last week.
Nair, whose films include ``Salaam Bombay'' and ``Mississippi Masala,'' protested all but one cut in an appeal to the censorship board. She had hoped for a final decision this week, but said Friday it was put off until next week.
``I look forward to their judgment,'' the Indian-born director said. ``I had what I thought was an enlightened hearing. I felt like I was talking to people who had viewed the film in the spirit in which it was made.''
In the fourth century, the Hindu sage Vatsayana was entirely comfortable describing sex and foreplay in tones often more scholarly than erotic in his Kamasutra. But Indian conservatives in the 20th century aren't as permissive.
Last month, organizers of the Miss World pageant were accused of violating national morals when they brought the contest to India. They were forced to move the competition's swimsuit segment to another country.
But the growing middle class is becoming more daring. Recently, local movie directors began allowing actors to kiss on screen.
Still, the Indian movie industry, one of the largest in the world, stays well away from nudity, relying instead on wet saris. Small preview audiences in India were reportedly stunned by the nudity and explicit sex in Nair's movie.
Neither the censors nor the review board have commented on the $7 million production, scheduled to be released in India in April, two months after its U.S. release.
Set in the 11th century, ``The Kamasutra - a Tale of Love'' tells the story of a princess, Tara, and her servant girl, Maya. To avenge years of pent-up anger at the patronizing princess, the beautiful Maya seduces the king as he is about to marry Tara.
Maya is thrown out and takes shelter with Rasa Devi, an aging courtesan, who teaches her about love and lovemaking.
Well-known Indian actress Rekha plays the courtesan, and most of the movie's other lead roles are played by young Indians based in Britain or the United States.
The film was named one of the 10 best of the Toronto film festival earlier this year.
Nair said standard Indian movies show ``a twisted image of woman.
``Sexuality is cloaked in rape and violence.''
Her objective was to counter obscenity by showing ``the many faces of love but in a natural and organic manner,'' she said.
``There is no coquetry and artifice,'' she said. ``I find it condescending to believe that the Indian audience is not ready for the `Kamasutra' movie.''
Not that she didn't expect trouble. During filming in India last year, she called the movie ``Tara and Maya'' and avoided press interviews so as not to raise the suspicions of the government or conservative groups.
LENGTH: Medium: 65 linesby CNB