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This is a 2001 film from India about about an Indian family generally, and about the daughter, Maya, about thirteen, specifically. For all intents and purposes, this seems like a "normal" upper middle class family. The boy Sanjay and daughter Maya play pranks on a neighbor by throwing rocks at his house, tell the local candy merchant that his goats are loose in the fields, at which point he vacates his shop, they move in the help themselves. Husband is largely the discipline, mother is homemaker.Then something happens. Little Maya has her period, and, according the custom, has moved into womanhood. Apparently, there is much fanfare and ballyhoo surrounding this event. So that family departs, with servant in tow, to another town to partake in a feast and celebration of the momentous occasion.
Once in the new town, we meet one of the holy leaders, a tall, slender, middle age man. We meet the family hosting Maya's family. We meet anothe local boy. They prepare for the celebration. Until this point, the film has been a pleasant film, nothing out of the ordinary, except some beautiful scenery, showing a tender relationship between Maya and her brother. And here comes the spoiler, because it is impossible to discuss the film without discussing the turn of events. And unfortunately, the turn of events are the reason for the film.
Here goes. We see the woman meticulously dressing and primping Maya. We see the guests, all of whom were carefully invited (we previously watched family discussions of whom to invite), sitting in a big circle. We then see four or more men chanting as they lead Maya through a candlelighted entrance into a temple, with what appears to be a plain altar in the middle of the room.
Then we see each of these men systematically have intercourse with little Maya. Actually, we never see any faces. The camera's view is positioned under the altar, as we see Maya's legs hanging down, and man after faceless man moving in front of her to engage in intercourse with her. After each act, the camera pans the neatly folded men's clothes on the floor, telling us how many are yet to come.
The only "male" who is concerned about Maya is her brother Sanjay, who is promptly scolded and beat as he tries to get into the temple to end the activities, and later throws meat on the holy man who led this ritual. As the father explains, the holy man is God reincarnate.
Maya then leaves the temple, clothes and hair unkempt, the perpetrators are well fed, the father almost falling over himself trying to satisfy them, as the holy man explains how blessed Maya is, and how much God loves her.
This is the type of film that discussing the typical blather about directors, actors, etc. is almost beside the point. The film is an attempt to depict what, according to the post-script, happens to an estimated 5,000-15,000 girls in India every year as they are "dedicated" to God. The only creative license I observed was the actual scene where the carnage takes place. I thought that panning the men's clothes accomplished two things - one, how the men are so calm, and practiced in this ritual that they can take the time and effort to fold their clothes so perfectly, as though they have plenty of time, and two, to demonstrate how many more men Maya has to look forward to.
The post-script points that that this practice is illegal in India. However, assuming that the pomp and circumstance in the ritual are accurately depicted, I am not sure how so many girls can undergo such treatment, in the open, and the Indian government not know what takes place. It would seem they are complicit. I have a female college friend from India. I am now curious as to her knowledge of these events, how prevalent they are, etc. Next time I see her, I'll query her.
The film is meant to be disturbing, and it is. It is light entertainment for the first 2/3 of its running length, and then becomes dark. In addition to films being entertainment, tney can help to educate us to another culture, warts and all. And this one shows the warts. I am not sure that there is a need to see this film. But it is well made, well directed in the sense that the director does not apply a heavy hand, and is compelling. Recommended, with the caveats I previously expressed.
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Topic - Maya - jamesgarvin 07:07:44 04/05/07 (0)
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