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Nitya Shetty, Anant Nag, Mita Vasisht, Shilpa Navalkar, Virendra Saxenda ... see more see more... , Nikhil Yaday , Mukesh Bhat , Nikil Yadav

A girl coming of age in India discovers the ugly realities of a woman's legal rights and social status in her village in this drama. Maya (Nitya Shetty) is a bright and enthusiastic 12-year-old girl w... read more read more...ho loves spending time with her cousin and best friend, Sanjay (Nikhil Yaday), and keeps her family -- mother Lakshmi (Mita Vasisht) and father Arun (Anant Nag) -- on their toes. When Maya gets her menstrual period for the first time, she's at once nervous about the changes in her body, and excited about how she's growing into womanhood. Maya has heard about a special prayer ceremony for girls who have begun to develop into adulthood, and feels both eager and honored when Mr. Nair (Virendra Saxenda), the "high priest" who supervises the ceremony, tells her the time for her service has come. However, to her horror Maya learns the true nature of the ceremony when she is held down on a stone slab and violated by Nair and three of his assistants; Arun rages against Nair and his compatriots, but feels powerless to stop them within boundaries of their community. Director Digvijay Singh claims that his film was based on a true story, and that such rituals are still performed on a regular basis in a small number of Indian communities. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Flixster Users

73% liked it

662 ratings

Critics

80% liked it

5 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 46 min.

Directed by: Digvijay Singh

Release Date: April 4, 2002

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DVD Release Date: January 18, 2005

Stats: 40 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (40)

  • joyouskiss
    July 3, 2007
    joyouskiss
    Sick bastards, using religion and a child's first period to rob her of her virginity. Pediphiles in form of priests.
  • godspryncess1228
    October 3, 2006
    godspryncess1228
    This movies is about a ritual that is illegal on India but it's still done in some parts of the country...a ritual that no girl should go through..really sad.

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Critic Reviews

Edward Guthmann
November 22, 2002
Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle

The photography is gorgeous, though, and with Singh's precise, discreet direction, Maya has a devastating impact. Full Review

Liam Lacey
April 16, 2002
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

Striving too hard to make his didactic point, the director arouses skepticism rather than empathy. Full Review

Peter Howell
April 16, 2002
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

Maya disturbs, yet it doesn't enlighten. Full Review

Jeffrey M. Anderson
November 22, 2002
Jeffrey M. Anderson, San Francisco Examiner

Contains such a pile driver gut-punch that it makes Ray's work look like wistful little poems.

Liz Braun
April 16, 2002
Liz Braun, Jam! Movies

Maya, subject matter aside, is wonderfully made. Full Review

Eddie Cockrell
April 16, 2009
Eddie Cockrell, Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Derek Adams
June 24, 2006
Derek Adams, Time Out

Click to read the article Full Review

Rich Cline
April 16, 2002
Rich Cline, Shadows on the Wall

Click to read the article Full Review

Kim Linekin
April 16, 2002
Kim Linekin, eye WEEKLY

Click to read the article Full Review

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