: After a lifetime of living in Tara’s shadow and facing public humiliation, Maya exacts a calculated revenge by seducing Tara’s bridegroom, King Raj Singh (Naveen Andrews), on their wedding night.

: Cast out of the palace, Maya begins an odyssey that leads her to Jai Kumar (Ramon Tikaram), a royal sculptor, and eventually to Rasa Devi (Rekha), a legendary courtesan who teaches her that the "art of love" is a path to spiritual and personal empowerment.

The story follows two childhood friends, (Indira Varma) and Tara (Sarita Choudhury), who grow up in the same household but in vastly different social tiers—Tara is a princess and Maya is her servant.

The film is widely praised for its "voluptuous" cinematography by Declan Quinn, which won an in 1998. (PDF) Mira Nair's Kama Sutra, A Tale of Love - ResearchGate