Maya

Maya, a girl aged 13, lives with her rich uncle and aunt in the Indian countryside. She has a carefree existence, with her elevenyearold cousin Sanjay she plays outside or pesters the shopkeepers in the village. On the day she starts to menstruate, all that changes. With her aunt, she visits her mother. A prayer ceremony is organised. On the day of the ceremony, Maya is led away to a temple. Cousin Sanyay is very worried. He follows Maya to the temple, where he bangs on a locked door and listens impotently to the desperate screams of his cousin.’What you are now going to see is based on a true story,’ a title card says at the beginning of the film. The rituals referred to are carried out every day all over India, under different names, but always under the guise of a holy initiation.The story could be told in 30 minutes, but the lengthy introduction, the happy childhood and the warm family life, make the message all the harder hitting. The story, devoid of false sentiments, is portrayed powerfully. Above all, the contrast between the feast in the village and the delicate situation of the girl in the temple is beautifully portrayed. The picture of Maya in the temple will remain etched on the viewer’s retina for a long time.