Maya (2001)

Maya is a movie directed by Digvijay Singh. I am not going to review the movie. More information can be found here and here for those who are looking for a review.

I am writing this post to talk about what kind of feelings it generated within me.

It started with a feeling of deep and intense anger. I felt like burning down all temples, maiming and casterating the priests involved in such a ritual. I also felt ashamed to call myself a Hindu. I felt that Hinduism as a religion is based on things that have now lost their context. Like most religions Hinduism is like a building being built on a rotten foundation.

Then came acceptance. We cannot look at situations from the outside and judge them. One cannot loose sight of the context. If you do that then you are as guilty as the ones who you are fighting against. I realised this fight was not with people but belief.

Finally came anger at the stupid way in which the movie has been laid out. How the director uses the worst possible way to shock people without giving any deeper understanding of the issues. There are many questions that the director has left un-answered.

Keeping all this in mind I cannot tell people not to watch this movie. In fact I want to FORCE people to watch this movie. The tragedy is that this is not a 'special' movie. It is the subject that is special. It goes down like a bitter pill which everyone (especially people inclined towards religion) should swallow.
The failing of this movie is that you discuss the movie and the issues it is based on separately. In a well made movie the movie is the issue and the issue is the movie.

Go watch it!