AllMovie

One upon a time, romantic and physical love were crucial parts of the culture of India. The Kama Sutra, the first book to illustrate the many possibilities of lovemaking, came from India, it's said that India was the first nation where kissing on the mouth became common, and two of the most celebrated Hindu deities, Lord Krishna and Radha, were lovers whose powerful desires were part of their strength. However, modern India has become a repressive culture where public displays of affection are frowned upon, women are prevented from expressing their sexual needs (often on threat of violence), honest depictions of adult relationships are practically unknown in popular culture, sex education is forbidden in schools, spousal abuse is quietly tolerated, and many people don't even consider sex to be an important part of marriage. As Indian filmmaker Q puts it, "a long time ago in India, we understood love and celebrated sex. Now we live in confusion, repression and dichotomy." Q and his girlfriend found themselves puzzled by the puritanical society in which they were conducting a loving and passionate relationship, inspiring the filmmaker to create the documentary Love In India, in which Indians from a variety of walks of life talk about how the nation's repressive attitudes have impacted their lives. Love In India received its world premiere at the 2009 Hot Docs International Film Festival.