MAYA (1966) CONTINUED
On Friday, January 29, 1965, MAYA had its traditional 'muhurat' (opening shot) ceremony in Mysore, India with the breaking of the coconut. According to the MGM publicity department, the filming of MAYA was a unique partnership between American and Indian film production:
On Friday, January 29, 1965, MAYA had its traditional 'muhurat' (opening shot) ceremony in Mysore, India with the breaking of the coconut. According to the MGM publicity department, the filming of MAYA was a unique partnership between American and Indian film production:
"As the first major American film production to be sponsored by the Ministry of India, MAYA was given full co-operation by the Indian government which put a corps of engineers at the disposal of the location unit. These aided the film-makers in shooting scenes in the virgin jungles and in providing safety for actors in dangerous sequences photographed in tiger country and in crodocile-infested waters.
"Among the locations used in the states of Mysore, Madras and Kerala were the colorful city of Mysore, with its royal palace and monument of the Maharajah of Mysore; Chamarajanagar Station, 35 miles out of the city, where 5,000 natives participated in scenes, the Bazaar at Nanjangud, where hidden cameras and microphones were planted to capture the authentic sounds and sights; the Festival of Holi, an annual celebration observed in every section of India; the magnificent Cauvery Falls, the Msangudi Jungles, and such exotically named locales as Madanulai, Oty, Ootacamond and Mahabala Puram. More than ten tons of equipment were shipped by air, train and truck to Mysore, including a house, prefabricated in Bombay and trucked across India to provide a key set for the film. In addition to photographic equipment, the shipments also included canned American food to supplement the native diet." (From 1966 MGM Press Kit)
