[1] Her close friendships with Satyajit Ray, Louis Malle, Mrinal Sen and other film personalities gave her a unique perspective into Indian cinema and influenced her work.

She is the mother of National Award winning actor Suhasini Mulay and Atul Gurtu the high energy physicist is her son-in-law.

While there, Vijaya realised that the ordinary Britisher was hardly like the English "Burra Saabs" (Great Masters) back in India.

From an interview with Vijaya Mulay on her days in the UK – I had gone to Britain, with an anti-colonial distaste for the British people and with the sole purpose of studying for my degree.

From an interview with Vijaya Mulay – For five years I sat as the presiding officer with other four members from an approved panel that judged Indian and foreign films.

Government of India selected 'The Tidal Bore' as the official entry to the Mannheim Film Festival.

When US loaned India its ATS-6 satellite (ATS-6 had one video and two audio channels) UNICEF hired Vijaya to produce test modules for children in the 6 to 9 age group.

Ek Anek Aur Ekta, the 1974 animation film scripted and directed by Vijaya Mulay and produced by Center for Educational Technology is very popular amongst the many generations of Indians.

The next 3 years, Vijaya worked as the Project Coordinator at the University Grants Commission and was responsible for the program Countrywide Classroom for undergraduates.

Similar experiences of Jean Renoir while making The River, and Roberto Rossellini prompted her to find out what about India excites and motivates the non-Indians, especially the filmmakers.

From Rajahs and Yogis to Gandhi and Beyond: India in International Cinema was released by Seagull books in August 2008 and by the University of Chicago Press[4] the same year.