Maa

Maa (2025) : Movie Review -

Maa is marketed as a film from the Shaitaan universe, but honestly, it has nothing to do with it. The only connection I can make is that both films revolve around parents saving their daughters. Yes, it has to be a daughter-a female character-because that's how it has been for years in Bollywood's horror genre. Another shared trait is a male antagonist. Maa is essentially an original story that tries to blend mythological themes into a modern horror framework-but with very little logic. We've all heard or read the tale of Rakhtabeej and Kaali Maa. We know that the demon was killed by Kaali Maa. Now, this film tells us he wasn't. Instead, one drop of his blood gave birth to a new demon. Ridiculous. Sorry, but I'm not buying that. The film's basic foundation is flawed, and despite having an original and somewhat intriguing idea, it collapses due to its TV-serial-like execution. Moreover, the Vishal Furia curse continues, post-Chhorri and Chhorri 2. He desperately needs to move beyond the female foeticide trope.

Maa follows Ambika (Kajol) and her daughter, Shweta (Kherin Sharma). Ambika's husband is killed by a tree-dwelling demon called Amsaja. Later, she's asked to visit Chandarpur to sell their ancestral mansion. The demon notices Shweta but must wait until she hits puberty. Meanwhile, Ambika recounts the legend of Rakhtabeej, reborn as Amsaja, who now seeks a daughter from their bloodline. Predictably, Amsaja abducts Shweta after her first period, but this time he's in for a fight-Ambika, the mother, won't let him succeed. Will Ambika defeat the demon?

The screenplay makes Maa a tedious watch, especially in the first half. It takes more than an hour to arrive at anything meaningful. The most interesting segment is the interval block, but that mostly introduces the mythos rather than any real conflict. After yet another boring act, the actual story kicks off in the final quarter as a few secrets unfold. But even they aren't strong enough to reduce the predictability. A tighter screenplay could have elevated this into a solid horror piece. As it stands, it's disjointed and slow almost throughout. Add to that some daily soap-like tropes, a melodramatic background score, and over-the-top aggressive action sequences-and the entire dish falls flat. The final 15 minutes somewhat salvage the film from dipping below average. Logical reasoning is missing, and the pieces fail to fall into place. The linear storytelling takes a dull route, dragged down further by Vishal Furia's thematic repetition from his previous works. In short, this is another Chhorri, only with Kajol and a bigger canvas-haunted by the same mediocrity.

Kajol looks graceful in the beginning, and her character gets a substantial arc towards the climax. We're not accustomed to seeing female characters grow this heroic, but here it works because of one powerful word: MAA. A mother can go to any lengths for her child, and that's what gives Ambika's character conviction. Kajol performs well, though it doesn't touch the heights of her Salaam Venky act. This role leans more toward mass appeal, so the lack of finesse is understandable. Kherin Sharma delivers an immature performance, especially when compared to Janaki Bodiwala, who was stunning in Shaitaan (and even better in Vash). The difference is glaring. Ronit Roy's Bengali dialogues come without subtitles, which is disappointing, though he delivers a punch in the climax. It's a shame to see an actor like Dibyendu Bhattacharya wasted in such a hollow role. Indraneil Sengupta, Gopal Singh, Surjasikha Das, Vibha Rani, Yaneea Bharadwaj, and others merely pass the time.

Maa fails to grasp the essence of effective horror filmmaking. The scares are few and far between, turning it into more of a family drama than a horror experience. Even technically, the film underperforms. The background score lacks bite. The cinematography is strictly average, and the editing isn't sharp either. The few things that work are the art and production design-the atmosphere feels authentic. The real problem lies in storytelling, which leans too heavily on artificial cinematic tools to simulate realistic effects. That contradiction is something Vishal Furia hasn't been able to manage smartly. The best thing about him remains his ability to draw ideas from mythology and history, instead of copy-pasting plots like Shaitaan. However, the recurring issue is his inability to break out of the Lapachhapi zone, even after eight years. That film set high standards for Marathi horror and for Furia himself-standards that he hasn't met since. In fact, with each new attempt, he seems to be sliding downward. The only good part is that Maa has its own identity and a few standout ideas that hint at future potential. But for now, you're left enduring mediocrity-or better yet, just wait for a better film, as we cinegoers have sadly grown accustomed to doing nowadays.

RATING - 4/10*

I recently watched Maa, expecting a touching story about motherhood, emotions, and sacrifice. What I got instead was a confused, melodramatic mess that felt more like a punishment than a film.

From the very first scene, the film struggles to find direction. It tries to be emotional, but ends up being over-the-top, unrealistic, and painfully stretched. What should have been a heartfelt tribute to mothers turns into a shallow and forced tear-jerker.

Storyline - Overdone and Underwritten

The plot is simple but handled poorly. A mother goes through challenges for her child - something we've seen in countless movies.

Instead of offering a fresh take or deeper meaning, the movie uses every emotional cliché in the book.

Characters cry, shout, sacrifice, and suffer - but none of it feels genuine.

There's no depth or connection. The story keeps jumping from one dramatic scene to another with zero build-up.

Acting - Too Much or Too Little

The lead actress clearly tries hard, but most of her performance ends up looking exaggerated.

Supporting actors either overact or feel like they're sleepwalking through their scenes.

Emotional moments don't land because the reactions are either too loud or too fake.

A good emotional film depends on subtlety, but here everything is so loud and dramatic, you feel drained rather than moved.

Direction - Lost and Lazy

The director doesn't seem to trust the audience. Every emotion is spoon-fed.

The camera lingers too long on crying faces, dramatic music plays every 2 minutes, and every situation is pushed to the extreme.

Instead of telling the story naturally, the movie feels like a forced collection of "emotional scenes" stitched together without purpose.

Music - Manipulative, Not Meaningful

Background music is loud, repetitive, and used like a hammer to force emotion out of you.

Instead of enhancing scenes, the music distracts and irritates. Every sad scene is followed by the same type of violin or slow tune.

Editing and Pacing - A Drag

The film feels much longer than it is. There are too many unnecessary scenes and dialogues.

Some scenes could've been 10 seconds but are stretched to 2 minutes just to "look emotional."

By the second half, I was checking the time and hoping it would end soon.

Overall Experience - Emotionally Exhausting for the Wrong Reasons

Maa had potential. A movie about mothers always has room for deep storytelling, soft moments, and inspiring character growth.

But this film chose the loudest, messiest, and most unrealistic path possible.

It's not moving. It's not heartwarming. It's just tiring.

This movie is dull and slow. The story is very basic and doesn't have anything new or exciting. It feels like it was just put together without much thought. The main cast seems to have been picked based on popularity, not actual acting talent.

Kajol, in particular, looks outdated and shows very little range in her acting. In the past, her weak performances were easy to overlook because stronger male actors carried the films. But in this movie, her limitations are very clear.

Surprisingly, the extras and background actors do a much better job. They feel more real and help move the story along more than the leads do. There are also some truly talented actors in the film, but their roles are so small that their skills go to waste.

The pace of the movie is another big issue-it drags on and on. It takes forever for anything meaningful to happen. Overall, this movie is a missed opportunity and a disappointment.

Vishal Furia's "Maa," starring Kajol in her first full-fledged horror outing, attempts to blend mythological horror with a potent tale of a mother's fierce love. While the premise is intriguing, and Kajol delivers a spirited performance, the film struggles to maintain a consistent tone and often falls prey to genre cliches, leaving it more muddled than truly terrifying.

The film's ambition often outweighs its execution. The narrative, while rooted in compelling mythology, becomes predictable. The demon, despite ample screentime, fails to evoke genuine terror, often resembling more of a mid-budget CGI creation than a truly menacing entity. The writing is a significant weakness; despite tackling powerful themes of patriarchy and female strength, the script feels bland and repetitive in parts, losing its grip, particularly in the muddled second half and climax extremely disappointing. Better to watch on ott rather than going theatres.

The film's connection to the "Shaitaan" universe is present but doesn't necessarily elevate "Maa" in a significant way. While it aims for a compelling horror experience with a beating heart of maternal love, the inconsistent pacing, reliance on conventional horror tropes, and a surprisingly weak emotional core prevent "Maa" from reaching its full potential.

Set against a haunting rural Bengal backdrop, Maa tries to blend supernatural horror with social commentary about motherhood and tradition. Kajol gives an intense and committed performance as Ambika, a grieving mother drawn into battle against demonic curses, family secrets, and chilling village rituals. Ronit Roy stands out as Joydev, effectively portraying the film's menacing antagonist.

Unfortunately, despite atmospheric visuals and a promising start, the plot becomes tangled in convoluted mythological details, losing suspense and emotional impact as the movie progresses. Climax twists and dramatic Kali Puja sequences aim for shock value but move far from coherence or originality. The supporting cast is competent, but the film never quite delivers the scares or heart it promises.