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New Indian Express
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
'Maa' movie review: Kajol's dramatic deity act in loosely assembled horror film
Last month marked the 50th anniversary of the release of Jai Santoshi Maa (1975), a cultural phenomenon which turned theatres into temples. I am not joking. The film was such a craze that villagers reached their nearby towns in bullock carts, took off their slippers at the entrance of the cinema hall and possibly prostrated when Anita Guha, as the titular Santoshi Maa, appeared on screen. It wasn't a sleeper hit, the film managed to score big at the box office in a year of Sholay and Deewar. It even surpassed the latter in collections. Everytime the glowing imagery of Kaali turned up in Maa, the Kajol-headliner supernatural-horror film, I couldn't help but think of some theatre where a viewer might be putting their popcorn aside to fold hands and seek blessings from the deity. It's strange to feel both dread and divinity in such a quick succession. Fear gives in to reverence, a microcosm of how religion operates. There are some questionable plot developments, some VFX which screams VFX but who cares? It's like PK turning the other cheek with Shiva's sticker on it. Objectivity logs out when faith enters the chat. Maa claims to be set in the world of Shaitaan (2024) which made me deduce three things: a girl will have to be saved from the horrors of patriarchy, there will be blaring BGM and we should all wait for a post-credit scene. The film revolves around Ambika (Kajol), her husband Shuvankar (Indraneil Sengupta) and their daughter Shweta (Kherin Sharma). Shuvankar hails from a rajbari-owning family of West Bengal's Chandrapur, a place he and his wife are hush-hush about in front of their curious daughter. A death in the family makes Shuvankar pay a visit to his ancestral house but he predictably doesn't make it back. While dealing with the grief of losing him, Ambika gets a call from Chandrapur's sarpanch Joydev (Ronit Roy) informing her that selling the rajbari was Shuvankar's final wish. Skeptical, Ambika and Shweta soon land in Chandrapur. Regular horror-isms kick in once the narrative shifts to the rajbari. There is a creepy banyan tree in the woods behind. The caretaker's family, which lives in the mansion, gives off strange vibes. We see teenage ghost girls peep at Shweta and often appear on the side of a frame to offer a lousy jump scare. Maa is directed by Vishal Furia, who has previously helmed Chhorii (2021) and Chhorii 2 (2025). He seems to be going over the same themes of patriarchy and female infanticide with this one. Infants cry in the jungle, little girls are offered as a bali, we see Kajol drown under a mob of women, an image similar to what Nushrratt Bharuccha endures in Chhorii 2, a literal representation of how patriarchy makes women pull down women. Maa is what you get if you cross Bulbbul (2020) with a Maddock horror film. Its themes feel dated, explored so often in the Stree films. The build-up is effective, but only in parts. The lore of the film is derived from the indigenous tale of deity Kaali and her battle with the demon Raktbeej but its visual design seems borrowed. The villain looks like if the Night King from Game of Thrones decided to join the Children of the Forest. There are some impressive set-pieces though and two of them involve cars. One is when Shuvankar's vehicle is attacked by a bunch of rogue tree vines (can't explain) and another is when Kajol's Ambika and her daughter Shweta are trapped inside an SUV being zombie-hoarded by over a dozen ghost girls. The film seems constantly in a bid to exhibit its special effects (VFX by Devgn Films) which, although competent, often pops out like a sore thumb in an otherwise lacklustre plot. Maa sets it up decently but then messes up the gameboard stating that it doesn't want to play. Its lore doesn't hold and the plotline is predictable, derivative and often confusing at times. I sighed once the dramatic exchanges on nari shakti and a mother's power began. Kajol was soon levitating with her hair flying in the wind. The villain utters something along the lines of 'you are a mere mortal, woman.' There are only two options. You can either laugh loudly at the silliness unfolding on the screen and invite the ire of the believers in your theatre or you can sit back, relax, crunch on that popcorn, and pray. It will be over soon. 'Maa' Rating 2/5 Directed by: Vishal Furia Written by: Saiwyn Quadras Cast: Kajol, Ronit Roy, Indraneil Sengupta, Kherin Sharma and Dibyendu Bhattacharya
NDTV
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Maa Box Office Collection Day 2: Progress Report On Kajol's Film
New Delhi: Kajol's latest film Maa, a fantasy-horror-mythological thriller, opened in theatres on Friday, June 27, with a solid start at the box office. The Vishal Furia directorial picked up further steam on its first Saturday, earning an impressive Rs 6 crore, as per a report by Sacnilk. With a total runtime of 2 hours and 13 minutes, Maa has now collected Rs 10.65 crore in just two days. Directed by Vishal Furia, known for his genre-mixing work in Chhorii, Chhorii 2, Lapachhapi, and Forensic, the film appears to be setting its sights on its next box office milestone. As per the same report, the film registered an overall 26.38% Hindi occupancy on June 28. While morning shows had a modest turnout of just 9.94%, audience footfall steadily climbed throughout the day. Afternoon shows recorded a 26.87% occupancy, evening shows reached 30.26%, and night shows peaked at an impressive 38.45%. Banked by Ajay Devgn FFilms and Jio Studios, the movie has an emotional yet spiritual storytelling that pays a heartfelt tribute to Maa Kali, the Goddess of powerful feminine power. Written by Ajit Jagtap, Aamil Keeyan Khan, and Saiwyn Quadras, Maa 's plot revolves around the story of a mother (played by Kajol) who transforms into the fierce goddess Kali to battle a demonic curse rooted in fear, blood, and betrayal. In a post on Instagram, film critic Taran Adarsh has also evaluated Maa 's box office performance on the opening day despite strong competition. He penned, "#Maa [#MaaTheFilm] fares better than expected... Pre-release expectations and trade projections had pegged its Day 1 total at a modest Rs 3.50 cr, but the actual figures have surpassed estimates," adding, "Despite a limited release across 1500 screens in #India, #Maa held its own against strong competition - the holdover title #SitaareZameenPar, as well as new releases #Kannappa and the #Hollywood biggie #F1TheMovie... Yet, #Maa managed to draw a respectable number of footfalls." He also talked highly about marketing strategies that is likely to contribute to the film's turnout. "The 'Buy 2 - Get 1' free ticket offer [valid only on Friday] also boosted turnout... That said, the real test begins now - all eyes are on the Saturday and Sunday business," he concluded. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Taran Adarsh (@taranadarsh) The mythological horror thriller also features Yaaneea Bharadwaj, Roopkatha Chakraborty, Surjyasikha Das, Jitin Gulati, Ronit Roy, Indraneil Sengupta and Gopal Singh in key roles.
India Today
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Maa review: Kajol salvages striking but familiar myth-meets-fantasy horror
Kajol, as the powerful mom, battling demonic forces to save her daughter? Now that's the kind of pitch that sounds like it should leave you glued to your seats. And in some ways, 'Maa' really does try. It's visually ambitious, leans heavily into mythology, and finally gives Indian horror a high-gloss makeover. But beneath the myth and fantasy, you'll find a story that has been told before, something that fails to invoke any strong follows quite a predictable arc: an ordinary mother with a child in danger, a cursed past, a mysterious mytho-creature, and then, of course, the divine awakening. The setting makes you want to enter the world, but the horror genre thrives on tension, surprise, jump scares, and some disruption. The plots are guessable and the beats too familiar, taking the edge off what could have been a powerful on a positive note, what really works in this Vishal Furia film is the VFX. From shape-shifting shadows to mythical creatures and haunted houses, 'Maa' is visually striking. There are moments that genuinely feel scary, with frames that look straight out of a dark fantasy graphic novel. If we were to rate this film only on its visual appeal, it would have ranked pretty high. But a horror film can't rely on just how good it What stands out is how Goddess Kaali takes charge in this one, because in recent years, it's been mostly Durga Maa who has been celebrated in celluloid. The use of mythology also adds an interesting page, as the filmmaker pulls in India's spiritual and cultural narratives into the story. Blending folklore with emotions, it also celebrates femininity and motherhood, and Kajol perfectly brings the intensity and gravitas required for the role. You believe her rage, you feel her desperation, and you want to root for her as she treads on the thorn-filled path to save her daughter. As for the director, Vishal Furia might benefit from stepping back and reassessing his creative choices. After watching 'Chhorii', 'Chhorii 2', and now 'Maa', it seems like his storytelling and vision are beginning to blur into one another. Also, given that the story is set against a Bengali backdrop, the makers fall into the usual stereotypical tropes. The authenticity is lost as they maul the language with over-the-top accents and portray traits that are more social media memes than Ronit Roy emerges as a surprise packet, seeing him butcher the language with every dialogue seemed like a personal attack on Bengalis. Just swapping your 'aa' with 'oo' is not the way to go. And this is why Indraneil Sengupta stands out with his impactful performance even in his minuscule role. We often wonder why filmmakers are not giving him more substantial roles. The young Kherin Sharma and Rupkatha Chakraborty also seem promising, while Jitin Gulati is highly wasted in the gesture of crediting the cast and crew alongside their mothers' names was a touching tribute. And the use of Jubin Nautiyal's 'Humnava Mere' to underscore the mother-daughter bond was also quite a masterstroke. The haunting melody not only amplified their relationship but also became a thematic beat for the a cinephile, it's disheartening to realise that we are still stuck in that limbo where horror either goes full melodrama or dabbles in myth without fully committing to the psychological weight of it. However, just like in 'Maa', Kajol, the saviour, manages to salvage the film too, but only just about.- Ends2.5 out of 5 stars for 'Maa'.Trending Reel
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Soha Ali Khan shares adorable moments with Sharmila Tagore, Inaaya: ‘Three generations, invaluable life lessons'
Actor Soha Ali Khan recently had a heartwarming family bonding session with her mother, Sharmila Tagore, and her daughter, Inaaya. Sharing adorable images of the trio, Soha gave a glimpse into their quality time spent under one roof, filled with laughter, love, and cherished memories. Also read: Soha Ali Khan reveals Sharmila Tagore's cancer was detected early: 'It was cut out of her' One image features three generations of the family -- Soha Ali Khan, her mother Sharmila Tagore, and her daughter Inaaya Naumi Kemmu. Soha shared several sweet pictures on Instagram on Tuesday, featuring precious moments spent with her mother, Sharmila Tagore, and daughter Inaaya. The post showcased the bond between three generations of the family. 'This week was family done right ... three generations and invaluable life lessons you can't get from a book #love #laughter #livingslow,' she wrote while sharing the picture. One image features three generations of the family -- Soha Ali Khan, her mother Sharmila Tagore, and her daughter Inaaya Naumi Kemmu. Soha is seen dressed casually and elegantly in a sleeveless indigo kurta with floral motifs. Sitting in the centre is little Inaaya, cradling her adorable fluffy dog in her lap while slightly hiding behind its fur with her playful eyes peeking out. On the right is Sharmila, radiating grace in a cream-coloured suit with yellow floral prints and a matching dupatta. She gently holds Inaaya and the pet. In another adorable moment, Inaaya showers her mom, Soha, with affection, planting a sweet kiss on her cheek, while Sharmila Tagore looks on, beaming with pride and smiling directly at the camera. One image shows Sharmila and her granddaughter reading together. Kunal and Soha's latest projects Soha was most recently seen in Chhorii 2, in which she is seen in the role of an antagonist. The horror film, directed by Vishal Furia, also stars Nushrratt Bharuccha, Gashmeer Mahajani, and Saurabh Goyal in key roles. Produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Vikram Malhotra, and Jack Davis, the film premiered on Prime Video on April 11. Meanwhile, her husband and actor Kunal has been riding high on winning back-to-back awards for his directorial debut, Madgaon Express. The actor-director picked up the Best Debut Director award at the Zee Cine awards ceremony recently. He was also awarded for the best directorial debut at this years IIFA.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Soha shares pictures of 'three generations': Invaluable life lessons you can't get from a book
Picture Credit: Facebook Bollywood actress Soha Ali Khan had a picture-perfect weekend as she spent quality time with "three generations" under one roof, which included her mother Sharmila Tagore along with her and her daughter Inaaya Naumi Kemmu. Soha took to Instagram, where she shared a handful of pictures from her weekend fun with her mother Sharmila and daughter Inaaya. In the first image, the trio are seen posing for the camera with their furry friend. Another image showed Inaaya giving a kiss to her mother as Soha and Sharmila smiled for the camera. A photograph had Sharmila and Inaaya reading as they sat next to a cabinet full of sneakers. "This week was family done right ... three generations and invaluable life lessons you can't get from a book #love #laughter #livingslow," Soha wrote as the caption. On the work front, the 46-year-old actress was recently seen in the horror drama "Chhorii 2," where she played an impactful portrayal of Daasi Maa. Directed by Vishal Furia, the film is a sequel to the 2021 thriller Chhorii. Starring Nushrratt Bharuccha in the lead, the sequel also featured key performances by Gashmeer Mahajani and Saurabh Goyal, among others. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo The film, produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, and Vikram Malhotra, was released on 11 April 2025. On June 23, Soha took to social media to share what helps her kickstart the week with energy and focus. She shared a video of herself working out. For the caption she wrote, "Only this song could help me get the week off to a running start! #mondaymotivation #song #pushyourself." In the clip, Soha could be seen showcasing her flexibility by performing intense exercises. The video begins with the actress working out in her garden before transitioning to a gym, where she continues her fitness routine. The actress often documents her fitness journey by sharing photos and videos on Instagram, giving a glimpse into her dedication to staying healthy and active.
