We all have been waiting with bated breath for Kajol’s new movie Maa. After a gripping trailer that transported us back to the world of Shaitaan, Maa is finally out in theatres. But is it as good as the trailer promised? Read our review of Maa to know.

Maa movie review: The plot

The movie is about Chandarpur, a village in West Bengal, where people sacrifice female babies to annihilate the demon. The story starts with one such killing, and we are immediately taken 40 years ahead. Ambika (Kajol) and her husband Shuvankar (Indraneil Sengupta), who belongs to Chandarpur, have built a little world for themselves with their daughter Shweta (Kherin Sharma), away from the traditions of Chandarpur. But it’s not so easy to run away from demons at home, is it? They are sucked back into the village after trying so hard to stay away from it. Shuvankar’s death takes Ambika and her daughter to Chandarpur, and evil starts to show its face.

According to the villagers, Chandarpur is the place where demon Amsaja was born from the blood of Rakht Beej. They believe the story of Rakht Beej didn’t end when Goddess Kali slaughtered him; rather, it was the beginning of Amsaja. And the only way Amsaja can become powerful is by impregnating the girls of the village. As soon as these girls get their period, they are taken away by Amsaja. But he wants to impregnate one specific girl who comes from a powerful lineage. That girl is Ambika’s daughter, Shweta. When she gets her first period, she is in the village and is soon kidnapped by Amsaja. This film then becomes a mother’s fight to save her daughter. Will Ambika succeed in finding her daughter?

What we didn’t love about Maa

Vishal Furia has made the genre of horror his playground. While we appreciate the way he juxtaposes the social issue of female infanticide with mythology, everything has a saturation point. Maa brings up the same issue in almost the same manner as seen in several films, with a slightly different setting and characters. Even if we move past this and view the movie in isolation, the plot lacks substance. There are many instances where you’ll wonder, “How does this make sense?” or “But what happened to that?” The story has its fair share of problems; there’s so much happening that, sometimes, the details get lost. And there’s no horror in this horror film, it gives no jump scares.

What we loved about Kajol’s movie Maa

Having said that, the movie isn’t a complete fiasco. Even when the writing wavers, the setting, visuals, background score, and performances give Maa steady ground to stand on. The visuals of the movie are quite appealing, especially a sequence when we see Amsaja and Durga Pujo at the same time. The way it awakens fear, faith, and divinity together is quite impressive. Unlike most horror films, the background score isn’t used to scare you, but it actually adds to the scenes.

Coming to the cast, Kajol, as a mother trying to save her daughter, is fierce and powerful like never seen before. Ronit Roy is impressive as the sarpanch of the village and so is Kherin Sharma as a terrified 12-year-old. The rest of the cast, too, keeps you immersed in the story with their performances.

At the heart of it, Kajol’s movie Maa makes us think about what evil really is. Is it outside of us, or is it who we are inside?

Overall, if you love movies like Shaitaan, Pari and Chhorii, this makes for a good one-time watch with its eerie visuals and Kajol’s performance.

Can you watch Maa with your family? Yes, there are no intimate scenes or use of abusive language.

Maa is out now in theatres near you.

Featured Image Source

Related: Panchayat Season 4 Review: The Web Series Feels Desperate To Retain The Fans’ Love