Imagine a dark, hushed village where ancient stories whisper in the wind. That’s the setting for “Maa,” a new film that stirs up old myths. It’s a tale of a mother’s fierce love, mixed with some spooky local legends. Director Vishal Furia brings us this story, set to hit screens on June 27, 2025.
This movie tries to follow in the footsteps of popular thrillers that blend folklore with frights. Think of films that made you jump, but also made you think. “Maa” has a similar vibe to Furia’s “Chhorii” series, which explored hard truths in villages. But this time, it adds a powerful, almost devil-like creature into the mix. It promises a chilling experience.
Movie Review
Maa
Cast
Kajol, Ronit Roy, Indraneil Sengupta, Jitin Gulati, Kherin Sharma, Gopal Singh and Vibha Rani
Writers
Sivan Quadras, Aamil Khan and Ajit Jagtap
Director
Vishal Furia
Producers
Ajay Devgn, Jyoti Deshpande and Kumar Mangat Pathak
Release
June 27, 2025
Rating
3/5
A Mother’s Fury
The story kicks off decades ago in a made-up village called Chandrapur. Here, a dark practice of sacrificing young girls took place. It’s a sad reminder of how daughters were often treated unfairly. Kajol plays a mother whose own daughter’s path links back to the sacrifice of her aunt.
Photo : YouTube
Those familiar with ancient tales know about the fierce form of Kali. She represents power, needed to balance good and evil. The story of Raktabija, a demon, often comes up in this context. Vishal Furia and his writers, Sivan Quadras, Aamil Khan, and Ajit Jagtap, built their world around these ideas. They explore why Kajol’s character and her daughter return to Chandrapur. We also wonder what happens to the family’s head. The film plays out more like a mystery thriller than a jump-scare horror. You might keep waiting for scares, but they mostly appear closer to the end.
Kajol Carries the Weight
“Maa” works as a mystical thriller. It’s a bit over two hours long. The movie feels like a slow-cooked meal, with the heat turned down low. This means it takes a while to truly get going. Kajol’s face is everywhere on the posters, and for good reason. She truly carries this film on her shoulders. Her acting career continues to get stronger with each movie.
Photo : YouTube
Many actresses, like Vidya Balan, Taapsee Pannu, and Kriti Sanon, have led films with strong female characters. Kajol joined this league with “Teen Patti” and now stands alone with “Maa.” She truly owns the screen here. Her chemistry with Kherin, who plays her daughter, is amazing. However, her scenes with Indraneil Sengupta, who plays her husband, don’t quite click. A mother will do anything to protect her child. Taking on the power of Kali is no big deal for such a mother.
A Strong Supporting Cast
Kajol’s performance in this film is truly award-worthy. Indraneil Sengupta does a decent job with his part. But Ronit Roy really surprises with his portrayal of the village headman; it’s quite memorable. It’s also nice to see Gopal Singh back in a Hindi film after a long time. Vibha Rani’s character is also very powerful. Jitin Gulati’s role, however, could have been more developed.
Photo : YouTube
“Maa” also offers a lesson: when casting for these kinds of stories, it’s better to pick actors whose real-life personas don’t get in the way. If audiences see actors who often change their looks on social media, it’s vital to give them a completely different look in the film. This helps them step into their character fully without any distractions.
Missed Chances
Kajol and Vishal Furia put a lot of effort into “Maa.” But the writing team, Sivan Quadras, Aamil Khan, and Ajit Jagtap, didn’t match that effort. The story elements about Kali and Raktabija could have been stronger. There was no real need to set the film in a specific region, which led to actors speaking in forced accents.
Photo : YouTube
The Director of Photography, Pushkar Singh, and Editor, Sandeep Francis, tried their best to cover these writing flaws. But the biggest lesson here is for producer Ajay Devgn. His graphics company, NY VFXwala, needs new, skilled artists. Maybe they could look for talent from films like “HanuMan.” R P Yadav choreographed some unique action scenes that deserve praise. And the song, written by Pranav Vats and composed by Harsh Upadhyay, truly helps the film. Overall, “Maa” is a decent watch, largely due to Kajol’s powerful performance.