Maa (2025 film)
| Maa | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Vishal Furia |
| Screenplay by | Saiwyn Quadras |
| Dialogues by | Aamil Keeyan Khan Ajit Jagtap |
| Story by | Saiwyn Quadras |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Pushkar Singh |
| Edited by | Sandeep Francis |
| Music by |
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Production companies | |
| Distributed by | PVR Inox Pictures Panorama Studios |
Release date |
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Running time | 133 minutes[1] |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
| Box office | est. ₹51.64 crore[2] |
Maa (transl. Mother) is a 2025 Indian Hindi-language mythological horror film directed by Vishal Furia. The film stars Kajol in the title role, alongside Ronit Roy, Indraneil Sengupta, and Kherin Sharma.[3] It is a spinoff to the 2024 film Shaitaan, being set in the same universe.[4] After her husband dies due to a supernatural cause, a mother and her daughter visit his hometown, only to discover a demonic curse that puts their lives at risk.[5]
Maa was released theatrically on 27 June 2025.[6] It received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics who widely praised Kajol’s performance and storyline but had some criticism for the script.[3]
Plot
[edit]![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion with: August 2025. You can help by adding to it. (August 2025) |
Ambika (Kajol), her husband Shubankar (Indraneil Sengupta), and their 12-year-old daughter Shweta (Kherin Sharma) live a content life in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Following the death of Shubankar’s father, he travels to Chandrapur, his ancestral village, to manage the family estate.[7]
Shortly after his arrival, Shubankar dies under mysterious and seemingly supernatural circumstances, caused by a splinter from the roots of a tree near their ancestral house, which embeds in his shoe.[8][9] Grief-stricken, Ambika and Shweta return to Chandrapur to finalize the sale of the property. However, the mysterious disappearance of several young village girls shortly after their first menstruation cycle, including Shweta, forces Ambika to remain and investigate.[10][11]
Ambika discovers that the village is haunted by an ancient curse tied to a blood daitya named Aamsaja. The legend involves human sacrifices, the Kali Puja ritual, and a haunted tree believed to hold malevolent supernatural power.[11][7] As the demon's (Ronit Roy) influence grows, Ambika channels the divine wrath of the goddess Kali, undergoing a spiritual transformation into a fierce matriarchal protector. She confronts the evil force in a final effort to save Shweta and the other missing girls.[12]
Cast
[edit]- Kajol as Ambika
- Ronit Roy as Joydev
- Naveen Sandhu as Young Joydev
- Indraneil Sengupta as Shuvankar
- Kherin Sharma as Shweta, Ambika's daughter
- Jitin Gulati as Sarfaraz
- Jitendra Kumar as Satya
- Gopal Singh as Bikash
- Surjasikha Das as Nandini
- Aashit Chatterjee as Jagdish
- Dibyendu Bhattacharya as Bimal
- Roopkatha Chakraborty as Deepika
- Aayushi Lahiri as Shuvankar's mother
- Faisal Malik as Bhugwa
- Yaaneea Bharadwaj as Young Priestess
- Vibha Rani as Old Priestess
- Nazneen Madan as Reeti
- Ajitabh Sengupta as Broker
- Aaradhya Tiwari as Possessed Girl
- R. Madhavan as Shaitaan (Cameo appearance)
Production
[edit]Principal photography began in January 2024 in Kolkata.[13][14] Filming was completed in May 2025 due to the addition of extra action scenes involving Kajol.[15][16]
The film was officially announced in March 2025 as an expansion of the Shaitaan universe with a motion poster.[17]
Music
[edit]The soundtrack is composed by Harsh Upadhyay, Rocky Khanna and Shiv Malhotra, with lyrics written by Pranav Vatsa and Manoj Muntashir.
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Singer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Humnava" | Manoj Muntashir | Rocky Khanna, Shiv Malhotra | Shreya Ghoshal, Jubin Nautiyal | 3:06 |
| 2. | "Kali Shakti" | Pranav Vatsa | Harsh Upadhyay | Usha Uthup | 2:53 |
| 3. | "Shubhkamnayein" | Kumaar | Sunny Inder | Ravee Mishrra | 4:04 |
Release
[edit]Maa was released in theatres on 27 June 2025 in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Bengali.[18]
Reception
[edit]Box office
[edit]As of 25 July 2025, Maa has grossed ₹45.19 crore in India and ₹6.45 crore in overseas, for a worldwide total of ₹51.64 crore. [2]
Critical response
[edit]On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 15% of 13 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.2/10.[19]
Filme Shilmy gave Maa 4 stars out of 5, calling the film “rich and immersive” and for “challenging what horror can be”. They also praised the performances, specifically Kajol and Ronit Roy, while criticising the pacing and emotional background in the first half.[20]
Bollywood Hungama gave the film 3 stars out of 5, praising the performances while criticising the visual effects, writing and the climax.[21] Sana Farzeen from India Today gave the film 2.5 stars out of 5, praising the visual effects and mythology while feeling the plot was predictable and lacked depth.[22] Shubhra Gupta from Indian Express gave the film 2 stars out of 5, finding the writing bland and the visual effects "nothing new."[23] Saibal Chatterjee from NDTV also gave the film 2 stars out of 5, labelling it a "confused concoction" and "way too unhinged to be earth-shatteringly terrifying."[24]
Rahul Desai from The Hollywood Reporter India felt the villain looked like Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy, and found the film uncomfortable to watch due to its usage of horror to "legitimise the fictions of mythology."[25] Rishabh Suri of Hindustan Times gave 2.5 stars out of 5 and said that "Kajol's film has all the right ingredients. But the makers throw all of it into a cauldron and forget to turn the heat up."[26] Nishad Thaivalappil of News 18 rated 3/5 stars and writes that "As much as the film has tried to show Bengali culture and traditions, it also feels like it’s again bringing to light the kind of mumbo jumbo that’s always been doing the rounds."[27]
Anuj Kumar of The Hindu commented that "Low on chills and thrills, director Vishal Furia’s ‘Chhorii’ template pays diminishing returns in Bengal."[28] Devesh Sharma of Filmfare gave 2.5 stars out of 5 and said that "It falls to Kajol to hold the film together and she does a great job of it. Watch it solely for her performance. She’s given her hundred percent to the project and then some. But even her superlative acting can’t cover up the cracks of a badly written screenplay."[29] Subhash K Jha of News 24 gave 2 stars and writes in his review that "Maa seems like a cry in the dark. It desperately wants to reach out. But has no clue how to do so beyond pandering to predictability. All the tropes and terror tactics are religiously, pun intended, followed. But there is no sense of the unexpected here. It all seems overplanned, over-rehearsed and altogether underwhelming."[30]
Nandini Ramnath of Scroll.in observed that "Maa is a poor showcase of Furia’s feel for the genre. The film neither creates emotional engagement with its characters nor has the technical polish to be a convincing scare-fest. Except for a few scenes, there is a lack of atmospherics needed to carry off a tale of demonic possession."[31] Ganesh Aaglave of Firstpost rated 3.5/5 stars and said that "On the whole, Maa is a gripping mythological horror, which will keep you glued to the big screen."[32] Mayur Sanap of Rediff.com rated 2.5/5 stars and commented that "What keeps the momentum going is Kajol’s fully committed performance that elevates this generic material to a surprising degree of watchability, and without any clear direction to move ahead, this so-called Devil's Universe definitely feels wonky right now."[33]
References
[edit]- ^ "Maa (15)". British Board of Film Classification. 19 June 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
- ^ a b "MAA Box Office: Kajol starrer roars past Rs. 50 crore at the worldwide box office". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
- ^ a b "Maa: Kajol Drops Spooky Poster With Cryptic Note 'From World Of Shaitaan'; Fans Can't Keep Calm". Times Now. 25 May 2025. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
- ^ "Maa trailer: Kajol steps into the 'world of Shaitaan' to fight evil and save her daughter. Watch". The Indian Express. 29 May 2025. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
- ^ "Maa trailer out: Kajol transforms into Kaali to end a demonic curse". India Today. 29 May 2025. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
- ^ PTI (10 March 2025). "Kajol to star in horror film 'Maa', release date announced". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
- ^ a b https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/film-news/kajol-to-play-a-mother-in-supernatural-thriller-set-in-bengal-13206592.html
- ^ https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bengali/movies/news/kajol-to-star-in-supernatural-thriller-based-in-west-bengal/articleshow/107070211.cms
- ^ https://harmonictimes.com/kajol-returns-in-new-horror-film-set-in-bengal/
- ^ https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/bollywood/story/kajol-headlines-horror-thriller-set-in-bengal-to-play-mother-of-missing-girl-2480787-2024-05-13
- ^ a b https://www.zoomtventertainment.com/bollywood/kajol-plays-mother-to-missing-child-in-supernatural-thriller-set-in-west-bengal-article-100341250
- ^ https://boxofficeworldwide.com/movies-latest-news/kajol-transforms-into-goddess-kali-to-fight-evil-in-upcoming-thriller/
- ^ "Kajol and Ronit to shoot for horror film in Kolkata". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
- ^ "Kajol ventures into uncharted territory with her first-ever horror film; details inside". OTTPlay. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
- ^ "Kajol To Wrap Up Shoot For Horror Film Maa Soon - Exclusive Details Inside". Times Now. 16 May 2024. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
- ^ "Ajay Devgn suggests extra action for Kajol-starrer Maa, new scenes to be shot in November: Report : Bollywood News". Bollywood Hungama. 31 October 2024. Archived from the original on 12 November 2024. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
- ^ Hungama, Bollywood (26 May 2025). "Kajol unveils fierce look in Maa motion poster; trailer to drop on May 30 : Bollywood News - Bollywood Hungama". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
- ^ PTI (10 March 2025). "Kajol to star in horror film 'Maa', release date announced". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
- ^ "Maa (2025)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
- ^ Radia, Anuj (27 June 2025). "Maa Review: Kajol Anchors a Spiritually Empowering Horror That Reveres More Than It Haunts". Filme Shilmy. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ "Maa Movie Review: MAA is a one of a kind mythological horror film". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ Farzeen, Sana. "Maa review: Kajol salvages striking but familiar myth-meets-fantasy horror". India Today. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ Gupta, Shubhra. "Maa movie review: Kajol's well-intentioned film keeps first half loose, second half muddled". The Indian Express. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ Chatterjee, Saibal. "Maa Review: Kajol Show All The Way But Film Falls Flat". NDTV. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ Desai, Rahul. "'Maa' Movie Review: Horror is a Myth in this Kajol-Starrer". The Hollywood Reporter India. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ Suri, Rishabh. "Maa movie review: Kajol's film takes it's time- and yours -- but forgets to bring the horror in this mythological drama". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ Thaivalappil, Nishad. "Maa Movie Review: Only Kajol Shines In This Mythological Horror Fantasy". News 18. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ Kumar, Anuj. "'Maa' movie review: Kajol cuts to the chase in this ho-hum horror drama". The Hindu. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ Sharma, Devesh. "Maa Movie Review: Kajol's Great, But…". Filmfare. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ Subhash K, Jha. "Maa Review: Kajol Cannot Rescue This Fatigued Fear Fest Of A Mom On A Rescue Mission". News 24. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ Ramnath, Nandini. "'Maa' review: A feeble and dull battle between mothers and monsters". Scroll.in. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ Aaglave, Ganesh. "Maa movie review: Kajol shines as fierce protective mother in Vishal Furia's thrilling mythological horror". Scroll.in. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
- ^ Sanap, Mayur. "Maa Review: Kajol Makes It Worthwhile". Rediff.com. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
External links
[edit]- Maa at IMDb
- Maa at Bollywood Hungama
- Maa at Rotten Tomatoes