Maa Review: Kajol's Powerful Performance In This Predictable Story Is A One-Time Watch

I am a sucker for classic B-grade Ramsay horror movies which showcased a group of friends ending up at a haunted haveli where they meet a supernatural entity.

Maa also has similar elements but with a twist!

Based on an imagined Bengali folklore, Maa follows the journey of a mother, played by Kajol, who sets out on a relentless quest to save her daughter. Unfortunately, despite its emotional premise, the film falls flat, bogged down by predictability and a lack of narrative depth.

As someone who truly admires Vishal Furia’s impressive body of work, especially Lapachhapi (later remade as Chhorii) and Forensic, I’ve always appreciated how he taps into the darker corners of human psychology to craft gripping thrillers.

However, with Maa, Furia leans too heavily on AI-generated visuals that not only weaken the film’s horror elements but at times come across as unintentionally comical, distancing the viewer from the intended atmosphere.

Triptii Dimri’s Bulbbul was a better example of a female-oriented horror movie set in Bengali folklore, which had similar elements and even colour palettes.

© Netflix

The screenplay moves with a decent pace and has jump scares, but it keeps wasting characters throughout the story.

For example, Dibyendu Bhattacharya’s character could have been a saviour in the climax, but he was *wasted*

too soon.

(If you have played GTA, you would get this reference.)

Also, I am done with loud and highly dramatic climaxes.

Yes, it worked for me in Shaitaan because there were no flying AI characters on the screen.

The cast performances

Kajol is the main lead of the movie and she has done a wonderful job, assisted by Ronit Roy, Dibyendu, and Indraneil Sengupta, who are all seasoned actors.

© Devgn Films

Kherin Sharma has also performed excellently as Kajol’s daughter.

The sound design

While the music of the movie is not memorable, I would like to appreciate the sound design of Maa, which elevates the horror scenes.

Final verdict

Maa is highly predictable and lacks hardcore horror; it is a fun one-time watch with your family if they liked Shaitaan.

Ratings: 2.5/5