Kajol’s visually appealing Shaitaanic verse – Beyond Bollywood

Writer Saiwyn Quadras and director Vishal Furia add an intriguing fictional layer to ancient Hindu mythology, but a dull screenplay and average performances fail to do justice to the promising plot. However, the high-quality production design, VFX, and cinematography make it visually appealing.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️ ( 2 / 5 )

By Mayur Lookhar

Last year, actor-producer Ajay Devgn teamed up with Panorama Studios and Jio Studios to deliver Shaitaan, a psychological horror film that was well-received by audiences. Shaitaan was the official Hindi adaptation of the Gujarati film Vash (2023). Now, the trio is back with a spin-off titled Maa [2025]. This time, Devgn stays behind the scenes as producer, while his wife Kajol takes the lead. Directed by Chhorii’s Vishal Furia, Maa is based on a story by Saiwyn Quadras, with dialogues by Ameel Keeyan Khan and Ajit Jagtap

Story

Set in Chandarpur, West Bengal, Maa revolves around blind superstition, with the powerful Das Gupta family at the heart of it. Forty years later, Shuvankar (Indraneil Sengupta), the grandson, has distanced himself from his family’s dark past and is now living a peaceful life in Kolkata with his wife Ambika (Kajol) and their 12-year-old daughter Shweta (Kherin Sharma).

For years, the couple has kept their family’s history a secret and never taken their daughter back to Chandarpur. In fact, the villagers have long believed Shuvankar had a son, not a daughter. When the patriarch of the Das Gupta family passes away, Shuvankar returns to Chandarpur—partly out of duty, but mainly to sell the ancestral home. However, fate has other plans. A series of unsettling events forces Ambika to bring Shweta to the village. Soon, a long-buried legend resurfaces—one that not only threatens Shweta’s life, but also endangers other young girls in the village.

Screenplay and direction

Over the years, we’ve seen how Bollywood horror films often carry a feminist undertone. Some approach it with a dose of humour, while Shaitaan took a darker route, condemning patriarchy through psychological horror. Despite the success of horror-comedies, we believe that humour can sometimes undermine the genre’s impact. That’s why Devgn Films and Panorama Studios earn our respect for staying true to the genre. Jio Studios, meanwhile, has invested in both styles — finding success with each. (Stree franchise, Shaitaan). As opposed to Shaitaan, Devgn Films opts for more conventional horror with Maa.

Having largely worked on biopics and true stories, Saiwyn Quadras joins the horror bandwagon with Maa. Though often flawed, Quadras has found success with films like Mary Kom (2014), Neerja (2016), and Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran (2018). So, what’s Quadras’ take on a maiden horror film? He draws inspiration from Hindu mythology and adds a layer of his own. And where else would this story fit better than Bengal — the land of Durga and a culture rich in uniqueness.

The plot is promising, but the shabby, archaic screenplay struggles to hold the viewer’s attention. A regional setting doesn’t mean cultural elements should feel forced, yet both Saiwyn Quadras and director Vishal Furia are partly guilty of that here. A wider gap between the releases of Shaitaan and Maa would have helped, as viewers are likely to experience a sense of déjà vu. In Shaitaan, the mother was also the more protective parent, and here again, the central figure is the mother — reflected in the title Maa. While Shaitaan took aim at patriarchy, Maa targets blind superstition, the immoral practice of human (girl child) sacrifice, and also addresses certain taboos associated with puberty. However, despite its strong messaging, Maa fails to build a compelling narrative beyond that.

Yours truly is fond of old-school horror, which often relied on faith to resolve supernatural conflict. In the past, urban critics were quick to label such content as regressive. While mainstream Bollywood dismissed it as C-grade, they secretly acknowledged the strong recall value of Ramsay films on TV. With cutting-edge technology, the time is ripe for the return of old-school horror narratives — but they still need to be told in a fresh, engaging way. Maa gets the optics and atmosphere right but doesn’t innovate in how it resolves the conflict. Much of the climactic action mirrors that of low-budget mythological TV dramas. Perhaps Vishal Furia and Quadras leaned too heavily on faith to conquer the evil.

It begs the question: what was the motive behind making Maa? Was Kajol, perhaps, yearning for a Shaitaanic verse of  her own? 

Vishal Furia shot to fame with the Marathi horror Lapachhapi (2017), which opened doors for him in Bollywood. He made a decent remake with Chhorii (2021), but the sequel was an absolute disaster. With Maa also disappointing, it doesn’t speak well of Furia as a storyteller.

Acting

Unlike in the past, cinema today gives actresses from earlier generations a second — even third — innings. Kajol was genuinely impressive in the anthology Lust Stories (2022), but many of her recent projects have fallen short. Do Patti, her last release, was a cringe-worthy experience — with Kajol herself partly to blame. In Maa, though she is half-Bengali in real life, she wisely avoids the trap of using a forced accent. And despite the film’s grim tone, she holds back some of her usual excesses — especially her tendency to break into screeches during emotional scenes. Maybe staring into the face of evil really does leave you stunned. Still, while the screenplay lacks spark, so does Kajol’s performance — it feels more academic than emotionally engaging.

Look around, and you’ll see many stars from the ’90s struggling to stay relevant. Sure, some haven’t evolved with the times, but audiences — including longtime fans — now expect a higher standard of acting. That’s why actors like Jaideep Ahlawat, Ranbir Kapoor, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui stand out. Among the women, talents like Wamiqa Gabbi, Sanya Malhotra, and Triptii Dimri are being recognized for their work. No disrespect to Kajol or other ’90s stars — but clearly, the bar has been raised.

Young Kherin Sharma has a fine screen presence but doesn’t leave much of an impact. As is often the case in horror stories, it’s the curiosity of teenagers that unleashes the evil. Maa comes from the makers of Shaitaan, and viewers are still raving about Janki Bodiwala’s stunning performance — both in Shaitaan and the original Vash. We’re not drawing direct comparisons, but it’s clear that Kherin still has a long way to go as an actor. In fact, the same can be said for the other teen girls in Maa who fall victim to the evil force.

Ronit Roy has had a long journey, and over the years, he has largely found his footing in antagonist roles. Bengalis might be better suited to judge his Bengali-accented Hindi, but among the cast, Roy stands out as the most consistent performer. His character, Joydev — the sarpanch of Chandarpur — plays a crucial role in the conflict at the heart of Maa.

Dibyendu Bhattacharjee is over-the-top in his cameo as Bimal, the former head servant of the Das Gupta household. Despite the white hair and beard, he’s unconvincing in his grandfatherly role. Much of the supporting cast also disappoints. We mentioned forced accents earlier — and little-known actor Gopal Singh from Chhattisgarh hams it up in a Bollywood-style Bengali as Bikash, Bimal’s son.

Technical aspects

What consistently works for Maa is its visual appeal, especially the quality production design and art direction by Sheetal Duggal and Pranay Chaure, respectively. Despite the theme of superstition, the local cultural representation—especially the grand sculpted Durga idol—is captured beautifully by Pushkar Singh and his team. With Devgn’s NY VFXWAALA at the helm, Maa draws audiences with its blue-hued atmospherics and striking portrayal of evil—what people in Bengal call Daitto. However, the possessed teenage girls in the supporting cast were let down by poor makeup. Amar Mohile’s background score, though, elevates the overall atmosphere.

Final word

Technical expertise is vital to telling a horror story, but atmosphere and special effects alone don’t carry a film. The dull screenplay and uninspiring performances undermine what could have been a promising plot. The makers, artistes, and crew reveal their feminist intent by proudly using their mothers’ names as middle names in the credits—a gesture we respect. But honestly, how many mothers truly warm up to the idea of horror?

With its visual appeal, Maa may attract audiences who enjoy old-school hauntings and resolutions. The final scene hints at the possibility of a Shaitaan-ic universe, but if that’s the direction they’re heading in, Devgn Films, Panorama Studios, and Jio Studios will need to deliver far better than Maa.

Watch the video review below.