Kajol leads a chilling tale of myth and motherhood in Maa, a supernatural thriller where folklore, family, and fear collide—yet emotional depth remains just out of reach. Arnab Banerjee reviews this latest release.

Starring: Kajol, Ronit Roy, Jitin Gulati, Gopal Singh, Suryasikha Das, Yaani Bharadwaj, Rupakatha Chakraborty, and the excellent Kherin Sharma.

Direction: Vishal Furia

Writers: Ajit Jagatap, Aamil Qian Khan, Saiwyn Quadras

Rating: 2 stars 

Kajol stars in Maa, a 2025 Bollywood horror film that blends mythological themes with supernatural suspense, directed by Vishal Furia. Set in the eerie village of Chanderpur, the film follows a mother’s fierce battle against ancient evil to protect her daughter. Featuring standout performances and visual effects, Maa continues the Shaitaan cinematic universe while offering a fresh take on Indian horror. Despite powerful moments, it struggles to sustain emotional impact. Perfect for fans of Indian mythology, psychological thrillers, and dark family dramas, Maa is a bold but uneven entry in Bollywood's evolving horror genre.

For decades, Indian filmmakers have treated the theme of "Maa" with the reverence usually reserved for temple bells and home-cooked dal. The maternal muse has inspired more scripts than there are grains of sand on Juhu beach—an exaggeration, perhaps, but only just. In a culture where mothers are venerated both on-screen and off—be they divine deities or domestic dynamos—it’s no wonder filmmakers can’t seem to get enough of her.

A Mythic Horror Reimagined

This week’s offering is Maa, a mythological horror film directed by Vishal Furia, which marks Kajol’s spirited debut into the haunted hallways of the horror genre. A continuation in the Shaitaan cinematic universe, Maa is a high-stakes supernatural showdown that explores just how far a mother will go to save her child. Produced by Ajay Devgn, Jyoti Deshpande, Jio Studios, and co-produced by Kumar Mangat Pathak, the film throws everything at the audience—myth, menace, maternal love, and a mansion with more secrets than rooms (and there are thirty rooms, mind you).

The story opens with a seemingly serene Bengali couple—Shubhankar (Indraneil Sengupta) and Ambika (Kajol)—living a postcard-perfect life, where bedtime stories involve Goddess Kali, demons with regenerating blood (hello, Raktabeej), and a lot of wide-eyed tween girls, including their own precocious daughter, Shweta (Kherin Sharma). This is not your average fairytale hour; think Amar Chitra Katha meets The Conjuring.

Twelve-year-old Shweta, who is yet to hit puberty, but has already stumbled onto her family’s dark ancestral legacy, unearths the existence (and now, death) of a grandfather she never knew. Cue road trip to the village of Chanderpur, where Dad’s plans to sell the spooky ancestral haveli are met with narrowed eyes, ominous warnings, and eventually, his own untimely death—because, of course.

The Fierce Transformation of Ambika

What follows is Kajol Unleashed. As Ambika, she strides into the cursed mansion with a steely glint, determined to finish what her husband started. But the house has other plans—complete with shadowy corridors, suspicious villagers, and supernatural shenanigans that would give even the boldest real estate agent pause. Soon, Ambika is knee-deep in blood-soaked family secrets, demonic folklore, and enough metaphors for betrayal to make even Mahabharata seem like a bedtime read.

And yes—eventually, she transforms. Not into a cliché, but into Kali incarnate—fierce, furious, and ferociously protective. With blackened eyes and a rage that could curdle milk, she confronts a malevolent force drawn from Bengali lore: the daitya, a spirit born of blood and revenge. Meanwhile, the villagers—blinded by ritual, superstition, and apparently not a lot of broadband access—stoke the fire of fear.

The Visuals, the VFX, the Void

Genre-wise, if you’re wondering whether this is a horror, a mythological thriller, or an extended Durga Puja-themed fever dream—it’s a bit of all. The VFX throws in the kitchen sink: dark forests, jump scares, contorted faces, and more red lighting than a Coldplay concert. Kajol, armed with three decades of acting muscle, gives it her all—emotionally, physically, and perhaps financially too, considering she’s married to the producer. But despite Kajol’s best efforts—and the VFX’s loud insistence—you never quite find yourself emotionally invested. Not enough, at least, to peel back any metaphorical layers you suspect might be there, lurking like the ghost in the attic, but frankly, don’t care enough to look for. She goes all out as the ferocious protector-Maa, but her performance feels more like a thunderstorm that threatens to rain—and never quite does.

Uneven, but Boldly Attempted

The narrative takes its sweet time to get moving, often meandering like a lost ghost in the haveli’s hallways. The first half tests your patience; the second rewards it—somewhat. At its core, Maa is about a family under siege and a mother-daughter duo who find shelter in both forest and faith.

Directed by Vishal Furia—best known for Chhorii and its sequel—Maa builds on the spooky success of Shaitaan (2024) starring Ajay Devgn and R. Madhavan. This latest chapter expands that universe with a cast that includes Ronit Roy, Jitin Gulati, Gopal Singh, Suryasikha Das, Yaani Bharadwaj, Rupakatha Chakraborty, and the excellent Kherin Sharma.

And yes, mercifully, it’s largely song-free—aside from a couple of background ditties that fade in and out like uninvited ghosts. Bollywood horror without song-and-dance interruptions? Now that’s true innovation.