Pallavi, a dance instructor, doting mum and devoted housewife is caught in the eye of a storm after a leaked home video goes viral and she is outed as a lesbian. At once, her mind begins to swim with resurfacing bittersweet memories of a long lost love from her youth, but simultaneously she finds herself ostracized and villified by almost everyone in her highly conservative housing society, with the residents refraining from inviting her to festive rituals, even pulling their children away from her when she offers them sweets! Furthermore, her son Tejas's future in-laws who've come down from the States and who otherwise put on airs of self-righteousness outrightly express their disgust at her 'undignified' and 'scandalous' secret life too.
With Pallavi's overly pious family members running around like headless chickens to 'maintain reputation' and to save face as both the housing society elections and a wedding nears, will she succeed at reclaiming her identity, at breaking free from the shackles of stigma as well as a repressed sense of guilt, and of course, at shutting down the bitter homophobes for good?
Much like its predecessors such as the critically acclaimed 'Aligarh' (2015), 'Maja Ma' once again makes light of the breach of privacy and forced outing that the LGBTQIA+ community can be subjected to time and again, leading to many closeted individuals preferring to stay mum on their sexuality on account of this fear. Another truth that the movie lays bare is the unchecked hatred and homophobia within private Whatsapp groups, and the regressive mentality of individuals (both Indians and privileged NRIs settled abroad) in easily buying into this spread of misinformation on the online sphere. As a media student who identifies as bisexual and who personally loathes such demeaning WhatsApp forwards which only further perpetrate stigma and falsely demonise the community by reducing their sexuality and identity to a mental illness, I found it commendable that a homegrown movie directly scrutinised such derogatory use of social media against the LGBTQIA+ community.
Through the staging of deliberately awkward sequences which depict the self-proclaimed chaste individuals in the Patel household, such as its patriarch (Pallavi's husband Manohar) publicly gloating about virginity and virility even to house guests, 'Maja Ma' reveals the ingrained mentality of men and women alike feeling the need to play up their machismo and femininity respectively, thus leading to extreme levels of insecurity about self, and a harmful as well as altogether outdated fixation with a level of 'perfection' that can only be attained via doing away with same sex love, which is viewed as a glaring imperfection!
The movie also leaves no stone unturned in its visual storytelling/imagery either, with shots of Pallavi framed against a literal open closet/almirah and later finding herself boxed in by her son's Americanized, hypocritical potential mother-in-law who acts jarringly confrontational during a seemingly innocent cable car ride, both impeccably conveying its tone and themes.
'Maja Ma' also needs to be lauded for its sensitivity in addressing topics of choice/consent and calling for acceptance to occur organically, via multiple memorable dialogues and interactions woven into its narrative- particularly those between Pallavi and her daughter Tara, who while 'well-intentioned', still feels entitled to her mum's privacy, thus resorting to performative antics which only reveal an alarming lack of clarity and a saviour complex (A far cry from a counselor/activist welcoming Pallavi to open up in due course, rather than coaxing her unwillingly). The parallels drawn between the forever bickering and competitive Patel siblings, Tara and Tejas further amplifies a severe need for empathy and humanity towards the community- With the former making strides in her efforts as an ally by introducing her mother to the open doors of an inclusive NGO, while on the contrary, the latter tricks his own mother into joining conversion therapy under the pretense of a family outing, thereby curdling a mother-son bond that was initially sweet as curd.
Even its immature comedic interludes are laced with mature social commentary. Yes, even the visual gags and innuendos of a 'gol gappa/puchka' (savoury Indian snack) as a close relative provides the naive Manohar with tips to 'fix' his impotency, that pinpoints towards more underlying issues- One of which is the pertinent need to normalise conversations on 'abnormal' subjects such as sex education, while simultaneously humanising the senior Patel who struggles with his own self-image as he is deemed 'not manly enough' to helm the post of the society president after Pallavi's forced outing.
'The eyes are the windows to the soul' is a phrase that best describes Madhuri Dixit's performance as Pallavi. The veteran actor puts her best foot forward, metaphorically with her expressions in portraying Pallavi's usual joyful nature as well as the genuinely heartbreaking transition to a colourless, conflicted existence as she's hurt most by those closest to her, and later quite literally in the festive musical numbers that showcase Dixit's already exceptional footwork as a dancer, further adding to the character's colourful persona. Rajit Kapur and Sheebha Chaddha seem to be in competition over who can put on the best deliberately cringey faux accent, and to be honest, they both win at it here and excel in bringing out the most cloying aspects of the pearl-clutching NRI culture as Tejas's in-laws Bob and Pam. The chemistry between Ritwik Bhowmik and Barkha Singh (as Tejas-Esha) is yet another highlight. Ninad Kamat and Gajraj Rao are relegated to comic relief and feel heavily under-utilised, but nonetheless a treat to watch onscreen. Lastly, Simone Singh is a breath of fresh air as the free-spirited, endearing and punchy aunt Kanchan who isn't exactly one to mince words when it comes to standing up to prejudice from the wannabe intellectuals/ 'Whatsapp University graduates' either. As her outspoken attitude threatens to spill over, one also feels the need to vent out their frustrations at the screenwriter for even insinuating to an entirely unnecessary, bordering on 'bury your gays' trope with regards to this character's otherwise well-crafted subplot/arc.
On the whole, 'Maja Ma' may not be bereft of its occasional flaws- two of which are its tonal inconsistencies as well as a weak, occasionally contrived screenplay structure that can't be ignored- but floundering technicalities aside, it is a must watch. Although, WhatsApp forward believers can feel free to steer clear of the same, lest they find offense in everything about it!