BOTTOM LINE
Few New Ideas, Weak Execution
PLATFORM
ZEE5
RUNTIME
135 minutes (8 episodes)
What Is the Show About?
The Khatu family gathers for Dinushet’s last rituals, each with hidden agendas concerning their ancestral home. As young Sayali senses a ghostly presence, the mystery of Dinushet’s death unfolds amidst family arguments. Secrets of Manoj and Shalaka are revealed. Nayana and jewels vanish. Sayali befriends a spirit. Is it too late before Kartik and Madhavi realise the mastermind behind the murders?
Performances
Kishor Kadam is undeniably the show-stealer in Andhar Maya, with his superb screen presence gradually building an element of mystery, even though the writing isn’t always sharp. Among the other actors, Rutuja Bagwe and Shubhangi Bhujbal make an impression within the limitations of their roles. Anup Belwalkar, Shubhankar Tawde, and Omprakash Shinde deliver decent performances. The child artist, Pihu Gosavi, also manages to shine in a few moments.
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Analysis
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Andhar Maya, a Marathi web show, has a premise that could’ve easily been a cliché funeral drama. A tale of parental neglect, a patriarch ridiculed for his passion – female impersonation in theatre – a sudden death, and his children bickering over ancestral property without a trace of remorse for the deceased or the home. However, director Bhimrao Mude reimagines this oft-told tale in the horror space.
Contrary to what the plot might suggest, there’s little room for melodrama. As a horror show, it aims for chills, but it uses the genre intriguingly to convey deeper themes. The familiar elements are in place – an abandoned estate, a mysterious caretaker, jump scares, and backstories rooted in the past. Each character’s true intentions come to the fore gradually, and they meet their end mysteriously.
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Keshav is embarrassed about his father, but won’t sell the property for reasons best known to him. His cousin Nayana remains insecure about her future and is fixated on the jewels her uncle and aunt once wore. Madhav and Shalaka are on the brink of divorce. Kartik is eager to leave the house as soon as possible, while his pregnant wife Madhavi begins to forge a strange bond with the place.
The director initially aims to highlight the insensitivity with which each sibling reacts – a familiar trope in family dramas, where children who move to the city are often portrayed as callous, driven solely by greed. It’s an us-versus-them story, where the hometown is pitted against the allure of greener pastures, nostalgia clashes with pragmatism, and familial bonds are tested by personal ambitions.
Given the genre doesn’t permit the luxury of elaborating the threads too much, the narrative thankfully unfolds in a minimalist fashion. Once the crux of the show is established – that the caretaker Gonya is keen that Dinushet’s descendants don’t leave the home at any cost, and one person after the other dies eerily – the storytelling patterns get repetitive.
While all these subversive ideas are compelling, they don’t always translate onto the screen seamlessly and aren’t as striking visually. The director feels the pinch of providing closure to many characters, but none of them create a lasting impact. The show, without establishing the right atmosphere for the story, rushes to generate fear, relying on traditional horror ideas, with little effect.
The move to opt for 20-minute episodes doesn’t help and never allows it to build strong momentum, even though the ideas are potent. By the final set of episodes, you become quite aware of its trajectory – you smell the twists from a distance, and there’s little joy left in the storytelling. You might take a minute or two to process the ending, but it doesn’t quite stay with (or haunt) you.
Andhar Maya is a horror experiment that only works intermittently. While it’s intriguing on a conceptual level, the execution is far from satisfying.
Music and Other Departments?
Musically, the show doesn’t do much to excite the viewer; Suyash Kelkar and Omkar Pradhan’s background score is strictly functional. In terms of cinematography (by Imran Aalam and Vinayak Jadhav), it is particularly underwhelming, as there is little effort to elevate the material beyond obvious visual choices. The familiar editing patterns and the lacklustre sound design are also a letdown. If anyone in the crew deserves praise, it’s the story writer, Pralhad Kudtarkar, who provides a strong hook for an unconventional horror show.
Highlights?
Unique backdrop for a horror show
The idea to give a new spin to a funeral drama
Kishor Kadam’s performance
Drawbacks?
Technically underwhelming
Loses its momentum after a decent start
Weak screenplay that drowns a strong idea
Did I Enjoy It?
In parts
Will You Recommend It?
Only for the concept and Kishor Kadam’s performance
Andhar Maya Web Series Review by M9
