Maa Behen story:
Maa Behen is Suresh Triveni's chaotic, dark crime comedy about a dysfunctional mother-daughter trio living in the nosy neighbourhood of Adarsh Colony. Madhuri Dixit portrays Rekha, a quirky single mother whose life spirals out of control when she discovers a corpse in her kitchen. Her two daughters—Jaya (Triptii Dimri), who is responsible, and Sushma (Dharna Durgaa), who is unpredictable—are constantly at odds.
To prevent their nosy neighbours and the local police from discovering the truth behind their ultimate kaand (scandal), the three women are forced to think quickly and lie even faster. This setup leads to a wild, hilarious rollercoaster of panic, bizarre cover-up attempts, and emotional breakdowns.
Maa Behen review:
In the past, Sansani, a popular TV show hosted by Shrivardhan Trivedi, was a staple in many households. His sensationalised delivery of daily local crimes became a meme over time, as well as a narrative device frequently used in popular culture across films and series. What happens when he is once again brought in to narrate a film led by three women who are bad news at a mere glimpse? We get sheer chaos and the fixed gaze of a femme fatale, who becomes an unsafe net in a nosy neighbourhood named Adarsh Colony.
Maa Behen stars Madhuri Dixit as Rekha, a saree-clad woman who prefers sleeveless blouses. Even at her husband's funeral, she wears a sleeveless blouse, which is enough to spark gossip in the neighbourhood. After all, a woman must be judged by what she wears, right? This is precisely what the film, directed by Suresh Triveni and co-written by Pooja Tolani, highlights. The film explores the delicate balance of how a woman is judged, even when she is simply going about her daily life, whether it be sitting at home or tending to her garden. The local gossip even brands Rekha a "witch" who kills men and buries them under her bed of marigold flowers.
In Triveni's debut film, Tumhari Sulu, Vidya Balan's character embraces her sexuality solely through her voice as a radio jockey but faces severe backlash for it. The suggestive calls she receives from men go unchallenged because "that's just what men do," and the world expects her to accept it. Meanwhile, Dixit's character in Maa Behen faces constant vilification simply for being an unabashed widow living life on her own terms.
After pocketing two bottles of whisky from the bar where she works, Rekha arrives home and immediately calls her daughters, Jaya (Dimri) and Sushma (Durga), in a panic. Despite never seeing eye-to-eye, the two sisters must support their mother when she reveals that the lifeless body of their neighbour, Gupta Ji (Ravi Kishan), is lying in her kitchen. The sisters quickly rushed to their mother's home, and after hearing her "unbelievable" story, they decided to dispose of the corpse before the entire neighbourhood found out.
This is the basic premise in Maa Behen, which runs just over two hours. While the film occasionally feels stretched and overly detailed, you eventually realise that this length is necessary; most people still do not understand the scrutiny a woman faces for being there.
We often hear women voice their frustrations by saying "I hate men", but men frequently demonstrate their malice without remorse under the guise of "love", "care", or pure rage. This systemic behaviour has persisted for centuries, but surprisingly, it continues to evolve into more brutal forms, with social media serving as its latest tool. Even the title "Maa Behen" serves as proof of how deeply misogynistic everyday expletives are.
Interestingly, the characters are named after the popular advertising jingle for "Washing Powder Nirma"—evoking the line "sabki pasand"—a product primarily marketed to and used by women.
In the film, the dynamic between the mother and daughters is fraught with tension. Although Rekha has given her daughters complete freedom, they still question her choices and lifestyle due to the wild, long-standing rumours that have followed her for years.
Triveni once again experiments successfully with the film's editing, teaming up with Dipika Kalra to deliver a pulpy, quirky aesthetic. Through the use of slow motion and palpable VFX, they force the audience to cast a critical gaze upon a deeply problematic world. As the narrative unfolds—establishing its core theme within the first hour—you realise that Maa Behen is entirely about perception and the endless receipts the world demands from women for the choices they make in life.
In this oppressive environment, Rekha's attire, professional life, and relationships are microscrutinised by her neighbours, who do not hesitate to barge into her home to intimidate her. Her dingy house, filled with creepy corners and broken furniture, serves as a metaphor for a woman's reality—offering zero comfort. Dixit delivers one of her finest performances here; she makes her character so incredibly believable that you cannot help but root for her, even while knowing she guards an ocean of secrets.
There is hardly a dull moment when Madhuri Dixit is on screen. Known for an impeccable comic timing that cinema has rarely fully explored, she plays this character unapologetically. Her performance evokes shades of her old-woman disguise act from Raja, which released about three decades ago. Dixit hits the exact right notes, proving she can effortlessly balance the weight of a serial killer with the quirks of a comedic femme fatale within the span of a single year.
Triptii Dimri, on the other hand, is an actor who commands a standout solo moment in every film—one that is always worth the wait. Viewed by her all-male in-laws as a mere "roti-making machine", her character realises she has rolled more than a lakh rotis for the family since her marriage. That tedious labour has become her entire identity; she feels lost but is hopeful that she can avoid a life like her mother's. A long, much-needed confrontational scene serves as a brilliant pressure-cooker moment for her character.
What follows is a scene of her eating a chicken dish—defying the quiet docility traditionally "expected" of women. It is deeply relieving to watch her cast off her shyness, capturing a highly relatable truth about how women are often conditioned to live in a state of constant panic. But once hell breaks loose, the tables turn, and it is the men's turn to be afraid.
Meanwhile, Dharna Durgaa gets a brilliant showcase here, delivering a pitch-perfect performance without ever going overboard. Her character, Sushma, is an aspiring social media star willing to go to any length to make it big. There is something genuinely intriguing about this casting choice; the writing avoids stereotyping her as a superficial internet personality, choosing instead to delve deeply into the unique identity she has carved out for herself.
The film directly addresses the hypocrisy of men who believe they are the more "honourable" gender, entitled to meddle with a woman's dignity at will. Nothing terrifies them more than a woman questioning their integrity—yet their fragile egos convince them that their authority can never be destroyed.
Maa Behen is a stark eye-opener tackling a risqué (read: risky) subject that keeps you constantly guessing about how the narrative will unfold. Long after the credits roll, it leaves you wondering how a film with such an unthinkably hard-hitting plot managed to pull off its resolution with so much heart, brilliant casting, and thematic depth.
Tripti Dimri in Maa Behen
Maa Behen verdict:
Maa Behen is a triumph of dark crime comedy that brilliantly subverts patriarchal scrutiny with equal parts wit and wickedness. While the runtime occasionally stretches, Suresh Triveni’s sharp direction and a pulpy aesthetic keep the chaos anchored.
