Official Trailer
Rating: 0/10 | Genre: Comedy, Thriller
Starring: Madhuri Dixit, Triptii Dimri, Ravi Kishan, Dharna Durga, Jatin Sarna
So I just watched Maa Behen and honestly, I’m still not entirely sure what I just saw. The premise is gold though. A woman calls her estranged daughters in the middle of the night because there’s a dead body in her kitchen. That’s the kind of setup that should be hilarious and terrifying at the same time. Dark comedy done right can be incredible. This movie just barely gets there.
Madhuri Dixit plays the mother, and she’s clearly having fun with this. There’s this energy in her performance where you can tell she knows exactly what kind of movie this is. She leans into the absurdity without making it feel ridiculous. Triptii Dimri and the rest of the cast match that tone pretty well too. Nobody’s phoning it in, which matters when you’re trying to pull off something this weird.
The problem is the pacing absolutely kills whatever momentum the movie builds. There are these stretches where nothing happens. Like, you get a genuinely funny scene or a tense moment, and then the movie just sits there for ten minutes while characters exposition dump at each other. I found myself checking my phone a few times, and that’s never a good sign.
The dead body in the kitchen thing is actually brilliantly handled though. The movie doesn’t just use it as a gimmick. There’s real mystery there about whose body it is and how it got there. The daughters don’t know if their mom actually killed someone, if she’s covering for someone else, or if something completely different is going on. That uncertainty is what kept me interested even when the pacing was dragging.
Ravi Kishan shows up and adds a completely different energy to the second half. His character brings actual stakes to the story. Without saying too much, let’s just say the dynamic between him and Madhuri’s character gets weird in the best way possible.
I’m not going to lie though, this movie has some serious structural issues. It feels like it should be tighter. Ninety minutes maybe. Instead it meanders around and loses focus on what actually makes the premise work. Some scenes go on way too long. Other scenes needed more breathing room but got cut short instead.
The dark comedy part works when it works. There are moments that genuinely made me laugh out loud. The thriller part is less consistent. Some of the twists land, some of them feel forced. The final act especially seems like the screenplay got confused about what story it was actually telling.
What surprised me most was how much the movie actually cares about these characters as people. This could have been a one-note dark comedy where the joke is just “look, there’s a dead body and everyone’s being weird about it.” Instead, there’s real stuff going on between these women. There’s history. There’s resentment and love tangled up together. That’s what kept me invested even when the pacing was frustrating me.
Would I recommend this? Yeah, probably. It’s weird and imperfect and the editing could be way better, but there’s something here that’s worth watching. It’s the kind of movie that you’ll probably have opinions about either way. Some people are going to think it’s clever as hell. Others will think it’s a mess. Honestly, it might be both things at the same time.
Have you seen it yet, or are you on the fence about checking it out?
Where to Watch
Streaming availability varies by region. Check your favorite streaming platform to see if this title is available in your country.