Ajay Devgn, known for backing unique and genre-defining cinema, steps into the supernatural realm as the producer of Maa, a groundbreaking mythological horror film set to release on June 27, 2025. The film marks a first-of-its-kind attempt in Indian cinema—blending deep-rooted mythology with the chilling atmospherics of horror.
Directed by Chhorii and Chhorii 2 fame Vishal Furia, Maa stars Kajol, Indraneil Sengupta, Ronit Roy, and Jitin Gulati.
At the film’s trailer launch, Devgn emphasized the untapped power of Indian mythology in horror storytelling.“I realized people are making horror films, horror comedies too—but no one has tried mythological horror. We’ve heard these stories for centuries, yet no one ever attempted it,” said Devgn. “In Hollywood, they create characters even without a solid mythological foundation. But we have our own mythology—and we don’t use it. I thought this was a great idea, so we decided to make it.”
The film’s core is centered on the primal strength of a mother—a figure both divine and human. For Devgn, the casting was self-evident.“The character of the mother was so strong, we couldn’t think of anyone else but Kajol to play her.”
Touching on comparisons with the West, Devgn pointed out the richness of Indian stories.“Hollywood creates mythology. We already have it—thousands of years of it. Yet, we’ve never tapped into that. You don’t need jump scares when your story itself is so powerful.”
As horror as a genre slowly finds its footing in mainstream Indian cinema, Maa might mark a turning point.“Audiences haven’t changed—they just want good films, no matter the genre. I don’t know why no one tried this before, especially not with a big star cast. It’s finally starting to happen. It hasn’t been done for years—but I’ve always felt this is a very strong genre.”