Horror movies may be slowly becoming common in Hindi cinema, but well-made movies in the genre still remain rare. Rarer even, writer Saiwyn Quadras points out, are scare fests rooted in Indian culture. That’s where Maa comes in. Quadras, who has written the upcoming Kajol-starrer, shares, “Maa is a blend of mythology, horror, and fantasy, which has supernatural elements stemming from our tradition and culture. That has been missing from Hindi films.”

Directed by Vishal Furia, Maa is set in West Bengal and revolves around a mother who goes all out to protect her daughter from an evil force. Quadras says that the idea struck him after he noticed Kajol’s devotion to Durga. “Ajay [Devgn, producer] wanted a horror story for Kajol ma’am, and I didn’t have any in mind. One day, it struck me that during every Durga Puja, Kajol visits the pandals in Mumbai. Durga Maa is the symbol of maternal love. Her love is considered a weakness, but if a mother is pushed to a corner to protect her child, that weakness becomes her strength. That formed the story arc — Maa Durga becoming Maa Kali to protect her child.”

Saiwyn Quadras