Mayuri Review

Months after 'Chandrakala' starring Hansika Motwani, here we have another spooky affair straight from Kollywood.  There is a difference in the genre thought.  At a time when some directors and producers seem to think that it is safe bet to go for a horror-comedy instead of a full-fledged horror film, debutante Ashwin Saravanan prefers to push the envelope.  'Mayuri' ('Maya' in Tamil) is a spooky thriller that is edge-of-the-seat and authentically horror.

Trust Kollywood directors to have a hero whose creative interests are 'hatke'.  The male lead (Aari) is a cartoonist.  As part of his assignment of sketching cartoons for a horror series being published for a magazine, he faces some strange incidents.  This is an exciting premise.  The film begins with a scene where he is seen narrating a mysterious story around a mental asylum, a dark and gloomy set-up.  This asylum had seen a series of deaths decades ago.

Mayuri (Nayanatara) is a wannabe artiste, who is struggling to make the ends meet. She has a baby to look after.

Having established a distinct premise, the director introduces us to a narration that has more than one layer.  Even in narrating apparently ordinary scenes, he deploys the intriguing power of technique.

Doing away with straightforward scenes, he prefers to keep the scenes accessible only for the discerning (at least at some places).  There is surely a Hollywoodish influence in terms of presenting non-straightforward elements.

If the plot is strong and some of the elements are riveting, the emotions touch the right chord.  Nayanatara, for a change, sheds her glam doll avatar to deliver an intense performance.  Be it in dialogue delivery or emoting, she is authentic and natural. After the much-hyped 'Anamika' avatar that did not work for her, here is the answer.

Narrating a multi-layered story could be an astounding job and Saravanan accomplishes this with ease.  The second half may throw up some questions, but no loose ends are left behind, in retrospect.

Digital Interface (DI) elevates the story-telling; this one is an example of artistically using technique instead of using it for the sake of employing it.

Cinematographer Sathyan Sooriyan matches the demands that the script makes.  He lives up to the challenge and seamlessly compliments the work of  Ron Yohan (BGM).

However, the film is not without its drawbacks.  The legendary 'Ninu veedani needani nene' is here used to convey a positive vibe while the song evokes negative vibes for the Telugu audience.  The story loses its steam in the second half.

Together with a surreal feel, the film works for the discerning.  It's a multiplex fare that caters to those looking for an emotional core in a horror film.  After a point, the audience has to settle for the fact that the aim is not to scare the daylights out of us, but to tell a human story.

Easily, 'Maya' will be a milestone in Nayanthara's career. The young beauty who has almost always donned romantic roles, has emoted her best in this movie. The scene where she comes seeking a role to act, is a standalone classic. For Aari, the role is that of practical man, with a not-so-practical lifestyle. However, he has carried the role well enough. Amzath has performed well in the supporting role. Robo Shankar plays a small role in the film, which makes for the only track on the lighter side.

Verdict: A film with horror and emotions in good proportion.  A technically sound one, the pace slackens in the latter half though.

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