
Kajol set for battle against evil in mythological horror 'Maa'
The makers of Kajol's upcoming mythological horror Maa unveiled the first look of the film on Monday.
The movie will be in theatres on June 27. In it, she will be sharing screen space with Ronit Roy, Indraneil Sengupta and Kherin Sharma.
The movie is directed by Vishal Furia and written by Saiwyn Quadras.
In the first-look motion poster of Maa, Kajol's character is seen holding her daughter in a protective hug. The actress's face and hands are covered with cuts and wounds.
The background suggests a fight between good and evil.
While sharing the first-look poster, Kajol wrote, "Hell is here... so is the Goddess! Battle begins on 27th June 2025, in cinemas near you."
The mythological horror will be released in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali languages.
Kajol was last seen in Do Patti. It was directed by debutant Shashanka Chaturvedi and written by Kanika Dhillon.

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Khaleej Times
2 days ago
- Khaleej Times
'I have telepathy, my kids know it': Kajol talks 'Maa,' motherhood, and playing fierce
In a career spanning three decades, Kajol has played everything from fiery romantics to fierce matriarchs. But in Maa, her latest theatrical release, out June 27 in the UAE, she steps into an entirely new realm — that of a mother entangled in the supernatural. Equal parts emotional drama and mythological horror, the film is a powerful study of motherhood and what it takes to protect the ones you love. Speaking over Zoom ahead of the release, Kajol was her usual mix of honesty and humour — candid, thoughtful, and refreshingly unscripted. 'I'm super proud, super excited,' she said with a smile. 'We've worked very hard on this film. And Maa — that word — it's universal. Across every language, every culture, the feeling is the same: a mother's instinct to protect her child, no matter what.' Directed by Vishal Furia (Chhorii) and produced by the team behind Shaitaan, the film follows Kajol as Devika — a mother pushed to the brink, who finds herself confronting dark forces in a fight to protect her child. The film exists within the extended universe of Shaitaan (led by Kajol's husband Ajay Devgn) but tells a standalone story. Understanding motherhood To unpack the emotional terrain of Maa, I threw a few loaded words her way — words like 'sacrifice,' 'guilt,' and 'unconditional love' — and asked her to respond instinctively. 'Guilt? Always there,' she said instantly, before adding with a chuckle, 'Letting go? I have paragraphs on that!' But it was 'sacrifice' that resonated most deeply with both Kajol and her character. 'That's the basis of the film. You have to sacrifice so much to protect your child," she said. "Your insecurities, your fear — you let all of that go because for your child, you are a goddess. She looks at you for everything.' And while Kajol has always worn the badge of motherhood with grace, she's honest about the fact that even now, these ideas — sacrifice, guilt, fear — still challenge her. 'It's not just about being a mother, but a parent,' she said. 'Most parents want to be better people for their children. And I find that amazing.' Kajol credits her own mother, the legendary Tanuja, for instilling discipline — something she's carried into her parenting style. But she's also acutely aware of how times have changed. 'My mother could just send me downstairs to play and not worry. Today, I can't do that with my kids,' she said. 'It's a different world — and when you're in the public eye, that adds another layer. Everyone knows what your kids look like. There's no anonymity, and there's definitely no going to the stream and coming back in two hours like we did in Lonavala!' Still, when asked what she hopes her children take away from Maa, her answer is playfully fierce: 'I've played the mother goddess in their life for a long time — nothing in the film would surprise them. Not my protectiveness, not my supernatural powers. I have telepathy. They know it. I've proved it to them time and again.' A new genre, a familiar instinct Maa also marks Kajol's first horror film — a genre she's steered clear of both on-screen and off. 'I don't watch horror, I am not a big fan,' she admitted. 'But I didn't realise how physically demanding it would be. There's no chilling on set when everything is pitched at a certain emotional level.' One sequence that particularly stayed with her was the intense song Kali Shakti, which was released recently. 'It's not just about dancing — it's about desperation. You're crying, there's a storm fan blowing, there are cables, action sequences… it all comes together emotionally and physically.' When I asked if she ever draws from real-life trauma to reach such emotional peaks, she was clear: 'I just surrender to the character. Most of these experiences, thankfully, I've never had — and God forbid I ever do.' Even so, she confessed that there are places where she's felt an inexplicable discomfort — that eerie 'bad vibe' we've all felt at some point. 'I've stayed in hundreds of hotels, and never looked under the bed,' she laughed. 'But some places? You just know something bad happened there. Everyone's uneasy, and you want to leave.' After intense shoot days, Kajol resets by cutting off from 'the entire species.' She's only half-joking. 'I need solo time. Just me, my kids, and food that doesn't require me to speak. We communicate in sign language,' she said with a grin. But what truly impressed her was discovering what she was capable of. 'Let me boast a bit — I was proud of myself! I stood up to the challenge," she said, visibly impressed by herself. "Whether it was the action, the emotion, or the song — I did it all. And I enjoyed it.' Comebacks and competition Maa also marks Kajol's return to a full-fledged theatrical release after years of OTT exclusives. And it comes just a week after Aamir Khan's own comeback film — a coincidence she finds amusing. 'Aamir and I have had the same number of comebacks,' she laughed. 'I need to ask him if I've had more or he has!' But box office battles aren't something that stress her anymore. 'His film is completely different. And he's a brilliant man," she said. "I truly believe there are more than enough people to go around. I hope both films do well.' With Maa, Kajol returns to the big screen with a role that feels both rooted and reinvigorated. It's a performance shaped by lived experience, emotional instinct, and a willingness to explore new territory — not just as an actor stepping into horror for the first time, but as a storyteller willing to confront the complexities of modern motherhood. In a film that blurs the line between myth and reality, she stays firmly, unmistakably human. 'That we know all the answers,' she said with little introspection. 'We really don't.'


Khaleej Times
12-06-2025
- Khaleej Times
Kajol praises husband Ajay Devgn for being a 'hands-on' producer
Bollywood actor-couple Kajol and Ajay Devgn have worked together in multiple projects such as Ishq Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, Dil Kya Kare Kare, and Tanhaji. And now with the upcoming film Maa, the husband and wife are again all set to entertain the audience. This time, the couple don't share screen space but were deeply involved in making the film. In an interview with ANI, Kajol opened up about collaborating with Devgn on Maa, describing him as "a hands-on producer". "... From script to music and VFX, he has given a lot of attention to every part of this film. I think VFX is a huge part of the film. And, as they say, shooting VFX is a different game... so he has given a lot of detail...," Kajol said. Directed by Vishal Furia, Maa marks Kajol's return to the big screen after a three-year hiatus with Salaam Venky. "...Every actor has to reinvent himself/herself with time. I had never thought I would do a horror film, but here we are. I am extremely proud of this film," she said. "I love our Indian mythology. We have so many stories. So, I think it was one of my favourite stories." Presented by Jio Studios and Devgn Films, Maa will hit the theatres on June 27.


Gulf Today
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- Gulf Today
Bollywood star Deepika Padukone talks about how badminton shaped her life
As her Padukone School of Badminton aims to 75 Centres in a year, actress Deepika Padukone talked about how the sport has shaped her life as she grew up playing the sport. Deepika took to Instagram, where she shared a picture posing with her father Prakash Padukone, a former star badminton player. She wrote: 'As someone who grew up playing badminton, I've experienced firsthand how much this sport can shape one's life — physically, mentally, and emotionally.' The star also shared a note about how the Padukone School of Badminton expands to 75 centres in a year. She added: 'Through Padukone School of Badminton(PSB), we hope to bring the joy and discipline of Badminton to people from all walks of life, and build a generation that is healthier, more focused, and inspired by sport.' The press note read: 'The Padukone School of Badminton (PSB), founded and funded by Deepika Padukone and mentored by former World No. 1 and All England Champion Prakash Padukone, has achieved a significant milestone by establishing over 75 grassroots coaching centres across 18 Indian cities-including Bengaluru, NCR, Mumbai, Chennai, Jaipur, Pune, Nashik, Mysuru, Panipat, Dehradun, Udaipur, Coimbatore, Sangli, and Surat-within its first year of operations.' With its mission of 'Badminton for All,' PSB now aims to scale to 100 centres by the end of this year and 250 within the next three years, the note added. The note further stated that the academy's vision is to democratize access to quality and affordable badminton coaching, providing opportunities for people of all ages and skill levels. 'Through its standardized, scalable coaching methodology, developed under the guidance of Prakash Padukone, the organization seeks to introduce a nationwide community of school children and working professionals to the sport. It also aims to empower aspiring coaches with certified training and sustainable career paths.' Meanwhile, the makers of Telugu star Allu Arjun's upcoming film with director Atlee, being tentatively referred to as AA22 X A6, on Saturday welcomed Deepika onboard the film's unit. The production house shared a video of Atlee meeting Deepika Padukone and narrating the script to her. The clip also gives a glimpse of Deepika Padukone's motion capture portions in the film. The visuals give the impression that Deepika Padukone plays a queen, who rides a horse and wields a sword in the film. The film, which has already triggered huge expectations as it is believed that it will be like no other film that has ever been done before, will have world class experts working on it. Well known VFX supervisor James Madigan, who is known for having worked in films like 'Iron Man 2' and 'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,' had said, 'I just got done reading the script and I got to say, my head is still spinning.' Indo-Asian News Service