Mayasabha – The Hall of Illusion review: Khoda pahad, nikla commode

Tumbbad (2018) director Rahi Anil Barve’s sophomore flatters to deceive.

Rating: ( 1.5 / 5)

By Mayur Lookhar

Monotony is a word that’s often abused in media. In times when two is taken as a trend, cynics are quick to drop the M word. Truth be told, globally, most filmmakers tend to stick to a philosophy in their stories. That shouldn’t be misconstrued as monotony. Perhaps in a country like India, you are more judged by the standards of the marquee film, as subsequent work raises expectations and is often compared.

In 2018, first-time director Rahi Anil Barve redefined, and perhaps even resuscitated, the horror genre with his brilliant film Tumbbad – a fine allegory on greed. Devoid of stars and big banner, it naturally had a limited theatrical release. The box office was never going to be great, but Tumbbad received widespread acclaim from anyone who saw it. Soon, it acquired cult status in Bollywood horror. A few years ago, the film was re-released and earned decent money- something it failed to do during its first run.

Now, Rahi comes up with a sophomore effort, Mayasabha – The Hall of Illusion. It’s taken seven years for this film to arrive, underlining the challenges, but Barve will have to contend with Tumbbad-like expectations.

Story

Parmeshwar Khanna (Jaaved Jaaferi), a forlorn, washed-up filmmaker, producer, and exhibitor, lives as a recluse with his son Vasu (Mohammad Samad) in their crumbling bungalow, once home to the grand Mayasabha theatre. Two thieves, Zeenat (Veena Jamkar) and her accomplice Ravvrana (Deepak Damle), dupe the innocent Vasu to gain entry, hoping for easy loot. They, however, aren’t prepared for what awaits them at Mayasabha.

Screenplay & Direction

Before the press screening, a distribution executive lavished praise on Barve, his cinematic vision, layered screenplay, even comparing Mayasabha to Christopher Nolan’s films. It’s tempting to dismiss it as hype, yet you wonder: isn’t this exactly the kind of breathless pitch filmmakers use to lure financiers for their wild but cleverly sold-ideas?

There’s a scene where Parmeshwar slams Zeenat and Ravvrana for pretending to know English, and how today people don’t read. In the case of Mayasabha, it perhaps appears the producers bought into its illusion, when there really isn’t one. They clearly overestimated the silly plot and maybe failed to read the dull screenplay. Mayasabha is much of a drag for its 109 minutes. The opening 45 minutes are a real snoozefest. It’s only the 15-minute period preceding the interval that the film engages. Given the Tumbbad experience, you hope for a similar thrill in the second half, but Mayasabha flatters to deceive. What plays out can be described as ‘khoda pahad, nikla commode‘. Shitty, as it sounds, but this feeling isn’t misplaced.

Performances

For the second time in his career, Jaaved Jaaferi gets to play a leading character. Remember him in Jajantaram Mamantaram, India’s equivalent to Gulliver’s Travels. The long grey hair, respirator mask trigger Mad Max’s Immortan Joe nostalgia. Unlike the crazy blazing guitar in Mad Max, Jaaferi’s Parmeshwar Khanna wields a DDT spray. What was that Nana Patekar film song “Ek macchar aadmi ko hijra bana deta hai”? No trans, but mosquitoes have certainly driven Parmeshwar crazy. His plight is reminiscent of those filmmakers, artists who have really taken the professional and personal blows too hard. Jaaferi’s performance oscillates from sublime to ridiculous.

Young Mohammad Samad, who impressed as a child artist in Tumbbad, grows in stature with a compelling performance as Vasu. Raised in a volatile, abusive household, the boy has learned to protect his head from serious injury by often wearing a helmet when his father is in a bad mood. Samad makes you empathize with Vasu – a prisoner whose face lights up with childlike ecstasy at Zeenat’s false hope. But you can’t take your eyes off him when he breaks down.

Unheralded actor Veena Jamkar is menacing in her black lipstick and nose hoop, with Zeenat able to pull off both sweet and tough-talking. Jamkar fully owns the character. Deepak Damle, though, barely makes an impression as the accomplice Ravvrana.

Technical Aspects

In addition to its gripping narrative, Barve’s Tumbbad was particularly striking for its visual storytelling. It stood out for Pankaj Kumar’s cinematography and the immersive production design, especially the devil’s den. Kumar isn’t part of Mayasabha, yet another Rahi Barve film makes a unique visual impression, courtesy of Kuldeep Mamania’s neat cinematography and Preetam Rai’s production design. Without a convincing plot, though, all this technical skill feels hollow.

Final Word

Mayasabha was the closing film at last year’s Jagran Film Festival. A gentleman who was there recalled people queuing to the toilets. Months later at a press show, it sounds like PR, with Mayasabha: Hall of Illusion headed straight for the memory lane flush.

Watch the video review below.