Dear Maya movie review: Extremely intriguing but sloppy execution

Director: Sunaina Bhatnagar 

Cast: Manisha Koirala, Madiha Imam, Shreya Chaudhary

Debutante director Sunaina Bhatnagar brings you all an interesting story of a woman who leaves in search of her pen pal that will disappoint you with its climax. After Bhoot Returns, Manisha Koirala is back on celluloid and with a bang must say.

Maya (Manisha Koirala) lives in a secluded bungalow in Simla. She had a dysfunctional family and has been staying alone with a caretaker since past twenty years. Two young girls Ana (Madiha Imam) and Era (Shreya Chaudhary) live in her neighbourhood. Seeing her miserable life, the two decide to bring happiness in her life by writing fake love letters. Maya, who was deprived of true love, starts falling for her catfish pen friend, Ved.

Soon after, Maya decides to shift her base and leaves Simla to meet Ved in Delhi. But Ved is an imaginary friend! What happens next when Maya reaches Delhi and doesn't find Ved is what forms the basic crux of the film.

Sunaina Bhatnagar, who marks her directorial debut, has certainly offered a beautiful and emotional story but the film has its own share of flaws. Perhaps, the direction should be blamed for its slow pace. The film is so slow that you might doze off every ten minutes barring the hook point when Maya falls for Ved and leaves to meet him. Even the second half is dragged a little bit and the worst part of the film is its climax which is funny and unjustified. Aarti Bajaj, the editor of the film, makes it a yawn fest right from pre-intermission.

The film which started off with a high intense drama ends on a happy note. Wonder, Sunaina had an amazing thought but fails to culminate the subject towards the end. The film has a few moments which will leave you in tears and smiles at the same time.

Manisha Koirala does a fair job as damsel in distress. Her wrinkles and greying hair do justice to her character, who has been waiting for true love in her mysterious bungalow since twenty long years. Her transformation as a person after experiencing life in a different manner is good to look at. No doubt, Manisha is a great performer and this could have been her come back film easily but film holds the promise till long but falls flat towards the climax. Shout out to Madiha Imam and Shreya Chaudhary who impress with their natural performances throughout the film. Not even once do they deviate from their craft. Rest of the characters are apt too. The film is shot well in Simla and Delhi.

Overall, Dear Maya is watchable for its unusual storyline but don't expect it to be extraordinary considering its graph built by the director, till the interval.