Maharaja Movie Review: Most Underrated Film Ever?

What is the most disturbing film you have ever seen in India? Whatever name comes to mind, get ready to forget it because today I'm going to tell you about the most underrated film of 2024. After watching this, the likes of Pushpa and KGF will seem like child's play. This is cinema that gets lodged in your mind after leaving the screen and won't let go for at least a week. Many of you may have already heard of the film Maharaja, while some may be hearing about it for the first time. But I promise you, after this, you will never forget it in your life.

The best news for cinema lovers is that the film has now been released directly on OTT after its theatrical run, and as a bonus, you can enjoy it in Hindi dubbing on Netflix. However, I must give a small warning: the subject of the film appears to be one thing on the outside, but inside lies something that can be mentally disturbing.

Like a typical complaint, one day, a man walks into the police station to file a report about a theft that has changed his life. The amazing part is that to recover what was stolen, he is ready to slip the police officer an extra five lakh. What was stolen? Let me explain it briefly. Maharaja runs a normal hair salon, and just like any other evening, he closes the shop and heads home when someone attacks him from behind. He only remembers three faces but can't recognize them because he was knocked out. However, he clearly remembers one detail that will help catch the thief: the main thief has an ear on his back.

How, you ask? You'll have to find that out for yourself. Just hearing this much should leave you shocked. You still don’t know what was stolen from this man’s house, which led him to report it to the police: a dustbin named Lakshmi. He is willing to bribe the police officer with five lakhs to find it. The dustbin doesn’t contain any gold, silver, or drugs; it’s just a regular steel dustbin that once saved the life of Maharaja’s daughter. How can a dustbin save a person’s life? You’ll have to discover that in the film.

Moreover, the film also tells a story about a thief who, during a burglary, ties up the family members and casually enters the kitchen to cook his favorite meal for two to three hours, eating in front of them before shooting them and escaping. If you are preparing yourself for a thrilling film just after hearing this, don’t even ask about the climax; it will literally give you goosebumps. Such a shocking climax is rarely seen in any other film in the last 5-10 years, taking Indian cinema to a new level. It's a completely unpredictable film; you may never see anything like "Maharaja" again.

It's one thing to think critically, and another to confuse everyone with an open ending, but the climax of Maharaja feels like it penetrates your very being. This is why it will leave you feeling so terrified, as the storytelling is very normal, but what lies within is horrifying. This is cinema that you can't just view as entertainment because it transforms the entire narrative into a personal experience. The emotions you will feel while watching Maharaja are something you might not have experienced in any other film. The transformation in this film is so intense that it will leave you stunned in just a few seconds. I have never seen such a drastic twist before; it could make even stones weep. The suspense is so gripping that it won’t give you a hint about what the film is truly about until the very end. Everything is kept concealed, and when the truth finally comes out, it completely changes your perspective on the film. Maharaja carries one of the most powerful messages in Indian cinema.

The film also features violence and action that hits you unexpectedly, making it hard to imagine what will happen next. The face-off between Vijay Sethupathi and Anurag Kashyap is something you wouldn't even dream of, and when it actually happens, it jolts you. Anurag Kashyap can portray a psycho villain, but giving himself a face in the film takes it to a whole new level. The way their stories are intertwined elevates the film's quality immensely.

“Disturbing” might be an understatement for what Vijay Sethupathi has accomplished in this film. If any actor in Hollywood had done what he did in Maharaja, they would have walked away with an Oscar. The credit for transforming a simple, normal film into one of India's most shocking films solely goes to his face. In the first scene, the complaint about Lakshmi at the police station leads directly to the climax presentation. In this film, you can witness Vijay Sethupathi's acting class, where the careers of a thousand actors could end.

So, from my side, Maharaja gets four and a half out of five stars for acting, story, emotions, climax, and the use of Lakshmi. The only small complaint is that in an attempt to make the film special, some parts of the story feel a little unconvincing. Watch it quickly if you haven’t seen it; your respect for Indian cinema will increase tenfold.