Mumbai: Dark comedy-thriller ‘Maa Behen’, featuring Madhuri Dixit, Triptii Dimri and Ravi Kishan, has emerged as a talking point online, receiving acclaim from viewers and several film personalities for its engaging narrative and powerful themes.
Sharing her thoughts on the success of ‘Maa Behen’, Madhuri attributed its impact to the important social conversations it has sparked among the audience.
Reflecting on the response, Madhuri emphasised that meaningful progress cannot be achieved by individuals alone and that society as a whole must evolve to bring about lasting change.
The film, which revolves around Rekha (Madhuri Dixit) and her two daughters, Jaya and Sushma, played by Triptii Dimri and Dharna Durga, uses humour to take aim at the way society judges women for their clothes, choices, desires and mistakes.
In the film, Rekha faces constant scrutiny and gossip over something as simple as wearing a sleeveless blouse. Jaya finds herself trapped in a patriarchal household, expected to cater to the needs of the men around her while suppressing her own aspirations.
Meanwhile, Sushma becomes the subject of public judgment after a video of her kissing someone goes viral.
Madhuri opened up about the film in an interview with NDTV.
“People are watching it. Women are watching it. They’re relating to it. And I feel it’s not only a woman’s film. It’s also a film for men. It’s humorous. It’s funny. And it’s not like saying that only men do this. Even women judge. Even women are judging her and calling her all kinds of names. So it’s basically a statement on society in general, not on one gender,” Madhuri said.
“And that’s what I feel very strongly about the script. It’s not bashing one gender or one person. It’s like saying, you know, we need to change. Society needs to change as a whole, not just the men or the women. I think everybody needs to change their attitude.”
Interestingly, ‘Maa Behen’ has also reignited discussion surrounding Madhuri’s iconic song ‘Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai’ from ‘Khal Nayak’, with many viewers drawing parallels between the themes explored in the film.
Reacting to these comparisons, Madhuri said: “It’s amazing. Whenever you make a film, touches are given to enhance the film, which can sometimes be overlooked by people. Sometimes they don’t realise that – they’re just watching the movie. But just the fact that they’re talking about even the littlest of things gives us joy because they’re watching the movie. They’re getting immersed in the movie. They are seeing every little detail.”
Further, speaking about the love she continues to receive from fans, Madhuri said, “It’s wonderful because whenever you work, you want to be recognised for that. You want to give your best, you want to connect with the audience, and feel that love. I’m very fortunate that I have got that love, because I’m just not a mere star for them.”
“They think that I’m a part of their family. And that’s the biggest advantage for me. I’ve always acknowledged the fact that they’ve always supported me and loved me. And it goes both ways,” she added.