Maya Memsaab

An ingenious but not entirely successful translation of Flaubert's classic novel to contemporary India. A nice idea, but it doesn't capture much of the sense of the original. Maya is shown as fey rather than bored and it's difficult to see this Madame Bovary as a doomed temptress. If you've read the original and are prepared to stick with it, it's not bad, but it's definitely on the slow side and on the whole you wonder why they bothered.

"Iss shuruvat ki kabhi anta nahi" that's how Maya's in dilemma when she's about to fall in extra-marital love. Her soul knows such beginnings have no end and definitely not happy ends! But the urge to search for pure Or true love is so forceful, she's succumbs to the desire. Every woman has a 'Maya" within her and she goes through such phase of pull for step out. Most of them hold back due to the fear of society, family and the futileness of such relationships which end up in disturbing two families. Ketan Mehta directed and Deepa Sahi acted movies are of different taste for sure. They are not for the masses but for the class. Excellent movie with a great practical story line that every woman goes through in life but handled in different ways.

I've been watching this movie by hoping to find a pretty and interesting story yet the story line wasn't good at all. The play of the actors weren't any better.

Of course Shahrukh Khan was there yet he wasn't enough to make this movie "credible" and interesting.

I've read that this movie was based on the novel of Flaubert "Madame Bovary" yet for me I didn't see it matching with the Indian mentality.

In general we buy movie to dream and have a good time, not to waste our time and change our mood into worse. I just can't understand how it could get such a "high" vote with an average of 6.8/10.

So it's the kind of movie you should run away & ignore because there is nothing to appreciate in it! You will just waste your time unless if you like "dark movie" with "strange and non sense story".

Acclaimed director Ketan Mehta's desi adaptation of Madame Bovary completed twenty seven years this month. It was on a rainy day of 1993, July 14th to be precise, when I had ventured to a nearby theatre to catch this movie.

Mehta's wife Deepa Sahi played the titular role of Maya, a small town lady, who seeks true love and ends up having extra marital affairs only to get heartbroken in the end.

A young Shah Rukh Khan (SRK) played one of Maya's lovers and the film became quite controversial for his sex scene with Deepa Sahi. Expectedly, the Indian censors imposed several cuts which delayed the film. Moreover, the final theatrical version didnt have this much discussed scene which disappointed the audience.

Maya Memsaab had an awesome score by Hridaynath Mangeshkar with "Ek Haseen Nigah ka" and "O Dil Banjaare" topping the music charts that time. Technically, it is one of best films of those times shot in natural light in scenic locales of Simla.

Ketan Mehta's direction was competent like his earlier works (Mirch Masala and Sardar to name a few). Deepa Sahi looked beautiful as Maya and won the National award for her brilliant performance. SRK left mighty impression even in a small role. This was one of his earlier films and he was still two years away from turning superstar with 'Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge' (1995).

Overall, Maya Memsaab was a good retelling of the classic novel Madame Bovary with some brilliant performances and outstanding music. Unfortunately, the film got bogged by the nude scene controversy and audience didn't see it the way it was intended to. Underrated classic I would say...

Maya is a woman without any interests. She just dreams her life away and wonders, why she does not feel fulfilled. This could be an interesting topic. That would need a good story, a nice setting and good dialogues. It doesn't have any of these. This movie is totally boring. There are only lengths and no climaxes.The only climax is Shahrukh Khan. But although I am a huge fan of his, I couldn't stand this movie. Even he can't make this movie exiting. The movie is not as bad as "King Uncle" and if you're an Art-house fan or like it slow, you might maybe like it. It's not funny, it's not interesting, it's not catching. My recommendation: Don't watch it.