User reviews

Such a beautiful movie!! Please watch with a friend!!

Unconventional, heart warming story.. winsome performances and superb direction...

Very beautiful and inspiring story. Beautiful captured though slow pace of the story kills the fun. Songs are also good.

If you need inspiration in your life then you must watch this movie.

The movie is not at all boring..Cancer Fighter Manish Koirala playing Maya's role is superab n veteran . Director has done complete justice of sign of early age on her face as life had faded in early age. Teenager Girls trying to have fun , providing a different prospective to Maya about love. With a touch of poetic love , Maya's life turns upside down. The gals realise their mistake n are constantly tensed what Maya was going to do for imaginary love.

A definite feel good movie which deserves a lot more appreciation for being good piece of art! I hope Indian audience soon becomes mature n admires such beautiful movie without name of gaudy stars or big production house!

This movie will literally move you! Movie shows two types of teenage girls and a forgotten woman that let the years go by. No vulgarity or bad boy scenes, or even dance numbers. Makes you catch your dreams and most importantly emphasizes "it's never too late" which is why many give up, so no idea why all the negativity. This movie deserves attention and awards, if it wasn't for Manisha it would of been a hidden gem. I think it's the BEST movie I've ever seen! And I love movies, this is how movies should be.

Movie's story and emotions inculcated, keep you overwhelmed and persistent removal of surprising layers of story keeps your interest intact till the end. Direction by Sunaina Bhatnagar is indeed worth appreciating.

Made with passion, debutante director Sunaina Bhatnagar's "Dear Maya" is a very subtle movie. After the debut movie of Avinash Das's "Änarkali of Arrah", this is one more movie which is deeply engrossing.

The movie resembles Manisha Koirala's recent life closely since Manisha tried to come out of her illness while Maya is trying to come back to a new life after all her childhood ordeal. Only Manisha but no one else could have depicted the character so well.

The ever beautiful Manisha Koirala returns to small screen after a very long break and fight against ovarian cancer detected in 2012. Playing the protagonist as Maya, Manisha Koirala has given a superlative performance in the movie.

Maya, an old and forlorn 40 something woman is living an ominous life with misery filled all around her periphery. World in her eyes is a distrusting and miserable place to live in. She has shut herself inside her spacious Shimla house with her trusted maid of few decades. Two prying school girls Ira and Anna, played by Madiha Imam and Shreya Chaudhary who had heard a lot about this reclusive neighbour, decide to add colour to her droning life. They start writing secret love letters to Maya with a fabricated character named Ved (who never exist). This part is similar to a movie we saw earlier Sirf Tum which was again inspired by a hollywood movie "You've Got Mail". As in "Sirf Tum", she sets up for Delhi to hunt for the man she has never met but who has revitalized her fervour to live a better life.

Two stories run concurrently in the movie. One story is about Maya, her accidental discovery of love and the power of love to arouse energy to a secluded woman of two decades. The other focuses on camaraderie between Anna and Ira, who have got nothing in common. Their friendship is put into test when Maya leaves Shimla in search of her mysterious lover. Anna's parents when found out about this sent her to Delhi to keep her away from Ira who they thought is a bad influence to their little girl. Concerned about Maya, Anna continues her search for Maya even though she has been drifted away from Ira and has lost all connection with her dear friend.

Pre interval, the movie is entirely dominated by Maya who plays the role of a woman in solitude so well that you feel a part of her misery. Almost all of the second part is devoted to Anna's life in Delhi and her search for Maya by putting a "Missing" posters all around Delhi and her reunion with Ira and their joint effort is locating Maya.

Manisha Koirala speaks very less but her expression makes up for everything else. Her transformation from a black dagger dangling from her waist to a gorgeous confident woman in her red saree enjoying her life is radiating enough to give Manisha a roaring appreciation. A brilliant story told with such grace that will relish your mood and lift your spirits up. Manisha's make up, the creepy house gives a perfect sense to the character she plays.

Her change in mood and transformation is presented so perfectly in the attire she wears, from all black to elegant & colourful saris. Manisha shines so brilliantly that the two lovely teenage school girls seem like dwarf in acting department. They seem like no patch to her character.

Hi, Recently my wife and me watched 'Dear Maya' on Prime. Wonderful movie.. Great efforts...a very unique and different story. Thank you Sunaina Bhatnagar for giving a positive message which is very important nowadays through this movie ' Always say yes to life'. Wishing you all the very best for future projects. Awaiting more movies from you with positive thoughts. Thank you once again. Krishna Pulkundwar, Mumbai

Simple, elegant and nuanced. Hoping to see more from this director!

Wonderful movie. I don't understand why movies like this don't come into limelight. kudos to team. Thanks to Shreya Chaudhary.. I watched this movies because I like your fabulous performance in Bandish Bandits.. Congratulations you have 2 gems in your bag already. Keep it up and make it big. Deducted 1 star due to slow start of movie.

Not your typical Bollywood movie, manisha gives a great performance. This movie is an investment of emotion.

PS ignore the score rating.

I'm surprised how thick movie had a reading lesser than 6. This movie is so beautifully done with a lively story and moral that tells you there's more to life. Much more.

Beautifully, very beautifully done. The 2 new young actors acted so naturally. Manisha hasn't lost her acting edge.

I don't know why it has such low rating , it belongs with the 8 pointers rating . The acting is very good . The setting is fantastic . The story is simple and lovely . It's a must watch . Trust me I have watched almost all good hindi movies and was out of movies , and this one is fully worth the watch

Wow. I just loved it. Simple, elegant and beautiful. Loved all the performances. Manisha Ji's eyes are so expressive. Simple story. Innocent acting by both the girls. Lovely music.

It has a very different and interesting story line. Manisha has proved that talent has no age bar. She has performed beautifully . Lovely heart warming story of a lady who has lost all interest in life. Two young girls try to revive her interest in life by writing love letters to her from an imaginary lover. But one day to their surprise she leaves the town in search of her secret lover. That the twist in the tale... Do watch it and this story once again proves that life is full of miracles! Wonderful watch ..loved it !

This movie has beautifully expressed the concept of Girlhood, Friendship, Hope. There are times in life when you feel perhaps there is nothing for you in this world it is the time when you need any tiny ray of hope , a little sunshine , a little encouragement to get you out from the darkness around you it is where the hope steps in and life no longer feels like a burden, Life is worth living again. I Loved how it portrayed that "It is never too late to start living again".

Loved the song too , it goes like "I befriended the seven colours" " and I told life", "Lets gamble dreams with the eyes"

A comfort movie to watch with your girlies.

Sunaina Bhatnagar has worked as the assistant director to Imtiaz Ali for 3 movies, and when she directs her first, you can see the effect Imtiaz in each of her framing, lighting, set design and emotions ! With a masterclass performance by two debutantes and a legend, Sunaina has pulled off a heart warming story.

If you're looking for a simple story to make you feel good about life, and if you love slow-burns, this movie is a gem!

DEAR MAYA IS A VERY BEAUTIFUL PIECE. FROM THE CHARACTER EMOTION, UP TO THEIR CHARACTER POTRAYAL AND TO THE STORYLINE, EVERYTHING IS ALMOST PERFECT. 99% PERFECT. THE STORY IS HEARTBREAKING AT SOME POINT BUT REDEEMED BY THE ENDING.

Its absolutely a good movie to watch! The characters plays their role very well. It somehow shows me the real moral value on how i see the life ahead of me. I really love the main character because she really gave me the feels of how i felt being at home.