Maya Petika Movie Review: The Payal Rajput, Sunil, Viraj Ashwin starrer has an interesting concept but is lost in translation

2/5

Story

Maya Petika is an amalgamation of six short stories which are interconnected through a mobile phone. Each of these stories is related to the economic status of the people involved and with each passing day, this mobile changes hands from one family to another. The rest of the story is about how they react to it and what changes the mobile brings into their lives is the basic story of Maya Petika.

Review

Maya Petika is directed by Ramesh Rapathi and has a unique concept. How a mobile phone changes the lives of various people is showcased through different stories. Director Ramesh has made sure that he showcases stories that are quite relatable to the general public. The manner in which the mobile moves from one story to another is showcased in a very interesting way.

The importance of how mobiles these days and how it affects us in a good and bad is showcased beautifully in these stories. But the biggest drawback of the film is the lack of gripping emotions. The director Ramesh should have added more emotions but he narrates the film in a lighter vein and this takes away the seriousness of the message showcased. 

Also, a few stories are dragged on for no reason. Especially the ones featuring Sunil and anchor Syamala and Viraj Ashwin's love story, they go on forever and ever boring the audience. There should have been a clear identification as to which story is going to be gripping and only that should have taken most of the screen space. But that does not happen as each story is showcased in detail which was no need at all. 

Sunil & Shyamala are quite relatable and funny in their respective roles. They portray similar characters to that of the famous Tiktok couple Durga Rao and his wife Ratnam. The story involving Payal Rajput should have been elevated even more but that does not happen and the story looks half-baked. However, Payal Rajput is very good in her role and the song featuring her is also nicely shot.

As the film is about mobile and it moves hands, certain logical issues should have been taken care of. Like the data that is stored on the phone and how it is used by others, there are certain issues that look clueless. Prithivi's story is outland boring and is over the top. It also takes a good amount of screen time and bores the audience. The interlinking of stories is good but the purpose that they serve when the mobile reaches them is not convincing enough.

The dialogues in the film are decent and the various middle-class setups created look quite realistic. The music by Guna Balasubramanian is strictly okay but his BGM is very good. The editing is bad as close to 15 minutes in the film should have been chopped off. The camerawork is good and so was the production design. The lyrics in a few songs are impressive. The twists showcased should have been even more engaging.

When it comes to performances, comedian Srinivasa Reddy plays a transgender and he is amazing in the film. His character has the fun side and brings out emotions when needed and Srinivasa Reddy excels in his role big time. Maya Petika looks novel when you watch the trailers. But the required emotions and seriousness are not tapped by the director making it look silly in most areas.

Verdict

On the whole, Maya Petika has an interesting concept but the lack of seriousness in the narration spoils the movie-watching experience for the audience. Barring a few comedy scenes featuring Sunil and a sincere performance by Srinivasa Reddy, this film has nothing new to offer.