Kajol's 'Maa' Nears ₹20 Crore Mark After Strong Debut Weekend, Driven by Positive Reviews and Occupancy

Kajol, the celebrated actress of the 90s, made a highly anticipated return to the big screen with her latest film, 'Maa', after a hiatus since 'Salaam Venky' (2022). While she kept her fans engaged with OTT projects like 'Lust Stories 2' and 'Do Patti,' her comeback to the 70mm screen was eagerly awaited. Released on June 27th, 'Maa' opened with promising figures and witnessed significant growth throughout its debut weekend at the box office.

Kajol's captivating performance fuels the film's box office success.

'Maa' Box Office Performance

Directed by Vishal Furia, 'Maa' garnered ₹4.65 crore on its opening day, according to sacnilk.com. This figure exceeded pre-release predictions, which estimated a range of ₹3.50-₹4.50 crore. The film experienced a substantial boost on Saturday, with a 29.03% increase, adding ₹6 crore to its earnings. Early estimates for Sunday indicate a steady performance, with collections reaching ₹6.75 crore. As a result, the total box office collection for 'Maa' stands at ₹17.40 crore after its opening weekend. At this rate, the film is poised to cross the ₹20 crore milestone soon.

'Maa' Occupancy Rate on Day 3

On its third day, 'Maa' achieved an overall occupancy rate of 31.17%. The evening shows recorded the highest footfall. The day began slowly, with a morning occupancy of only 10.71%. However, attendance increased significantly as the day progressed, with afternoon shows reaching 35.57% occupancy and evening shows peaking at 46.68%. Night shows experienced a slight decline, with an overall occupancy of 31.71%.

Critical Reception of 'Maa'

The Times of India (TOI) review of 'Maa' highlights Kajol's compelling performance: "Kajol delivers a compelling performance as a mother pushed to the edge, balancing vulnerability with fierce resolve. Kherin Sharma and Rupkatha Chakraborty are both impressive as young girls caught in the storm of ancient evil. Ronit Bose Roy lends solid support as the village sarpanch." The film received a rating of 3 out of 5 stars.

The Story Behind 'Maa'

Alongside Kajol, 'Maa' features a talented ensemble cast including Ronit Roy, Indraneil Sengupta, and Kherin Sharma. The narrative revolves around a mother who transforms into Goddess Kali to confront a sinister curse fueled by fear, blood, and betrayal.

Kajol expressed her excitement about returning to the big screen, stating, "I am very excited. My film is releasing in theatres after a long time and I am extremely happy about it."

She added, "Every actor has to reinvent himself or herself with time. I had never thought I would do a horror film, but here we are. I am extremely proud of this film. The script is quite good. I am a big mythological buff. I love our Indian mythology. We have so many stories. So, I think it was one of my favourite stories. I am very grateful that I have done this film. I think we have made a very good film. Now the audience will tell... But, Maa ki kasam, humne achhi film banai hai."