Apocalyptic, funny, sci-fi, superhero or suspense, I’ve seen more movies in the last year than 5 years before it. I introduced my kids to classic movies like Chupke Chupke, Padosan, Khatta Meetha and Choti Si Baat while I cluelessly sat through Marvel and DC movies even as A Jr graciously deciphered them for me. My entire family has seen and probably memorised, the entire Harry Potter series by now. I’ve realised one thing though. You can bring on zombies, make me travel through time, go on a serial killing spree or let scary ghosts out of the closet, it’s the romantic ones that truly churn my insides. R Madhavan’s Maara did just that.

Maara kept showing up in movie recommendations on Amazon Prime for quite some time but my crammed watchlist left little space for it. I happened to see Nishabdham with Anushka Shetty and R Madhavan and was impressed with his layered portrayal of a cello player. Truthfully, it egged me on to explore more of him and I finally caved in. Nothing I write would justify my feelings for it. Yet, here are my two cents. Mind you, this isn’t a review!

5 things I loved about Maara!

R Madhavan!!

My love for Madhavan goes back to Banegi Apni Baat which grew in college with Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein. His captivating smile, expressive eyes, and most of all, that unmistakable charm can win any girl’s heart, and I’m no exception. With Maara, he won me back all over again. I found myself restlessly waiting for him to come on screen and whenever he did, he created magic! His beautiful character aside, Madhavan pours life into every little emotion and makes it extraordinary. I might be sounding like a fangirl but when you see him, you’ll know and agree.

Love is spoilt for me!

I belong to the last generation that wrote letters and waited for postmen at our doorstep every other day. That was also the time when love signified patience, yearning, and subtly expressing our feelings. Vella’s letters brought back those memories, and what more, took me to his own world. The purity of his love and waiting for the love of his life is an unheard-of concept nowadays. How will I ever make peace with lovers jumping over each other or breaking off at the drop of a hat now?

Beautiful locations, paintings, and music

Bollywood doesn’t hold a candle to regional movies when it comes to capturing natural beauty. Maara’s picturisation is breathtaking and shows Kerala in all its wonderful glory through the sleepless sea, lush greenery, and its tiny lanes with their old-world charm. Paintings are integral to its storyline and the numerous gorgeous wall paintings are truly a sight to behold. The music is soulful and even if you don’t follow the lyrics like me, you’ll find yourself drawn to it. Yaar Azhaippadhu instrumental music is my new ringtone, so you can imagine.

Sobbing, lump in throat and more..

I’m Monica for others and internalise the Rachel in me (simply put, hard on the outside and soft within). Books, movies, and songs about true and deep love, however, often make me let down my guard. I’m known to lose my marbles and embarrassingly bawl at the silliest of scenes for no reason at all. Maara has not one but two love stories, both unique and unconventional. The closet romantic in me grabbed this opportunity and after stifling a sob for long, went all out. No, I’m not shy of admitting it. Innocent love can do that to you.

Finally, the female lead

Last but not the least, Shraddha Srinath! Honestly, I haven’t seen her other movies yet but I like her. She breathes life into Paaru and easily absorbs you into her quest. You can feel the connection between her and Maara even if they aren’t in the same frame. I loved her flowy dresses, antique jewellery, and scarves. She’s beautiful and quite talented too. I would love to check out more of her work now.

Maara’s story grips you from the first scene and although you might feel lost at times, comes together in the end. The supporting characters have small but significant roles to play and take the narrative forward. I saw the movie in Tamil (with subtitles) and the language barrier wasn’t a hindrance at all. Breaking my personal screen limit, I’ve watched it three times already. Can’t recall the last time any movie had this effect on me. No mush and no melodrama, yet Maara depicts love in the most intimate way one can feel, through the heart. I’m filing away my experience with it through this post, for posterity. On days I feel low, this will give me hope!

Are you a fan of love stories? Have you seen Maara? Does Madhavan make your heart flutter too? Do share with me!

This post is a part of Blogchatter Half Marathon

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