Maara movie review: R Madhavan stars in a rare remake that almost eclipses the original

Maara movie review: Dhilip Kumar’s film, starring R Madhavan and Shraddha Srinath, isn’t a frame-by-frame copy, but it retains the magic of Charlie.

Maara
Director: Dhilip Kumar
Cast: R Madhavan, Shraddha Srinath, Mouli, Abhirami, Sshivada, Alexander Babu

Maara movie review: R Madhavan and Shraddha Srinath in a still from the new Amazon film.

If feel good cinema is a genre, Dhilip Kumar’s Maara, a Tamil adaptation of Malayalam film Charlie, deserves a special place. What it does beautifully is that it takes an old story and puts a new spin on it. Maara isn’t a frame-by-frame copy, but it retains the magic of Charlie.

Dhilip Kumar is a sensible filmmaker and despite working on a remake, he brings in elements – interesting new characters, for instance - that make Maara a new experience. He stamps his style all over the film, which is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

Watch the Maara trailer here

 

It’s the story of Paaru (Shraddha Srinath) and what happens when she comes across paintings of the fairytale she heard as a child in Kerala. Intrigued by the paintings and the person who created them, she sets out on a journey to find out more about him. This journey leads her to Maara (R Madhavan) and as she learns more about him, she’s surprised to know about all the lives he has touched over the years.

Maara is one of those rare remakes that almost supersede the original. In terms of storytelling, it doesn’t really push boundaries but it creates magic with some lovely moments. These moments are spread across the film which makes it an endearing watch even when it meanders after a point. When it comes to remakes, most play it safe by doing a copy-paste of the original. However, Maara doesn’t take the tried-and-tested remake route, and instead gives the lead characters a different perspective and purpose.

For instance, in Charlie, Dulquer Salmaan’s character mostly remains shrouded in mystery, but that isn’t the case with Madhavan, whose character is fleshed out better in Maara. Madhavan plays a slightly older character than Dulquer, but it doesn’t take away from the charm from his performance.

Shraddha Srinath continues to impress by picking slightly off-beat films in which she’s always a delight to watch. The supporting cast, which includes Mouli, Abhirami and Alexander Babu, make solid contributions to the film. Even though they appear in scenes here and there, the impact they leave is felt throughout the film.

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